The AAU stands for Amateur Athletic Union of the USA (headquartered in Indianapolis, IN). It is also a non-profit organization. The AAU is a service organization for many sports. They have a girls basketball program divided into 7 age groups. The program is national. In 1993, the Belles won the 16-under and 13-under National Championships.
The US is broken up into areas (Associations). We are in the Middle Atlantic Association (Eastern PA, So. Jersey, Del.). Each Association has a age-group tournaments. The winner (2nd, & 3rd, depending on the number of teams in that age tournament) advances to a National age-group tournament someplace in the U.S. The National tournaments run nine days (during July) and the team is guaranteed three games.
Players must now show a birth certificate at the Association tournament. All participants must register by signing a card and pay a fee ($12). The Association tournament usually take place on the weekends in May. The Belles conduct team tryouts usually after the h.s./grade season in Feb./March. The Philadelphia Belles, Inc. have teams join the AAU to participate in their program at the Association and national level.
The U.S. Junior Nationals is a national-level girls basketball championship tournament held in various sites across the country. The USJN does not require teams or players to register or play according to age. The USJN has grade (class) divisions in which teams participate. The concept has 64 to 120 teams participate in pools of eight, playing seven games in five days. The cost for the tournament covers all fees, team registration, etc.
The events are held in New Haven, CT, Baltimore, MD, Las Vegas, NV and Washington, D.C. in late June and the full month of July. Participating teams must be invited to play, there is no qualifier. This event is equivalent to the AAU Nationals in level of exposure and competition. The USJN and AAU older age programs run at opposite weeks of July to enhance maximum visibility for the players. In 1993, the Belles 16s won the DC Championship and in 1995, the Belles 15s won the Vegas Championship. In 1997 and 1998 the Belles captured the USJN National Championships in the 17-under division.
For more information on the U.S. Junion Nationals go to their web site at : www.usjn.com
The Eastern Girls Basketball Association was founded in 1993 to create an organization of girls basketball clubs which provides education, exposure and competition for its present 20 member clubs.
The EGBA offers its members an organizational structure that will help promote, expose and offer additional opportunities to those athletes and coaches within the Association. The EGBA will provide playing opportunities such as Tournaments, Workouts, Clinics, Shootouts, All-Star Games, and Travel Teams for those member clubs, athletes and coaches.
The Association operates an EGBA Spring Exposure Tournament to showcase membership talent and ability. The Association also operates, in conjunction with the tournament, a Parents Information seminar to notify parents about the recruiting process and the sends a comprehensive list of EGBA member clubs player information to all Eastern US College coaches for the recruitment of EGBA senior players.
The Association has plans to put together travel teams comprised of EGBA members to participate in nationals and international events. The Association will continue to serve as a vehicle for the membership to create and support any other structures that will enhance their clubs and the sport.
For more information on the EGBA contact Bruce Springer at (410) 643-1899.
In response to the requests from women's basketball coaches at various levels for an organization that will provide information and services to all women's basketball coaches, at all levels, as well as a forum to examine new ideas and air concerns about the game, an affected group of coaches gathered in Chicago, Illinois in January, 1993 to form the "ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL."
This non-profit association of college, high school, junior high, grade school and Amateur Athletic Union coaches is designed to educate and foster new growth in the sport of women's basketball and will provide for equal representation among all coaches who become members. Athletes and parents may also join the "Alliance" and will have the opportunity to address concerns specific to their level of participation.
The Alliance will offer voting membership to any coach at the college, high school, junior high school, grade school or Amateur Athletic Union level. The cost for a coach will be $25 regardless of level. This "General Membership" will have the right to vote on all issues brought before the "Alliance." Players at all levels, and parents of players are encourage to join as "Associate Members."
For more information on the Alliance, write to P.O. Box 7584, Phila. PA 19101
Blue Star is unquestionably the leading and most progressive basketball camp in the United States providing the only national elite-level competition in the United States for female high school athletes. Over the past fifteen years, most of the country's top high school talent have attended Blue Star, including 1,200 Street & Smith All-Americans. Our past camp all-star listings are a Who's Who of College Basketball. Blue Star continues to increase in attendance of prospective All-Americans. During the ten camp sessions in 1994, it had 117 out of 226 Street & Smith All-Americans. For seven of the last thirteen years, the USA Today female high school basketball Player of the Year has been a Blue Star camper.
The players who receive the Blue Star Invitational brochure are the best underclasswomen in America. Most of the players recommended are candidates for the prestigious Street & Smith pre-season All-America team, USA Today All-America, Parade Magazine All-America, the Gatorade Circle of Champions Award and Scholastic Coach Magazine All-America.
Players attend Blue Star because they wish to achieve maximum exposure to the media, college coaches and to learn where they stand in relation to the other top players in the United States. Blue Star personnel are the best and most influential in their respective areas of the media and coaching.
For more information on Blue Star contact the office at: (215) 860-7870.
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