Frequently Asked Questions

PLAYER PARTICIPATION FEES

The base player participation fee for the 2019 Spring/Summer season is $1250*, and must be accompanied by a completed registration form and signed medical waiver.  This fee includes the following:

  • Season: April – July, with practice and training starting the first week of April.
  • 6 Tournaments:  Five local tournaments and one travel tournament. Tournament entry fees are included in the participation fee. Tournament play will begin in May and continue through mid-July.  Travel and HS Travel teams will play in April with HS teams participating in NCAA certified recruiting tournaments.
  • Approximately 20-24 total games in six tournaments
  • 2 training (advanced skill development) or practice sessions per week in quality facilities.
  • Training Sessions: Coach Denker will lead most Advanced Training Sessions and also some of your practice sessions in collaboration with your coach to ensure that all players receive the highest level of attention and training that DBA can provide and to maintain continuity within our program.
  • Customized DBA Drive uniforms
  • DBA Drive Shooting Shirt
  • DBA Backpack
  • Necessary Team Gear (balls, ball bags, cones, clipboards, etc.)
  • AAU Club and Coach fees (see below re: AAU Player Card)
  • Player Insurance
  • Administrative fees for Coaches and Staff
  • Dedicated and Qualified Coaches
  • Coaches lodging and transportation to travel tournaments
  • Teams anticipated in these age groups: Boys 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & HS (Frosh-Junior); Girls 5th, 6th, 7th
  • Multiple teams per grade level are chosen during tryouts fielding 1-3 teams per age level

* TRAVEL TEAMS WILL PAY ADDITIONAL FEES

**Financial Assistance may be available in the case of financial hardship. Please contact Chris Denker via email at coach@dbadrive.com to inquire.

 

NOT INCLUDED:

  • $20 Tryout fee is not included (must fill out registration form and waiver to tryout)
  • AAU Player Card, fee of $16 extended coverage, every player in DBA is required to purchase their own.
  • Travel Tournaments: All costs associated with travel to tournaments such as transportation, food, and lodging is the responsibility of the players and their parents.

 

TRYOUTS

  • Tryout dates for the 2019 DBA Drive spring/summer teams are posted on our dbadrive.com website. Any youngster who meets the age requirement for one of our teams is eligible to tryout.
  • Each parent/guardian shall complete & sign our tryout registration form and the medical waiver for DBA Drive (Denker Basketball Academy).
  • A fee of $20 covers the cost of your tryout. If a second player evaluation is required, you would be invited to attend at no charge.

 

TEAM SELECTION

  • Evaluation and player selection for the DBA Drive teams are done by DBA coaches and staff only.
  • An INVITATION letter will be sent via email to those who have been chosen for a team.
  • This offer must be accepted within 48 hours or your invitation will expire and another player will be chosen.
  • A non-refundable deposit of $300 is required to hold your spot once you have accepted the invitation.
  • The balance of your academy & team fees are due by April 30, 2019.
  • Inquire about our sibling discount by contacting us at coach@dbadrive.com

 

WHERE DOES DBA PLAY & PRACTICE?

  • DBA practices at High School and Middle School gyms in the Almaden Valley area of San Jose & Bellarmine College Prep in downtown San Jose.
  • We play in local tournaments in the Bay Area and will travel to one out of area tournament as well.
  • Travel Teams will travel more to tournaments out of area

 

WILL THERE BE MULTIPLE TEAMS IN EACH AGE GROUP?

  • The decision to add an age division not listed or to add additional teams to an age group will be made by the DBA Drive Coaches & Staff after tryouts & player evaluations.
  • If it is determined that there is proper gym space, schedule space, quality coaches, and quality players to fill the roster, we would then consider forming another team.
  • If we choose to have two (or more) teams in an age group, we will split the teams by ability with the top players on the top team and so on.
  • Our philosophy will allow for players from one team to ‘swing’ to another as needed if absences occur due to injury, illness, etc. By occasionally practicing & training together and consistent coaching methods our players will all learn our team offense & defense regardless of the roster they are on.

 

COMMITMENT, PRACTICE, & PLAYING TIME

  • We expect attendance at all training, practices, and games to be mandatory.
  • We support and encourage players to play multiple sports and understand when a player may have conflicts due to Little League baseball or spring soccer but every effort should be given to attendance. Communication is key.
  • You will have committed to a team & taken a roster spot from another player.
  • Playing time will be reflected when a player misses training/practice as we will play the person who is more prepared mentally & physically.
  • Playing time is NEVER equal but we make every effort to play everyone for as many minutes as possible.

 

PARENTAL CONDUCT

  • DBA expects all parents with kids in the program to understand that our primary goal is long term development. Behavior that is unprofessional in nature, disruptive to the group, or negative toward other parents, players, coaches or referees is counter productive to our mission.
  • DBA parents agree to withhold complaints, suggestions or comments to any coach in the program at any game or practice site. Our coaches are happy to discuss an issue that arises at the appropriate time but that time is never around other players or parents and never in the “heat of the moment” after a game/practice.
  • Coach Denker is available to handle any issues that may arise, but is adamant about parental behavior being positive and equally adamant that parents understand the role of the coach in the child’s athletic lives and the boundaries within which parents must operate when allowing children to play team sports.
  • We will NOT discuss playing time with a parent, period.

 

HOW DO AAU/CLUB BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS WORK?

  • Tournaments are hosted by various clubs and/or basketball facilities and consequently they can vary at times. However, a lot of tournaments are consistent in the following:
  • Teams will typically be guaranteed 3 games but could play as many as 5 on a weekend unless we have entered a one-day event which is usually 2-3 games on Saturday or Sunday only.
  • Usually you will play 2 games Saturday and 1-2 on Sunday.
  • Sunday game times will be dependent upon how your team does on Saturday.
  • Game times range from 8am – 9pm so please be flexible and keep your schedule open on tournament weekends.
  • Tournament Directors are normally required to get game schedules out by Thursday but can sometimes run into Friday. We will communicate the game schedule as soon as we have it available and will post it to our website also.
  • Please keep game schedule communication between you and your coach and allow DBA Staff to communicate with Tournament Directors only.

 

TRAVEL EXPENSES

  • All costs associated with travel to tournaments (local or not) such as transportation, food, and lodging are the players & parents responsibility.

MEDICAL WAIVER FORM

Parents must submit a medical waiver form prior to tryouts, practicing and tournament play.

Please email us at coach@dbadrive.com, or call at 408-772-9620 with any questions.