AAU stands for Amatuer Athletic Union. Choosing AAU comes with many opportunities for young athletes. Among those opportunities are learning to earn status as a player (not everyone gets a trophy), playing against great competition, learning to deal with adversity, learning to play as a team and gaining exposure as a player. AAU sets the stage for many players who will later be recruited by college level coaches.

TKO is a traveling AAU team. We will travel throughout the entire AAU spring/summer season. Travel is the most important aspect of gaining exposure for our team and your athlete as an individual. It is also essential for us to be able to compete on a high level. AAU travel basketball has become the gateway for many of today’s college level athletes.

Making the team is just the first step in becoming a TKO Elite player. Players must commit to the following standards to maintain playing eligibility: 

• Remain in good behavioral standing at school & at home
• Maintain all passing grades academically
• Regularly attend practices/workouts
• Conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner in both practice, travel, & game settings
• Demonstrate a willingness to be a student of the game, understanding they are always a learner

Failing to maintain any of these eligibility standards may result in a probationary period, suspension from play, or dismissal from the program.

Practice

• Practices 2 nights a week (gyms & times will alternate, always check the Band app to be sure of the location & time)
• Additional conditioning workouts will take place at Austin East with D1 trainers

*Please try to remain as flexible as possible. We are operating at the mercy of gym availability when it comes to practice times and locations.

Tournaments

• We will travel to tournaments one weekend a month. In the spring we will generally leave out on Friday afternoons. When school is out we may leave on  Thursday if we play on Friday night.  

*Tournaments get canceled from time to time. If a tournament we planned to attend gets canceled we will generally try to find another to play in its place. Again, flexibility will be key.

• Most communication will come through the BAND app. Please download BAND to all parent and player phones. This is where changes in schedule, tournament dates, games and times, and most other communication will take place. Parents can also questions to the group, post photos and game results to Band as well. 
  • BAND for ANDROID
  • BAND for APPLE

• We will post tournament updates, player bios, fundraising opportunities, as well as photos and videos of our games to the website. 

• For direct questions you can text/call Coach Turner (865) 228-6251
• If you have questions or need info concerning fundraising, volunteer coordinating or other administrative questions you can contact Mandy Watson (865)406-0168

• Our goal is that every player travels and attends as many tournaments as possible. 
• While we understand it may not be possible, we would love to have at least one parent/guardian per player attend tournaments. However, it is not a requirement. 
• Players will generally ride with parents to tournaments. Parents who cannot attend with their player can arrange a ride with another player’s parents directly or can contact Coach Turner to help arrange transportation. 
• TKO will book & block out hotel rooms for tournaments. If your family plans to stay separately from the team it is IMPORTANT THAT YOU LET TKO KNOW AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE TOURNAMENT. If not, you may be charged a hotel cancellation fee. 
• TKO will provide one team meal per tournament. All additional meals, snacks, and drinks will be the responsibility of each individual family. 
• In general, tournaments will last through the weekend and the team will be guaranteed at least three games. Again, flexibility is key as tournament schedules tend to be very fluid and change often. 
• Each player will be expected to sign a travel conduct statement. Player’s conduct in hotels, restaurants and at tournaments is a reflection of TKO as an organization. This means all players will be held accountable for their actions at all times and will be expected to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of an elite athlete.

Travel basketball at high levels costs money, there is no way around it. TKO seeks to make this high level exposure & experience as affordable as possible with opportunities for fundraising both individually and as a team.TKO charges exceptionally less than many local and national travel teams.

Our fee for this season is $1400. Half of the fee will be due no later than 2/25 with the remaining balance due 5/1.

Fees will cover the following expenses: 

• Tournament Fees
• Uniforms
• Hotel Expenses
• One team meal per tournament
• AAU Insurance
• AAU Player Registration

Payments can be made in the following ways: 

• Venmo
• Cash App
• PayPal
• Cash
• Check

With the understanding that this is a BIG investment, TKO offers our players many opportunities to fundraise both as individuals and as a team. ALL PLAYERS WILL BE EXPECTED TO FUNDRAISE IN SOME CAPACITY. Additionally, if your player has a high need for fundraising then the expectation is that your player will have a strong commitment to fundraising. 

While there will be opportunities provided by TKO for players to fundraise, we also encourage your player to get creative in fundraising on their own. For example, mowing yards, babysitting, investing in a product and selling it individually. Any funds raised individually will be earmarked and put into that player’s individual account. 

Here are a few fundraising ideas we have generated so far. We will not necessarily do all of these things.

• Individual Calendars
• Scratch Cards
• March Madness Bracket Pool 
• Date Night/Basketball Camp (happening on Feb 11)
• Shoot-a-thon
• Tournament of dads/guardians/relatives
• Car wash–find a busy local business that is closed on Saturdays and use their parking lot
• Pancake breakfast

Our team will need lots of parent help to make this season run smoothly and be a success for everyone. The success of the season cannot rely upon the coaches alone. Below is a list of opportunities for helping out. Please consider which of these is feasible for you and your family and sign up on the corresponding sheet at the conclusion of tonight’s information meeting. 

• Bring individually packaged snacks, water or gatorade to contribute the team stash that will travel to tournaments with us
• Volunteer to allow extra players to ride and or room with you at tournaments
• Make phone calls to local businesses to ask for sponsorship
• Record/Video tournament games (we have a tripod)
• Stat bookkeeping during games
• Help organize and/or volunteer at team fundraisers