50 All-Stars

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Newsletter #12

July 1st, 2019

The Official Newsletter of 50 All-Stars Basketball

Issue #12

HOW SUMMER'S GONE THUS FAR

Summer is here! And we've been doing big things every single day. We've played games, challenged a slew of players, celebrated some serious milestones, and have adjusted our program to fit an even wider range of players. Make sure that you don't miss out by taking part in all you can while you can. We know there are only so many hours in the day and that you guys sign your kids to do a ton, but know that kids only live once and being tired during the summer is what makes the season so fun! Check out all we're up to with the following nine articles. Hope all is well!

HOMECOURT APP

HOMECOURT APP FOR SHOOTERS

The HOMECOURT APP for iPhone users has been a very pleasant surprise in terms of what I thought a shot-track app could be capable of. The only downside is they don't have a version for Android users, but the upsides are plenty: By just pointing the phone's camera to the court, it automatically tracks every make and miss, it tracks the trajectory of each shot to show you the averages and how you might improve, it tracks your speed to the shot, differentiates between off the dribble shots, catch and shoot, and free throws, and it even allows for you to set monthly goals and follow others who have the app as well.

A few of us have been using it for about 2 months now, and the end result of persuading kids to shoot more shots is invaluable. Speaking of which, the initial cost is FREE... but it's about $5/month to change the 1,000 shots/month cap into unlimited. Extremely worth it in my opinion. IF YOU GET THIS APP, please let me know via email or text so that I can add you to our team within the app so that we can inspire one another.

THE FIVE WEEK CHALLENGE

THE FIVE WEEK CHALLANGE

The FIVE WEEK CHALLENGE has been a wildly successful venture for several of our players. Ben Levy, Finley Chastain, the Bastani brothers, and a few others all gave the challenge a very valiant shot, but it was the two Samoan siblings Troy & Gabby Rickman who did all 35 days perfectly. Notably their mom pushed them every step of the way, but for a 2nd and 4th grader to finish it off with 5 miles, 15 minutes of jump rope, 16 minutes of ball-handling, and over a hundred pushups and several minutes of planks per day is astonishing to say the least.

We're currently putting together a mini-movie detailing the challenge and highlighting all the kids that participated, and we'll send that out to you when it's done. And it's never too late for you to try it as well. The 5 Week Challenge is the most demanding thing we've got. And if that's too much for you, know that we have dozens of challenges listed in our CHALLENGE SECTION for you to attempt.

Congrats to everyone who was a part of this. I'm very proud of each and every one of you!

SUMMER CAMP SEASON

Our 3 weeks of summer camp varied from one another in drastic ways, in an attempt to give each player/parent exactly what they wanted and/or needed.

The first week was for our 13-18 year olds, and the focus was heavy on drill work. These were the players who wanted to finally perfect a vast array of moves and details of their game that they couldn't quite get throughout the year. Definitely on the more serious side, we broke the monotony by playing Connect Four during lunch. All in all, the players that attended this camp improved more than they would've during any one week span of the entire year.

The second week was for the 8-13 year olds who just played the ENTIRE TIME. No real details on learning anything, but they had a blast competing and experiencing what's known as the funnest week of the year in our program.

The last week was for the 3-8 year olds who went over the basics and were mostly there to enjoy the sport at its most basic form. The last week is free for even non-members, but they got FAR MORE than their money's worth, as we included a bunch of inspirational challenges to give each kid a mental head start they can use in any realm of life for their entire life.

Camp season is great, and this year was fantastic. Be sure to spread the word so we can grow year by year!

SUMMER SCHEDULE

SUMMER SCHEDULE HAS BEGUN

With the 3 weeks of camp complete, we are no longer going from 9am-3pm each weekday. We will return to our regular 6pm-9pm slate of activities. As always, it's elementary the first hour followed by middle school followed by high school.

During the school year, the occasional player might stay for multiple hours. This is usually the player hell-bent on achieving some pretty fantastic goals in the sport of basketball. The others usually only show to one hour, due to tiredness and/or school work. For these summer months, we invite you all to try your hand at showing to all 3 hours. There's no school, and the kids can rest all day to catch back up.

To us, summer time is the perfect time to grow by leaps and bounds. Plus our elite team leaves town for 3 straight weeks, which will limit how many Friday and weekend workout opportunities we have. So get more than your share of court time by staying for multiple hours.

4th GRADE FOCUS: KAITLYN KINSEY

Kaitlyn just finished her 4th grade year, and has been in our program for a few months. She's a super smart and fierce competitor who is always looking to improve her game. Here's this quarter's FOUR QUESTIONS FOR OUR FOURTH GRADE FOCUS:

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF BASKETBALL? A. Being on defense, because I have a chance to steal the ball.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF OUR PROGRAM? A. I like the workouts a lot.

Q. HOW DO YOU PLAN ON REACHING YOUR FULL POTENTIAL? A. I plan on using the workout card I got from the program.

Q. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST? A. I need to improve my rebounding ability by jumping towards the ball rather than waiting for the ball to come towards me.

SUMMER LEAGUE

SUMMER LEAGUE IS ON!

THE SCHEDULE for this summer's local games is on our site now to book. Be sure to get in all the games you can, as summer is a terrific opportunity to expand one's game. There are also a lot of kids out of town, so be prepared for fairly significant playing time as well. The 1st-4th graders will be playing on the STARS 4|3 team, the 5th-6th on the STARS 6|5 team, and the 7th and 8th on the STARS 8|7 team. The elite team will be traveling most of the summer, so they'll just mix in when in town. See you guys soon!

JULY'S ROAD TRIPS

The elite team's TRAVEL SCHEDULE for the month of July is once again out-of-this-world in terms of memory-making moments, but only out-of-the-state in terms of reality. We'll be going to Chicago, Florida, and Arizona as we embark upon the meat of the season. Definitely a chore organization-wise, these events are nothing but amazing fun and the best competition these kids will ever have in their lifetime.

As for our local athletes, you'll still have games in town. Friday, Saturday, and Sundays will be empty in terms of workouts, so be sure to double or triple up on workouts on Monday and Wednesday to make up for it. Right after July is over, we'll have our annual August 2-week break as well.

So let's finish up this summer as strong as we can by getting it started at full speed!

BE BOLD AT OPEN GYMS

When you show to OPEN GYMS, be bold!

Be bold by coming ready to play, and by not being afraid to ask for the ball, and by not being afraid to get rebounds if you're not getting the ball.

But you can be even bolder by attempting to stay to play with and against the older groups. As a future superstar, know that it's YOUR JOB to do just that. But know that it's also our job to reject your attempts time and time again until that fortunate day where we need you to play. And then, when that day comes, BE BOLD and play your heart out.

That's the only way I've seen it done by superstars in the past, and probably the only way it will be done henceforth. Go through the frustrations and rejections and blood and sweat and tears to create the player you were truly meant to become. But know that the first step is showing up, because there's only so much you can do from your bed while sleeping in on Saturday mornings.

WHAT TO SHOW UP TO

Our weekly events are plenty, but very often people request that we offer more. When I ask for specifics, they invariably list things we already have in place. These things, however, are on days they don't usually come. The fix is that you should come to a variety of days instead of just one fixed day. That is, if your kid isn't the type to want to show up to every day, just yet.

The CURRICULUM that we've created has an exact list of drills that should create the perfect all-around player, but it's predicated on the thought that each player will attend all 7 days a week for the entire year. We know this isn't possible for many of you, but know that mixing up the days you can show is the best way to experience all we have to offer.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Newsletter #10

January 1st, 2019

The Official Newsletter of 50 All-Stars Basketball

Issue #10

OUR SYSTEM HAS BEEN BUILT

Shortsightedness is definitely not something we subscribe to. So when we set out to create the perfect youth basketball system that was able to allow for a lifetime of extreme growth towards and beyond any given player's true potential, we were perpetually skeptical to ever say we were anywhere near complete. But now we've finally reached the point where the system is in place. Sure, there's a few details to refine... but we've finally got everything right where it needs to be. So thanks for the patience over these past 6 years, and be sure to get as hyped as possible for what's next. Go Stars!!

I'M STAYING!!!

The following is a special message from Jon Sanders:

Hey everyone! I started this program 6 years ago, and I fully expected to be its leader for my entire life. Last newsletter I explained how I'd be transitioning myself out of the program to be with my wife in Utah as she pursued her new head coaching position at Southern Utah University. Well, to be quick and frank, my marriage fell through since and I will no longer be leaving. Although the circumstances of this outcome are extremely disheartening, the outcome itself is fantastic for our program and is the aspect of this ordeal that I'm choosing to focus on.

As a firm believer in fate, me being here for your children for many years to come is such an amazing opportunity for both them and myself. I've got so much in store for our players, and I can't wait to put in my 100% to convince them to continue to give their 100%. I'm so extremely grateful to have you all as a part of my family, and I truly don't know what I'd do without you. Thanks for placing your trust in me. I promise I'll do everything I'm able to do (and more) to make that the best decision of your life. See ya soon!

CAN WE PLAY WEAKER COMP?

It's probably one of the most popular question in our program's history: CAN WE PLEASE PLAY WEAKER COMPETITION? As often as I hear such a heartfelt and logical query, my answer has always been a very simple NO.

In the past I've compromised and have even given completely in. The results were lackluster and parents still argued about a myriad of issues. I've had years where I pushed us to the brink, and those years produced the best players we've ever had... even if it sometimes pushed some further than they were able to go. So there's obviously no definite win here, so I choose to error on the side of being as competitive as I know how. That's who I am, and who I wish for you and your kids to become.

Life's hard - maybe not as hard for some of our kids these days - but it's still hard nonetheless. Having things too easy is a trap I wish to avoid. I definitely know how to win games. I've done so in my past coaching situations where I've led school teams to undefeated records by spending our every practice moment on strategy and plays and disciplining the kids to the point where only the best players took every shot. We won, but those players suffered by never getting individually better. I do not want that for this program. We'll, of course, have our share of easy games... especially as we improve and other teams do not. But this can never be the norm. As adults, the proudest stories we tell kids are the struggles that we overcame. So we must be mindful to not rob them of that same opportunity.

So to everyone who's ever asked or is thinking of asking... please stop asking. I will not allow the games to get easier. This program will have players unafraid to test themselves against the best on the court and in life as well. No apologies.

OUR CHALLENGING CHALLENGES

So many kids have been exploring our new Challenges section, and a few players have even done their part in adding to what that page has to offer. Two players in particular, Edward Doronkin and Zach Pomazanov, have just recently completed 100 straight days of a workout called the PREOVAZOVANIYE (Russian for "Transformation"). The improvements in both of their games is already extremely evident. We'll soon add that challenge to our site for others to try, so keep an eye out.

Another challenge to be added is the RUDY CHALLENGE, in which the player attempts to show up to our practices and workouts for 21 straight days. If there's ever a rare day we have off or a day that player absolutely cannot show, then they must do a specific workout that's described on the page. Shane Watters, Gabby Rickman, and Cameron Ferris were the 3 players to attempt and complete this challenge. We'll soon add that challenge as well, and we'll even include a list of all the players who've completed it.

This summer will see Finley Chastain attempt to complete our most difficult challenge, Five Perfect Weeks, along with Coach Jon Sanders. We have a few other players set to join us on occasion, and we'll also be filming to create a video afterwards. If you're interested in joining us, let us know before our late May start.

All in all, there are over 100 challenges and we expect every player in our program to dig deep to complete as many as they're able to over the next several years of their life. We believe in you!

SUMMER CAMP SIGNUPS

It's about that time again! Click here to sign-up for our June Summer Camp. 13-18 year olds are June 10-14, 8-13 year olds are from June 17-21, and the 3-8 year olds are from June 24-28. The first two camp sessions last from 9am-3pm, and the 3-8 year old week goes from 9am-12pm followed by 3 hours of Open Gym for the older Elementary, Middle School, then High School kids.

The First week for the oldest is fairly intense and serious, whereas the second week is more laid back and filled with games. The final weak for the youngest is just pure fun. Players may join multiple weeks, and the older ones may even help out as a counselor for the younger. The cost is FREE FOR MEMBERS and $50/day for non-member. So spread the word, and be sure to book ASAP... as spots are limited. We do NOT accept more than 50 players for any day. No exceptions. Please book now.

4th GRADE FOCUS: KEVIN RICHARDSON

Kevin is a dynamic player who entered our program a year ago. Currently a 3rd grader, he's definitely ready for the role of being our 4th grade captain once summer arrives. He's stubborn in all the right ways, bold enough to never fear anyone or anything, and there are truly no limits to how far he'll be able to take his game. So without further ado, here's this quarter's FOUR QUESTIONS FOR OUR FOURTH GRADE FOCUS:

Q. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF OUR PROGRAM? A. Open gym because all we do is play and have fun

Q. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU KNEW YOU COULDN'T FAIL? A. Improve at all the drills I'm not good at.

Q. HOW HAS OUR PROGRAM IMPROVED YOUR GAME? A. I'm way better than I was then. I used to travel a bunch, but now I'm not.

Q. WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST HURDLE? A. I need to not hate being so cold when I'm practicing my shot outside.

THE FIFTH GRADE YEAR

By now, you know our program is tough. What our players go through on a daily basis is perhaps the most mentally and physically demanding experience a player in our area of any sport can go through. With that said, we'd like to point of out that the FIFTH GRADE year is by far the toughest of the tough. 1st graders playing with 4th has its hurdles, but it's all manageable since even the best 4th graders haven't reached the point where they're comfortable enough to understand how to properly dominate a younger player. 9th graders playing with 12th is tough as well, but most 9th graders now understand enough about life to successfully navigate harsh situations. The 5th graders playing with the 8th, however, is a beast very few have ever been able to survive. Puberty, maturity, and the introduction of new social dynamics all come into play with the potential to destroy.

In a perfect world, we'd combine the 1st-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-9th, and the 10th-12th. But there's simply no time to do all that, and truthfully we don't mind the extra challenge. We see this as a perfect opportunity to weed out the kids who can make it from the kids who can't. And really, there's far less pressure. All these kids have to do is SURVIVE. They don't have to thrive or dominate or even have major personal gains... They've just gotta keep showing up and SURVIVE.

So this is just a heads up for you younger players, and a nudge for those currently going through it. The advice is simple: JUST KEEP MOVING. We truly believe that if you can do this... If you can survive THE FIFTH GRADE YEAR in the 50 All-Stars basketball program, that you'll be able to survive ANYTHING life EVER has to throw at you. Good luck, and we'll be here every second of the way to support you.

NCAA RECRUITING CHANGES

Due to a very serious lawsuit, the NCAA has panicked and changed their entire recruiting schedule. This affects our travel teams because a great number of tournaments have adjusted their schedule to accommodate match when the college coaches are now allowed to recruit. Luckily our Los Angeles tournament is the only tournament on our schedule that's changed. We will be going to Arizona now instead, the details of which are on our ELITE TEAM page. We ask all families to please book accordingly, as everything now listed is set in stone.

The only further ramifications of this NCAA ruling is that our high schoolers will only be able to be seen by college coaches 2 weeks this year instead of 5. That means 2 things: 1) We must make these two weeks count! And 2) We'll be filming the other weeks with the intent of sending all that footage to every coaches' email. In life we must always adapt to succeed, and this is no exception.

If you have any questions, we're set to discuss everything concerning the elite team during the first elite team practice of the year. See ya then!

1ST ELITE PRACTICE W/ PARENTS

Be sure to book the first elite team practice of the year, set for January 8th from 6:30pm - 8pm. We'd like for the parents to stay as well so that we may discuss the year's tournament schedule, expectations, hotels, and more. We'll also be distributing jerseys, collecting birth certificates, explaining our rental car system, and detailing how players may travel solo if need be.

Furthermore, we'll discuss our basic offensive and defensive strategies so that everyone is on the same page of what we are trying to do rather than only judging our team by what you may see in games. We'll discuss the challenges we're set to face, and we'll also properly explain to everyone all that you must urgently do now versus what stuff can wait until later.

If you are unable to make it, please send someone in your place.

JANUARY BOOT CAMPS

Our 6am morning boot camps are always a special thing, but this January is set to be extra special. To help jumpstart our 2019 elite team, we're urging players to attend these events throughout the first month. Spots are already very limited, so be sure to signup fast if you want in. The intense nature of these workouts adds a ton to the level of passion instilled in each player.

On the surface, this provides those that attend a boost in their attendance scores that directly impact how quickly they earn their elite team incentives. On a deeper level, this pushes the entire team by solidifying a stronger and more skilled base to create a stronger foundation for our entire year. Getting off to a great start is half the battle; and if this team means anything to you, this push should be extremely welcome. See ya in the morning!

★ 50 ALL-STARS ★