Navigating Basketball in Utah
Learn how the youth basketball system works in Utah and how best to help your player!
Basketball should be fun!
The first rule is to remember why you are putting your player in a sport. In this instance - basketball. You want your player to be active, have a fun hobby they are passionate about to fill their time and to learn lessons from playing in a sport. Because the Utah landscape for any sport is so competitive, parents inevitably get sucked into the vacuum and forget the real reasons why they want their player to play in a sport. When we can consistently remind ourselves of the core reasons, everything becomes less stressful and not only can you create a supportive relationship with your child but you will now enable your player to develop their game and their person in a safe environment that will create many important memories and lessons for them as they grow up.
With that in mind, join us as we walk you through the mazes of Utah Youth Basketball and show you how the right journey for you and your player to navigate the basketball world should be like.
Recreation Basketball.
The biggest rec basketball organizations in Utah are Junior Jazz (via various city league websites) and I-9. Often times, league and practices are run by parents. Training is not standardized but it is a great way to introduce a kindergarten-aged player or if your player is just NOT SURE if basketball is the sport to pursue. The barriers to costs are very low and it is a great way to test out the sport. Technical skills are not introduced or emphasized at this level. It is more about having fun. You may see players running with the ball or other rules not followed, but it is OK! This is just a peek into the sport! Just be careful about staying too long in rec and having bad habits formed.
Semi-Comp Leagues
The D-League is the perfect stepping stone for young athletes looking to transition from recreational play to more competitive basketball. As a semi-competitive league (beginners to intermediate), the D-League provides a balanced environment where players can develop their skills, experience game play, and prepare for higher-level competition. The D-League is the only semi-comp league in Utah. All other leagues are either recreation leagues or competitive leagues.
What is Semi-Competitive?
In a semi-competitive league like the D-League, players get the best of both worlds: the fun and enjoyment of recreational play combined with a taste of competitive basketball. This level is ideal for players who are ready to elevate their game but are not quite ready to commit to the intensity of a fully competitive league. It offers a structured yet supportive setting where players can:
Sharpen Their Skills: Through regular practices, game experiences, and personalized coaching.
Build Confidence: Gain experience in real-game situations without the high pressure of advanced-level leagues.
Develop Game IQ: Learn team dynamics, strategies, and critical thinking that are crucial for competitive basketball.
How Does the D-League Prepare Your Player for Competitive Teams?
Focused Skill Development: Our D-League prioritizes fundamental skills like dribbling, shooting, defense, and passing, all tailored to prepare players for competitive play.
Game Experience: Players engage in regular games, developing game-time decision-making, teamwork, and resilience.
Exposure to Competition: The league offers a step-up in the level of play compared to recreational leagues, bridging the gap to fully competitive basketball.
Elevate Your Player’s Experience with a Paid Coach!
Parents can choose to enhance their player’s experience by opting for a paid coach. This option provides:
Personalized Training: Paid coaches bring expertise and tailored instruction to help each player grow.
Two Skills Clinics: Access to two exclusive skills clinics designed to hone specific aspects of the game, from shooting techniques to defensive strategies.
Bantam Leagues
The Bantam League, also known as the UC Bantam Basketball, is one of the biggest leagues in Utah, offers comp (competitive) leagues and tournaments for intermediate to advanced levels. They do not form their own teams. Teams are self-registered in the bantam leagues. Some high schools may offer their facilities and marketing to host tryouts for teams. These teams are created by and run by individual parents, typically a player’s dad or mom. Club teams may also register their teams in these leagues. The Bantam Leagues run seasonally and there is usually a different league for each weather season (fall, winter, spring, summer). Aside from leagues, they also host one-off tournaments. There are 4 divisions of play levels in the Bantam Leagues - Division 1, 2, 3, and 4. The league does not control which divisions teams can register for. They host the leagues and provide game courts, referees and score-keepers (typically by team parent volunteers). They create the schedules. We register Invictus teams into the Bantam Leagues and Tournaments as well and work closely with the organizer to ensure our teams are placed in the right divisions.
One of the issues of Utah Basketball is most often created by parent coaches. Although they have the best intentions, they may not have the expertise or knowledge to execute them. Most often, parent coaches do not understand the different levels of team play. They may register their team(s) at too high of a level or most often times - TOO LOW of a level. The reason for that is because winning is emphasized over training and development. While it makes the league fun for those teams, it creates a false illusion for the families and players. They do not develop the important technical skills required to make a competitive club team or even high-school team. They get frustrated when they go the club route and do not get placed on the top team or when there is a learning curve for that player. They form bad habits.
BANTAM MYTH: You do not need to play for a “bantam” team to qualify to play for your high school. There are only a small handful of high schools (Lehi High, Skyridge and Lone Peak in Utah) that will require your player to play on a high-school sponsored bantam team at 8th Grade. If your player is hoping to be on their high school team, they should play on both the high school bantam (only if they make the “A” team which is coached by a member of the high school basketball staff, not a parent - be sure to look into this before your player commits.) and a club team. It is rare that their game times will coincide.
“May you always remember to enjoy the road, especially when it’s a hard one.”
My Player is a Beginner…
Here are the right steps to take if your player is a beginner. Basketball is a highly technical sport. Footwork, ball-handling, passing, and shooting have specific techniques to help them be a strong player. Developing a strong foundation from a young age is key. Majority of sports actually like to pull from basketball players simply because of how technical and precise basketball players get with techniques. Make sure your player is trained by a professional to prevent unnecessary injuries and bad habit.
BUILD TECHNICAL SKILLS
LEARN GAME PLAY
This should be done in conjunction with technical skills class programs. Players get to put the technical skills into action in a game setting. One should not go without the other as they learn 2 different things. We recommend the D-League which is a beginner (1st-2nd Grade) and semi-comp (semi-competitive) league (2nd-7th Grade). Different levels are offered. Ideally, parents should pick the “paid coach” selection as the player will be guaranteed professional training in practices.
My player is Intermediate -Advanced…
COMP TEAMS
Once your player has determined that basketball is the way to go and has spent some time developing technical skills and some foundational game play, comp teams are now the way to go. For Girls Teams, please click here.
The key points are to ensure that the coaches and trainers are certified and pro-trainers. While winning is fun, it should not be the main focus. The main priority should be skills and basketball IQ development. The youth age is the time to make mistakes while honing these important technical skills. The wins will come once the foundation has been set strong. Have patience, be encouraging to your player, and trust the process. These are methods developed by experts who have played through college and professionally. They have identified the methods that work and also training they wished they had as a youth that would have propelled them further in the game as well as in their careers.
At Invictus, we have 5 levels of teams. There will be some big learning curves as your player works through the level they are in and works to progress to the next level. Please do not rush your player. If your player is in a time crunch to move between levels faster, we recommend practicing skills at home or with a personal trainer. A typical division 1 comp team player spends an additional 10-15 hours (above any in-house club training) each week working on their game. This will include athletic performance training such as speed and agility, strength training, vertical training and so on. At Invictus, their club team registration includes both technical skills training and basketball game play and IQ training. Athletic performance training is an added program. While not mandatory, We highly recommend a combination of both basketball and athletic performance training for players who want to see a faster improvement. We also offer specialty camps and workshops on weekends and during holiday and summer seasons. We recommend that players take advantage of those programs to continue honing their skills and improving.
Being a part of a club organization means you do not have to worry about most basketball logistics such as registering and entering leagues and tournaments, forming teams, getting facilities to practice and play out of and so on. The club organization takes care of all those needs so you can focus solely on supporting your player and helping them further with their personal growth.
Look for a club organization that does not host parent coaches. The coaches and trainers should be certified and professional staff of the organization. They should have a proper headquarter facility with their own gym. They should have the ability and resource to host all training, as well as leagues and tournaments, in addition to specialty camps and workshops. Having such resources in one organization enables your player to get the best training and growth possible. Lastly, they should have a proper direction for your player to embark on should they wish to play beyond their youth years.
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HIGH SCHOOL YEARS
The majority of comp players want to play for their high school teams. High school teams can be pretty political in Utah. You must remember that not every high school coach comes from a professional basketball pedigree. Most are teachers who are a high school sports coach on the side. In addition to having strong basketball and athletic skills, you player must learn to possess strong communication skills. They need to start getting to know the middle school or basketball coach and learn to develop a working relationship with them. Coaches will want to help a player when they get to know them. Players need to understand that every coach is different and they need to learn to adapt to different coaching styles. If your player wants to be a high school basketball player, they must learn to navigate the politics of sports in Utah and that is in EVERY high school in this state. All High School players still play through club for the training and to get more competitive playing opportunities, as well as a pathway for college recruitment.
Now, parents, understand that playing for your high school is not the ticket to playing for college. That is a whole different path. If your player does not make the team or does not get a long with their coach or is not given the opportunity to shine, there are other routes to having an enjoyable competitive high school sports experience. Too often, players quit as soon as they do make the high school team and we have seen some incredible basketball players do so. They often do not make it due to politics. These players are still growing and developing. There is an alternative.
The alternative to the high school basketball team is Club. Through Club, your player can play for leisure or train for college playing opportunities. If your player is going for the latter, Club provides travel opportunities to put your player in front of the right college recruiters, scouts, and networks. Please bear in mind that most club organizations in Utah may not have the network or volume to do so. Often times, exclusive college recruiting networks will only work with organization that offer a selective training as well as has the volume of players to support their talent pool. Most college recruiters also do not come to Utah to scout players. As such, you will hardly see such recruiting opportunities playing at a high school team. Rather, a high school team gives your player a different set of experiences to learn from.
Players serious about college recruitment should specialize in a sport. They will need the additional training hours for personalized basketball training, athletic performance as well as time to travel for recruitment opportunities.
COLLEGE RECRUITMENT
For players serious about college playing AND who possess the talent and potential to do so, there is a college recruitment pathway for them. At Invictus, we offer an exclusive package for our players to do so. We mentor and teach them why’s and how’s to take each step. Our network of partners across the nation helps us place the players in front of the right people, lists, and networks.