March, 2023
PPA Premier is excited to announce tryouts for its Hoops Premier Program. Tryouts will be held June 5th - 9 for players rising into grades 3rd-9th. Tryouts are open to Players who have NOT participated in our Development League, or to players invited by PPA Coaches.
Registration is now open:
Overview of the Premier Hoops Program:
PPA Premier Hoops is emerging as the top travel basketball program in the DC/MD region to offer both BOYS and GIRLS options. The goal of the program is to provide advanced players with a highly competitive playing experience, to play in the region's top basketball leagues and tournaments, and to develop players to their highest potentials on and off the court. Our coaches strive to prepare the players for their next level of basketball, and to provide life lessons along the way. Players stay with their teams and coaches year-round, and coaches hold film sessions, 1-on-1 evaluations, and more to teach the game and help develop and motivate the players. To see more information about the premier hoops program, read our program guide.
Eli Schwadron, Premier Hoops director, noted, "This past year, our premier program rose to the next level—I’m extremely proud of our players and coaches for all of their hard work and commitment. We had teams competing and performing at high levels, including Premier 1, BigTimeHoops, ZeroGravity events, and more. As a program, we are also sending more teams to travel tournaments and circuits. As we look ahead to 2023-24, we're excited to host tryouts in the early summer to identify talented players we can add to the program and further our success next year."
Tryout Schedule:
Monday, June 5th, Silver Creek MS, 6:15-7:30PM
RISING 5TH GRADE BOYS
Monday, June 5th, Silver Creek MS, 7:45-9:15PM
RISING 7TH GRADE BOYS
Tuesday, June 6th, Maret School, 6:00-7:30PM
RISING 8TH + 9TH GRADE GIRLS
Tuesday, June 6th, Maret School, 7:30-9:00PM
RISING 8TH + 9TH GRADE BOYS
Tuesday, June 6th, Sidwell Lower, 6:00-7:30PM
RISING 3RD GRADE GIRLS
Tuesday, June 6th, Sidwell Lower, 7:30-9:00PM
RISING 6TH GRADE GIRLS
Wednesday, June 7th, Wheaton HS, 5:45-7:15PM
RISING 4TH + 5TH GRADE GIRLS
Wednesday, June 7th, Silver Creek MS, 6:15-7:30PM
RISING 4TH GRADE BOYS
Friday, June 9th, GDS Lower School 6:30-8:00PM
RISING 7TH GRADE GIRLS
Friday, June 9th, Sidwell Lower, 6:00-7:30PM
RISING 3RD GRADE BOYS
Friday, June 9th, Sidwell Lower, 7:30-9:00PM
RISING 6TH GRADE BOYS
Tryout FAQ's:
Why does PPA Premier hold tryouts in June, instead of Feb/March like other AAU programs?
PPA Premier holds its tryouts in early June, so that players can stay with their same team, and same coach, for the entire upcoming academic year. Teams tend to really start to gel by late fall and early winter, and then play their best basketball in the spring after having spent 6-7 months playing together. At PPA, we feel it’s important to keep players and coaches together for the school year.
Who should come to Tryouts?
We're looking for players who are serious about basketball and want to play hoops year round. Tryouts are open to boys and girls in grades 2-9.
What should I bring to Tryouts?
Athletic attire, a basketball, and a water bottle.
What should I expect at Tryouts?
At the tryouts, players will be organized according to their grade and compete in a series of full-court scrimmages.
How soon will I find out if I made the team?
We expect to reach out to players 5-10 days after the tryout.
If I get invited to join a team, what happens next?
If you get invited to join a team, we'll give you all the information you might need for what's included in the program and give you a few days to review the information and let us know your decision. If you decide to join the team, programming could start as soon as this summer.
What is the difference between PPA's Premier Program and Development Program?
The Premier Program is a select program, meaning players need to try out to be invited to join a team. Players are organized by age and skill level and play on teams that compete year round in competitive leagues and tournaments. Teams normally practice 2 times/week.
The Development Program is open to players of all levels, and allows parents to form teams and invite friends to join. The league emphasizes a balance of fun and competition and players participate on a seasonal basis. Teams normally practice once a week.
Many players in our premier program start out in our Development Program. If you're interested in joining a premier team, but you’re not sure about the commitment level or if your child is ready for the competitive level, you can consider joining the Development Program as a lower commitment option.
Do you have a high school travel program?
Yes, we offer a high school travel/AAU program. Our high school Premier teams will follow a much different schedule than younger Premier teams, as players are dedicating time to their high school JV/Varsity teams, as well. The format for HS travel is 10-11 tournaments during the normal AAU season [March-August], then tournaments based on availability in Fall [Sept.-Nov.], and practices during the winter [Nov.-Feb.] based around school team game/practice schedules Are current/returning PPA Premier players required to attend tryouts?
Yes, tryouts are mandatory for returning players, as well. During tryouts, each age group/gender is re-evaluated. New rosters are then formed for the subsequent academic year, with teams solidified for the proceeding fall, winter, and spring seasons.
Will there still be Premier practices for current teams, the week of Premier Hoops tryouts?
No, we cancel practices the week of tryouts so that our coaches can staff and run a successful tryout for new and returning players.
How many Premier teams will be formed for my player's age group? How many roster spots are available for my player's age group?
The number of Premier teams formed, and number of roster spots available, depends on the size of the talent pool that attends our tryouts in June. It is hard to gauge the number of teams and spots available until tryouts occur.
Can my player participate in both Premier Hoops and Premier Soccer?
Yes; Premier Hoops coordinates with Premier Soccer each pre-season, to de-conflict any potential scheduling issues with practices between all players who do both PPA Premier sports. We cannot guarantee a fully de-conflicted schedule.
Can my player participate in both Premier Hoops and Development Hoops?
Yes; many of our Premier players play in both Premier and Development. Premier Hoops tends to take priority over Development if, and when, there is a conflict between the two teams' schedules.
Who should I contact if I have questions?
info@ppateam.com