FAQs

What is AAU?

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.

Each division will have a Massachusetts AAU State Basketball tournament to place qualifying teams to go to the AAU National tournaments. You must compete in the AAU State tournament in order to qualify for the National tournament. The National tournaments are held in different cities in the USA.

www.aauboysbasketball.org

What is YBOA?

Youth Basketball of America (YBOA) is an international governing body which promotes youth basketball worldwide. YBOA is a non-profit organization located in Orlando, Florida, which offers league development, tournaments, uniforms, educational clinics, scholarship programs, support materials, merchandise and insurance programs.

Each division will have a Massachusetts YBOA State Basketball tournament to place qualifying teams to go to the YBOA National tournaments. You must compete in the YBOA State tournament in order to qualify for the National tournament. The National tournaments are held in Orlando Florida.

www.yboa.org

When are tournaments?

Tournaments are always on the weekend. Depending on the number of teams participating in the tournament, games can start as early as Friday. Tournaments are hosted across Massachusetts and there are some teams that will travel to other states. Games may also start as early as 5:00pm on Fridays and 8:00am on Saturdays & Sundays. On occasion, special arrangements need to be made to get the players to games on time. Please see team parent(s) and individual team schedule. On Saturday and/or Sundays, teams may have 2 to 3 games per day.

When will I receive a schedule of games for the weekend?

MABC Bengals have no control over when we receive game schedules for tournaments. On most cases, coaches will receive schedules by the Wednesday prior to the weekend of competition, however if the tournament director has to make changes it may be later than anticipated. Once a schedule is received, it will be emailed to all coaches and parents. We will also try to attach the schedule on our website.

How can I get my child on a team?

He needs to attend an evaluation/tryout. Depending on the number of coaches available, there is a possibility that we will have two teams at each division. All evaluations/tryouts are conducted in January and February.

What division is my child eligible to participate in?

All divisions will be based on the current grade in school and Date of Birth. Example #1: D.O.B: 8/30/98 Grade: 4th (10U/4th) Example #2: D.O.B.: 9/1/98 Grade: 4th (9U/3rd – Grade Exception)

Can my child play up a division?

There are special circumstances that we will allow a player to play up a division (crossover player). That decision will be made by the Director of Basketball of Operations and the CEO of the organization.

Who are the coaches?

The MABC Bengals Coaches are volunteer qualified coaches who have coached competitively for a number of years. They participated in a one day training course during the fall to prepare for the travel season. All volunteers will be First-Aid & CPR Certified. Please see the coaches page:

Coaches Page

What are the fees to compete?

The MABC Bengals presents an inclusive package of everything your child needs to participate. To play at this level it is very costly.  We present several fundraising options to assist parents with paying their fees.  Players are not allowed to play until all fees are paid.

Fees includes:

    • AAU/YBOA Membership Dues
    • Practice Gear (Reversible Jersey & Shorts)
    • 6 Tournaments (Average: $400 each)
    • Fees does not include Travel and National Tournament expenses.

Where are the practices sites located?

    • Dorchester Education Complex, 9 Peacevale Road, Dorchester, MA
    • Vine Street Community Center, 339 Dudley Street, Roxbury, MA
    • Cathedral High School, 74 Union Park Street, Boston (South End), MA

When does the travel season start and end?

The AAU/YBOA travel basketball season starts in March and concludes at the end of June. During the last week of June through the first week in August, teams who have qualified for the National Tournament will travel and compete during their scheduled times. During the summer, we participate in the Boston Neighborhood Basketball League (BNBL) and other summer basketball leagues/camps for additionally preparation for the National Tournaments.