Club basketball is the highest level of basketball your son can participate at this age. Club involves competing against other club teams from other cities, provinces, and even countries. Some club teams may have trained together for years and be extremely skilled. Club level involves playing on a same gender team with kids specifically in a certain age bracket for each team (ie U12, U15, U17, etc) to ensure the most competitive play. Club basketball is not recreational basketball. It is intended for serious training with a goal to compete. If your son aspires to go far or to maximize his basketball skills then he needs to play at club level. At club level kids who show the most promise may get recognized by recruits, scouts, and others. The best part about club basketball is that it is where your son will truly become part of a team as all the athletes consistently play and practice with one another. This is what separates it from recreational basketball programs.

Because your son loves basketball, wants to get really good at it, and wants to be part of a team! Unfortunately, elementary school level basketball in BC is simply not competitive at all on top of being a very short season. As a result, your child will not develop the necessary skills going this route. Club basketball fills the void for kids who truly want to hone their individual and team basketball skills. This is why there are way more tournaments offered for U14 and under. Once kids get to high school this changes a bit because high school leagues are much more competitive than elementary level. However, if your child has not developed their basketball skills before they get to high school chances are slim they will make their high school team.

The fall club training program can cost as little as $845+GST per athlete for the 15-week program which runs from September 11, 2025 to December 19, 2025. This cost includes 2 training sessions per week with each session lasting 2 hours. If you do not have an ACE jersey and shorts that will need to be purchased for $125+GST from Ace Hoops. Save $150 by registering early and paying in full. This is one of the best value-for-money basketball programs available considering everything your child will get.

Not at all, especially if you compare it to other club/rep basketball programs and sports which can easily be $1500+. Think hockey, skiing, golf, and lacrosse to name a few. Basketball is substantially cheaper in comparison. Some of these other programs also ding parents for additional fees such as equipment fees, registration fees, reserve fees, kit fees, and the list goes on. The fee you pay is one single amount which covers everything. The cost is extremely reasonable when you factor in the amount of training sessions, the length of each session, and all the tournament style exhibition games it includes. Most training programs are 1.0 - 1.5 hours 1X per week, while this program is 2.0 hours 2X per week over 15-weeks with 6-8 exhibition games against other club teams (possibly more). There will also be bonus training sessions, exhibition games, and a bunch of outside bball team bonding events which you do not get with other programs and it's a no brainer best bang-for-your-buck. In short, your son will get way more training and competitive game experience compared to most other programs, along with substantially more fun team building moments.

Feel free to compare against other programs and camps but make sure you compare apples to apples. Most of the other training programs are recreational programs where your child is dropped off for an hour training 1X per week doing more beginner level training. Many kids who have potential quickly outgrow these recreational programs. Since kids in these programs constantly change your child will never really be part of a team and so the team skills development is poor. Basketball is a team sport and the way to fully develop team skills is with a consistent group. This program provides way more high-level training hours and sessions per week + competitive games against other club teams and the fee you pay includes all of that.

No, the intention of club level is for the same kids to train together a lot in order to maximize individual and team development. Right now there are 3 programs in the works broken up into a Fall, Winter, and Spring program. The first program offered now is 15-weeks (Fall), then after the new year there will be a 13-week program (Winter), and then a 12-week program (Spring) which is when the bulk of travel tournaments happen. The programs ensure consistent training with the same group to lead up to the tournaments.

Your child will get MANY tournament style exhibition games against other competitive club teams without the extra tournament costs. The fee you pay includes all these exhibition games without any extra fees. Further, this program runs from the start of the school year all the way to the Christmas break so it keeps your child training consistently with his team. Consistent training is how skills really grow.

Boys ages 11-12 who want to eventually make their high school basketball team. This is a high-level basketball training program intended for medium to advanced level kids. It is not intended for beginner kids without prior basketball training experience, or for kids who just want to "play games" or only shoot the ball. This program is meant for kids who want to seriously improve their basketball skills and acumen. If your child has outgrown rec programs or loves challenges and competing this is the right program for him!

Your son will get playing time, however, the kids who put in the most time and effort with their training and have developed the most will get more. Remember, this is a club team so the ultimate goal is to be as competitive as possible in games. In order to be as competitive as possible the best kids get more playing time as it is in all sports. Parents need to understand that your child controls their development with the amount of training they put in on and off the court. Realistically, kids should be training at least 4-5 times a week to "become good". My son, Wil, trains 5-6 times a week for reference. Generally speaking, a child who trains more will simply be better than a child who trains less. By signing up, parents accept the coaches decision regarding playing time and understand that the coach will make the best decision possible for the overall team.

I understand that many parents want to see their child score, but parents need to understand that basketball is more then just scoring and that your child's "success" is not determined by the amount of points scored. Whichever player is in the best possible position to score is the one that should take the shot. Basketball is a team sport and so it is all about the greater good of the team and not any one individual player. Your child's development, skill set, abilities, and effort and desire to train will ultimately dictate what role they have on the team. If your child is not a great shooter but takes shots for the sake of trying to score that only hurts the team and makes the team less competitive, which will mean your son is not a team player (resulting in being benched or less playing time). Your child can impact the game in so many other ways outside of scoring such as defense, rebounding, passing, setting screens, boxing out, going after loose balls, hustle and energy, and pumping up the team with positive attitude.

No, your son does not have to do tournaments but I would assume the reason they are in this program to begin with is to train hard to compete at the highest level which is at tournaments. I completely understand that sometimes kids just don't want to do a tournament and that is perfectly okay. This is part of the reason for having up to 15 players on the team to ensure enough players are available for tournaments.

For the FALL (and eventually winter) program there are NO extra costs as there will not be any tournaments. For the Fall and Winter programs there will be tournament style exhibition games against other club teams which is already included in your fee. Come spring season when tournaments heat up there will be the regular training fee but on top of that the cost for each tournament. The goal is to do around 4-5 tournaments as that is the reason for all the training but there can be as many or as little tournaments as parents want and can afford. Should we as parents decide we want our kids to do more or less then it can be discussed at that time.

I LOVE all things basketball! Aside from knowing the game, what I do extremely well is that I observe, listen, analyze and ask my young athletes a lot of questions to get them to understand the pros and cons of their actions. Dissecting and analyzing actions and then demonstrating is how a young player will learn. My coaching style is extremely active and involved wherein I provide constant feedback to the player which does not diminish their confidence but rather empowers them. Great coaching comes from knowing how to effectively communicate with young people while providing appropriate constructive feedback. I understand that each kid has a different personality and as such requires slightly different communication. An outgoing extroverted 11-year old vs an introverted 13-year old requires different feedback language, an academic brain vs an artsy brain requires different approaches, and so on. I find that some coaches simply lack good communication and do not connect well with their players. Ultimately, a kid needs to be encouraged and pushed but at the same time have fun. I like to provide immediate feedback and constructive criticism so that your son will know what to adjust right away, otherwise bad habits form. If you want proof just look at my son, Wil. Wil is the youngest on the team at only 10-years old (Nov baby so he is quite young). Everyone else on the team is 11/12. Wil’s form, technique, and dribbling are some of the best amongst all the Ace kids. He is one of the very few kids who can use his left/weak hand. His shooting form and dribbling are advance for his age, evidenced by the fact that he shot the highest percentage at my summer camp out of all 14 kids. His explosive first step and speed will come as he physically grows (along with some weight + plyometrics training with me). Technically, Wil is far ahead many kids his age and many older then him because I have spent time and energy teaching him. This is what I will do for your son as well.

An exhibition game against another club team is essentially like going to a tournament but not having to pay the tournament fee. Your son will get high-level competition experience without having to travel too far, spend an entire weekend doing a tournament, or book hotels. Nothing in life, however, is guaranteed but you have my word that I will strive to have as many exhibition games as possible (there might even be more then what is quoted on this site). I have already spoken to a few other club teams and received commitments from them for exhibition games in the fall. The reality with exhibition games is that they take a substantial amount of time, planning, and coordination efforts to make happen. Rest assured, I want my son, Wil, to play in as many exhibition games as possible since that is where he will learn so much. Half the games will be played locally in Vernon and the other half at the other club teams' gym. This simulates the home/away feel that comes with sports and allows kids to experience different pressure playing "on the road". All games will be refereed. The specific dates and times of the games is still in the works and subject to change, but details will come out after we start training.

For those parents who know me, you know that I do a lot of extra functions and events outside of training. Think pool parties, swimming, skating, beach days, restaurant gatherings, hikes, etc. My philosophy is that kids develop best when they are happy and feel part of a team. Kids learn most efficiently with good training protocols which positively reinforce them and a healthy dose of fun outside of training. Many parents know that I also do a lot of extra free training and games at the rec centre so I am always involved and present to help your child grow and have fun.

No, my one and only focus is my son's team. I have no desire or ambition to coach a girls team or any other age brackets. Whatever team my son is on will be the one and only team I coach. With that being said, for the U13 boys we may end up having a Team A (competitive) and Team B (developmental) with a maximum of 15 kids on the team. Team A will be the competitive top kids (more primed for tournaments) while Team B will allow the less developed kids to learn and play with less pressure at their pace. Having two squads is great for scrimmages and, more importantly, fuels kids to work hard to get on Team A. The best motivational tool is not to hand it freely to a child but rather to make them earn it. Also, not every parent/player may want to go to tournaments so this ensures we have enough bodies available to form a team for tournaments.

Ace Hoops came into existence as a result of a father's passion for basketball and desire to have his daughters play at the highest competitive level. On Ouch, founder of Ace, started off small but saw a need in the Vernon area for better (and more serious) basketball training. From there he developed training academies, leagues, and club teams. I first met On at the rec centre and eventually helped with coaching as Ace grew. On is devoted to coaching his daughters elite club team (one of the best in all of BC) while running other Ace programs. I am now in the same position On was in with his daughters in that I want my son, Wil, to play on the best competitive team possible in order to maximize his development. Running a club team requires the most time, energy, and investment so I have fully taken over in solely running the U13 boys club team under Ace Hoops. On and I support each other as our mutual goal is to grow the sport of basketball in the Vernon and surrounding areas. On Ouch's Ace Hoops program is a phenomenal place for kids of all ages to develop their basketball skills and I highly recommend you check them out.

Yes, this program is exactly what your child needs if they intend on playing high school basketball. Unfortunately, the elementary school basketball programs in BC are absolutely lackluster without much true skills development. They cater to inclusivity of all which means there are usually many beginner kids along with kids who have never played the sport before. Club basketball fills this void for competitive elementary school kids hence why most tournaments cater to U14 and under.

Registration will close on Oct 10 or when all spots are filled, whichever occurs sooner. Should a parent sign up between Sept 15-Oct 10 and opt for the 4 payments plan, your 1st and 2nd payments will be payable upon registration, then your 3rd payment will be on Oct 15 and 4th payment on Nov 15.

Unfortunately, there are no refunds as the amount of work and investment to get these programs going is a lot. There is a substantial amount of time and energy that go into making it all happen so parents need to really talk with their son(s) to determine if a rigorous basketball training program and competition is suitable for them. I want committed parents and players, not indecisive and unsure ones. This is an investment in your child's development so please sit down with your son to discuss before signing up.