Club basketball is the most common way young players get more coaching and competition outside of school. This guide explains what club basketball is, how it compares to AAU and travel ball, how clubs are set up and how to choose a good one.
Quick answer: Club basketball is youth basketball played on a team run by a private club or organization, outside of school. Clubs usually run teams at many grades, pick players through tryouts, hold practices during the week and play weekend tournaments. Most people use club, AAU and travel basketball to mean the same thing.
Key Takeaways
- Club basketball is youth basketball on a team run by a private club, outside of school
- Club, AAU and travel basketball usually mean the same thing
- Clubs run teams at many grades and hold tryouts in spring and fall
- Practices and coaching are what separate good clubs
- Players can play club and school basketball
What is club basketball?
Club basketball is youth basketball played on a team that belongs to a private club or organization instead of a school or a rec league. A club picks players through tryouts, groups teams by grade, runs practices during the week and enters teams in weekend tournaments. Players on a club team often come from several different schools.
Is club basketball the same as AAU or travel basketball?
Mostly. The words overlap. “AAU” comes from the Amateur Athletic Union, which runs tournaments and sells memberships, and many club teams play AAU events. “Travel” is a common word for the same kind of team in some regions. Read what is travel basketball? and AAU vs club vs school vs rec.
How is a basketball club set up?
- Teams by grade. Often more than one team per grade, by skill level.
- A coaching staff. Good clubs train and background-check every coach.
- A season plan. Practices during the week and tournaments on weekends, usually in spring and fall.
- Skills programs. Many clubs also run clinics, camps and academies.
How do I choose a club basketball program?
- Ask how many practices a week, and for how many months.
- Ask who coaches, and how coaches are trained and screened.
- Get the full cost in writing, including tournaments and travel.
- Ask how playing time works.
- Notice how fast and clearly the club answers.
See how to choose the right AAU basketball team for red flags to watch for.
Where does PSB fit?
Where Pro Skills Basketball fits
Pro Skills Basketball (PSB) runs boys and girls club teams, often called AAU or travel teams, for grades 1 to 11 in 27 U.S. cities. PSB is one of 18 organizations in the Jr. NBA Flagship Network and a USA Basketball Official Youth Organization.
PSB teams practice 2 to 3 times a week with trained, background-checked coaches. Players join through spring tryouts, fall tryouts, or an evaluation at a team practice when a team has an open spot.
Most PSB cities also run clinics, camps and academies for players who are not ready for a team yet.
Find club basketball tryouts near you
More AAU guides for parents: What is AAU basketball? · How much AAU costs · What age to start · AAU vs club vs school vs rec · How to choose a team
Frequently Asked Questions
What is club basketball?
Club basketball is youth basketball on a team run by a private club or organization outside of school. Clubs usually run teams at many grades, hold tryouts, practice during the week and play weekend tournaments.
Is club basketball the same as AAU?
Mostly. Club, AAU and travel basketball usually mean the same thing. “AAU” comes from the Amateur Athletic Union, and many club teams play AAU events, but some do not.
What age is club basketball for?
Many clubs run teams from about 1st or 2nd grade through 11th grade, with some starting in kindergarten.
How is club basketball different from school basketball?
A school team is run by the school and plays a school schedule in winter. A club team is run by a private organization, picks players from many schools and plays mostly in the spring and fall.
How do I choose a club basketball program?
Look at the coaching, how many practices a week, the full cost, playing time and how the club communicates. Good clubs answer questions clearly and in writing.
Do club basketball teams have tryouts?
Yes. Most clubs hold tryouts in the spring and fall, and many evaluate new players at practice when a team has an open spot.
Sources
By Brendan Winters, Co-Founder
Brendan co-founded Pro Skills Basketball in 2009. At Davidson College he was a two-time All-American and Southern Conference Player of the Year. He then played five pro seasons in France, Germany, Hungary and Greece.
Youth Basketball Leagues and Programs Near You: How to Choose