FAQ
Q: my child has never played basketball. can he or she still be part of this league?
A: Absolutely. We are confident that our training will be able to take a new player and turn them into a polished player as they continue in our program.
Q: can i form my own team?
A: Yes, you may. Currently, there should be no more than 8-9 players to a team. The best way to do so is to have the coach register first, then have the coach request a list of players. Each of those players must also request that same coach to be their coach. If you encounter any issues registering, simply email us at info@theleagueutah.org and we will get you taken care of in no time.
Q: can i volunteer to be a coach or asst. coach? what are my responsibilities?
A: Yes, you can. The League provides training for the coaches and we provide professional trainers for the group training clinics. The league operates with the help of volunteer coaches and we spend time and resources to ensuring all training is in par with our high standards.
You or your assistant coach will need to be present at the training sessions as well as at the actual games. You will get some court time to train with your team during the training sessions as well. You will be responsible for all direct team communications. You will be ask to fill out a final survey on your players and the program at the end.
Q: what is the program like?
A: We put player development first! Team practices are an hour long each week with their coaches. Our coaches also receive training according to the ages they will coach so they better guide player development and teach important skills needed at each age. The League also provides a few additional skills clinics by our professional trainers by age groups. Typically, practices and skills clinics are on weekdays, and games are on Saturdays. Each player gets 6 practices, 5 guaranteed games (there may be more games pending on how the teams do on tournament day), and 1 skills clinic per season.
Q: My child is a more advanced player, can he play in a more advanced division?
A: If this is your child’s first time playing in our league, we will use the first season to evaluate their playing skills. According to their skill and maturity level, they can be assigned to a higher division in their returning season and may even qualify and be asked to try-out for our Pre-Club Academy or Club Teams. We assure all players that they will be able to train and improve throughout the season, no matter their skill level. We hold player evaluation and skills training at the beginning of each season to ensure that teams are more balanced.
Q: CAN I REQUEST FOR A BUDDY
A: Yes you may. Simply request at registration. Unless there is a stark discrepancy in skill-sets, we generally do honor buddy requests.
Q: HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM JR JAZZ OR BANTAM OR CLUB?
A: Jr Jazz - We have referees for every game who stick to a set of rules. There is no favoritism or awkward-ness when it comes to referee-ing. We also train our referees to teach players the right rules when they make mistakes. We also offer skills and game training aside from practice, conducted by professional trainers. Our trainers are exclusive to our league. We will also train volunteer coaches and give them tips on improvement. Coaches also get half-off their player’s league fee. The league operates at a higher, more organized level than Jr. jazz. We fill the gap between players who are attaining to be on good Club Bantam Teams but are falling short and for those who seek a more competitive and structured league than Jr. Jazz. More importantly, we aim to help the players progress so that they can qualify for good Club and Bantam teams (organized by parent volunteers). It takes time and hard work to get there, but we know that with the extra help of The League, your player has a much better opportunity to get there.
Our Pre-Club Academy and Club teams are generally for players who are playing at a high level. You have to try-out and there are no guarantees to get it and you may not get the coach of your choice. There are different clubs in Utah offering different services and pricing. Coaches from most club teams are generally volunteer coaches as well. The League via Club Utah offers players the progression path so that they will always play on the right skill level with the right team via paid, professional coaches.
Bantam is not a team nor is it an organization of teams. Bantam is a league that allows for teams to compete with each other all throughout Utah. Bantam leagues do require teams that play on a higher level. There are try-outs held by self-organizing teams (typically run by a volunteer parent) and no guarantee to be in it nor on a certain team. Our Club Teams typically enjoy the privilege of playing in the Bantam Leagues as part of a series of tournaments/leagues that they play in.
Q: HOW can my player qualify to play for a high school?
A: There are teams of different skill-levels and to qualify to play in high-school, you will have to be a skilled player. The League offers players the progression path so that they can qualify to play in more competitive leagues and tournaments seen by high-school coaches. Our system of progression allows you to understand where your child stands in terms of skill level and what work/program needs to be done to qualify to try out and play for a high school team. In the event that your player does not qualify to play for a high school team, we have high school club teams (different levels) that compete in the local and regional tournament circuits. We do not believe that the love for basketball should stop at a high school team. Rather, players can still enjoy and progress personally through other means and still be a part of a meaningful team.
