Frequently Asked Questions
Why do kids in our community play with I Believe?
There are a variety of reasons why boys and girls play with I Believe. Some of the many reasons we have heard from players are as follows: I want to play college basketball and it is the best way for me to prepare. I want to get better for my school team. I love basketball and I want to play more during the year than just the school basketball season. I love traveling and hanging out with the friends I’ve made on my team. It gives me something fun and challenging to do. I want to play in college and they do a lot of their recruiting at tournaments. It keeps me in good shape. I like the higher level competitiveness of the teams we play in tournaments.
How does a player get involved in I Believe?
I Believe will hold tryouts in February and March (see the Home Page for the tryout schedule). All you have to do is turn in your completed registration form at your specific tryout date and time and come ready to play. After tryouts, wait to find out if you made a team and all the details.
Can someone who has never been on a basketball team tryout?
Yes. In fact, many of the younger age group players have never played (you gotta start somewhere). Some of the things looked at in evaluating players are aggressiveness, athleticism, quickness, positive attitude, plays hard. We can take kids with these attributes and coach them into great basketball players. A lot of kids in the younger age groups have never played, but make a team because of these qualities.
Tryout Dates and Times
Tryouts are held at different locations but mainly at the zone in winterville on Sundays.
Players should be dressed to play, and bring a completed registration form.
Tryout date and time---TBA
Possible Callbacks The Callback date is reserved for possible 2nd tryouts to help us fine tune our selection process. Please keep the callback date available to attend. Within a couple days to one week of the Callback date will post on our web site. A list of who needs to come back on which of these two dates. If you do not have access to the web site, please call Rumond Pitt at 252-315-3325 or your individual coach.
How are teams selected?
I Believe coaches conduct tryouts. The individual team coaches will run drills and evaluate each player’s skills and potential. The tryout consists of drills and game play. After all the tryouts are completed, the coaches will select the players for the teams. Sometimes a younger player is "moved up" to an older age group if the potential is seen for that player to succeed at that level.
Am I guaranteed to make a team if I try out?
No. Although we will do everything possible to select all players at the tryouts to a team, circumstances such as number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, or number of teams may hinder some players to make a team. If a player does not make a team, please encourage them to tryout again next year, as these obstacles change from year to year.
When are the teams selected?
At the completion of tryouts all of the teams will be selected. Each player will receive a phone call to confirm their placement on a team, or not, and which team they are on.
How many teams are there in I Believe?
There were 8 teams for the 2010 season. Each year the number of teams in the club depends on the many variables we take into consideration, such as: Number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, or court space.
What is the difference between a Regional level team and a National level?
I believe offers Regional and National level teams. The difference between the levels is basically the tournament schedule played (and costs associated with them). See the different team level tournament schedules below.
Why does I Believe have Regional level and a National level teams?
The level of Pitt County area basketball has drastically increased in recent years and we want to continue the strength of basketball in the area. In order to do this, we feel teams need to compete in a few tournaments that are bigger and stronger than the Regional tournaments, therefore playing a National Level schedule. However, the costs do increase when we travel farther away for tournaments, which means that more fund raisers are required. One or two National teams will also play in 2011. These teams focus on AAU nationals and USSSA nationals. We had our 16 girls team win USSSA nationals last year in Greensboro, NC and our 15 boys team to get runner up.
What are the benefits of playing in bigger tournaments?
Some of the benefits of playing in bigger tournaments are as follows: We get to play some of the top teams from other states. We don’t have to play against the same teams we always see in local tournaments. The kids like to travel and “chill” with their friends. Many college coaches are at these tournaments recruiting, which will help our kids in the recruiting process. The higher level of play makes us better basketball players and teams.
What are the tournament schedules?
I Believe participates in several different leagues. These leagues include, USSSA, USBA, YBOA and also AAU.
Leagues host tournaments all year round. For this season's schedules Visit:
AAU tournaments visit: www.acahoops.com
USSSA tournaments visit: www.northcarolinausssabasketball.com/
YBOA tournaments www.yboaofnc.com/
USBA tournaments www.usbahoops.com/
How many players are on each team?
Depending on many factors, each team will have between 10-12 players per team at the coaches discretion. A team can only hold 15 players at the most, but we do not like to have this many players due to playing time. Things taken into consideration when selecting teams are: Number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, etc.
Is playing time guaranteed at the tournaments?
No. This is a team sport and the coaches must take care of the team first. The coaches will make efforts to play everyone in these tournaments, but there is no guarantee of play time. Although it is more fun to play in the matches than it is to sit on the bench, many things can be learned by being on the bench, such as patience, support for others, sacrifice, etc. If players sitting on the bench pay attention to the game, they could learn much more about the game, strategies, and what to do when they get their shot to play in the game. Due to our low number of kids per team, it is hopeful that all or most kids will get plenty of playing time.
Will the players that have less playing time in tournaments still become better basketball players?
Yes. The training and hard work in practices will continue to raise the level of their game. The players actually play and compete more in their own practice training than they do in the tournaments. The I Believe coaches will do everything possible to make each player on the team a better player at all practices.
How many coaches are there for each team?
We try to have 2 coaches per team, sometimes there is only 1 coach per team and a parent can volunteer to help out with practices and such. Generally, the coach to player ratio is 1:5 or 1:6. This low coach to player ratio better enables coaches to provide feedback to players.
Who are the coaches?
The I Believe coaches include community members who have been involved with travel baskeball for many years or coach on the high school or middle school levels, some past college basketball players. See the "Coaches" web page for a list of coaches.
I Believe coaches share the common desire of wanting to help the community continue to increase the level of play in the Greenville area and beyond!
When are practices?
Each team will have at least 2 practices a week throughout the season. Most teams will have 2 weeknight practices. Practices are generally 6:30-8:30 or around 7-9pm. The specific days and times each team will practice will be determined after teams have been formed.
What are the start and finish dates of official practices?
Practices officially begin around March. The start/finish dates will be announced by each individual caoach.
What kind of equipment / uniform is required?
Uniforms are paid for by each individual team depending on if they need new uniforms or if they are going to use the uniforms that they used from the previous year. Teams may use last year’s uniforms if their team continues to use the same uniforms and if they are in good enough condition. That determination is made by each individual coach of their respective teams.
Team t-shirts and bags are included in the initial fees. T-shirts will be available for purchase for parents and siblings/family members that are not actual players with I Believe if requested. Other basketball related equipment and merchandise will be available for sale and for special order at a time to be announced.
Can parents be involved to help run I Believe?
Yes! I Believe is a non-profit organization, managed and run by volunteer coaches and parents. A Board of Directors meets every couple of months to share information and make decisions. Members are welcome to attend any meeting, and are encouraged to seek a position on the Board. Positions include Treasurer, Secretary, and Committee Chairs. An annual meeting is held in January to vote on the Board Members and review the annual budget. The board consists mostly of parents of the players. Board member parents also need much help from many other parents to run the program.
What is a team representative?
Some teams choose to select a parent to be the “team rep.” The Team Rep is responsible for disseminating tournament information to team, gathering payments, sending in photos of their team, helping the coaches with team contact and organization, organizing meals with team parents for the Tournaments, organizing players/parents for cleanup, etc.
Once teams are formed, Team Reps will be chosen.
Who arranges travel and what are the hotel arrangements?
Multi-day tournaments will require overnight stays. I Believe has a parent/board member to serve as a Travel Coordinator to secure blocks of rooms at group rates for the 2-3 day Tournaments. Teams will be provided this information as far in advance as possible in order to better plan for the trips. Travel to and from tournaments is the responsibility of the player’s family. Some players may make arrangements to travel with and stay with other families, or some teammates and parents may opt to share a room to lower the cost. Some families may opt to spend a night in a hotel prior to a regional tournament. This is optional and arranged by the individuals and/or discussed by the teams.
Are parents expected to attend every tournament?
Parents are NOT REQUIRED to attend tournaments; however, it is the family’s responsibility to get their daughter to and from the tournament and assume responsibility for any overnight accommodations. Of course, all of our family members and supporters are encouraged to cheer on the team when in attendance!
What about food during a tournament?
Time does not typically allow players to leave a tournament site to get meals. Parents will be assigned, or sign-up to bring food to share with the team and their families for most tournaments. The team usually sets up an area similar to a “tailgate” with snacks, food, and drinks available for the players and their families. This also helps reduce the cost, in lieu of eating in restaurants. Concessions are available at most tournaments. National tournaments held in Convention Centers usually do not allow outside food to be brought in. In these cases, concession stands and restaurants are usually on-site.
Do tournaments require an overnight stay?
Most tournaments are within driving range for a day trip. However, there will be some tournaments held in other parts of the state or surrounding states that may require an overnight stay. . Schedules and times are not usually posted until a few days before the tournament which are usually the Wednesday or Thursday before the tournament begins; however, the earliest a tournament game would start would be usually around 9:00 am. I Believe coaches usually request if it is a 3 day tournament not to play friday night but on a saturday morning at the earliest which means that there would be no rush to get to a tournament or it will not affect the player when it comes down to missing a day of school or something like that.
Will there be help in the college recruiting process?
Players wishing to continue playing at the collegiate level should talk with their coach to learn more about the recruiting process. There are very specific NCAA rules about contact with college coaches. Some of the tournaments will offer a Recruiting Information Session for high school age players. These are very informative and helpful for those wanting to learn more about this next step.
What does it cost to play with I Believe?
Base Cost: $200 per player
This includes: AAU / USSSA / USBA or YBOA Memberships for team, coaches, team rep, and club; uniform expenses, gym rentals, insurance: property & liability; web site maintenance; administrative expenses; and equipment expenses.
These costs do not include player/parent travel and accommodations. These costs also "DO NOT' cover all expenses for the duration of the season and that's why we require the players to assist with fund raisers to raise the remaining funds.
Fund Raising Requirements
I Believe requires all of our players/participants to participate in fund raisers to offset the costs of our program. We strive to keep our costs low to accommodate all players and their social and economic status. In order to keep our costs down the players have to participate in these fundraisers. We recommend that each team do at least one fundraiser per month, but it is at the discretion of each individual team and coach to decide based on their proposed schedule and budget how many they will participate in. This year we are also going to do club fundraisers in which all teams participate and benefit..More info to come...
Are there discounts for multi-player families?
Yes! There is a discount for multi-players in the same family. In families with siblings playing with I Believe, the base cost for one child will be at the full price, but additional children in the same family will receive a $50 discount off of their base fee. Tournament costs are not discounted so as not to affect the team costs.
Why do kids in our community play with I Believe?
There are a variety of reasons why boys and girls play with I Believe. Some of the many reasons we have heard from players are as follows: I want to play college basketball and it is the best way for me to prepare. I want to get better for my school team. I love basketball and I want to play more during the year than just the school basketball season. I love traveling and hanging out with the friends I’ve made on my team. It gives me something fun and challenging to do. I want to play in college and they do a lot of their recruiting at tournaments. It keeps me in good shape. I like the higher level competitiveness of the teams we play in tournaments.
How does a player get involved in I Believe?
I Believe will hold tryouts in February and March (see the Home Page for the tryout schedule). All you have to do is turn in your completed registration form at your specific tryout date and time and come ready to play. After tryouts, wait to find out if you made a team and all the details.
Can someone who has never been on a basketball team tryout?
Yes. In fact, many of the younger age group players have never played (you gotta start somewhere). Some of the things looked at in evaluating players are aggressiveness, athleticism, quickness, positive attitude, plays hard. We can take kids with these attributes and coach them into great basketball players. A lot of kids in the younger age groups have never played, but make a team because of these qualities.
Tryout Dates and Times
Tryouts are held at different locations but mainly at the zone in winterville on Sundays.
Players should be dressed to play, and bring a completed registration form.
Tryout date and time---TBA
Possible Callbacks The Callback date is reserved for possible 2nd tryouts to help us fine tune our selection process. Please keep the callback date available to attend. Within a couple days to one week of the Callback date will post on our web site. A list of who needs to come back on which of these two dates. If you do not have access to the web site, please call Rumond Pitt at 252-315-3325 or your individual coach.
How are teams selected?
I Believe coaches conduct tryouts. The individual team coaches will run drills and evaluate each player’s skills and potential. The tryout consists of drills and game play. After all the tryouts are completed, the coaches will select the players for the teams. Sometimes a younger player is "moved up" to an older age group if the potential is seen for that player to succeed at that level.
Am I guaranteed to make a team if I try out?
No. Although we will do everything possible to select all players at the tryouts to a team, circumstances such as number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, or number of teams may hinder some players to make a team. If a player does not make a team, please encourage them to tryout again next year, as these obstacles change from year to year.
When are the teams selected?
At the completion of tryouts all of the teams will be selected. Each player will receive a phone call to confirm their placement on a team, or not, and which team they are on.
How many teams are there in I Believe?
There were 8 teams for the 2010 season. Each year the number of teams in the club depends on the many variables we take into consideration, such as: Number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, or court space.
What is the difference between a Regional level team and a National level?
I believe offers Regional and National level teams. The difference between the levels is basically the tournament schedule played (and costs associated with them). See the different team level tournament schedules below.
Why does I Believe have Regional level and a National level teams?
The level of Pitt County area basketball has drastically increased in recent years and we want to continue the strength of basketball in the area. In order to do this, we feel teams need to compete in a few tournaments that are bigger and stronger than the Regional tournaments, therefore playing a National Level schedule. However, the costs do increase when we travel farther away for tournaments, which means that more fund raisers are required. One or two National teams will also play in 2011. These teams focus on AAU nationals and USSSA nationals. We had our 16 girls team win USSSA nationals last year in Greensboro, NC and our 15 boys team to get runner up.
What are the benefits of playing in bigger tournaments?
Some of the benefits of playing in bigger tournaments are as follows: We get to play some of the top teams from other states. We don’t have to play against the same teams we always see in local tournaments. The kids like to travel and “chill” with their friends. Many college coaches are at these tournaments recruiting, which will help our kids in the recruiting process. The higher level of play makes us better basketball players and teams.
What are the tournament schedules?
I Believe participates in several different leagues. These leagues include, USSSA, USBA, YBOA and also AAU.
Leagues host tournaments all year round. For this season's schedules Visit:
AAU tournaments visit: www.acahoops.com
USSSA tournaments visit: www.northcarolinausssabasketball.com/
YBOA tournaments www.yboaofnc.com/
USBA tournaments www.usbahoops.com/
How many players are on each team?
Depending on many factors, each team will have between 10-12 players per team at the coaches discretion. A team can only hold 15 players at the most, but we do not like to have this many players due to playing time. Things taken into consideration when selecting teams are: Number of kids, coaches, skill level when compared to the others, player age, etc.
Is playing time guaranteed at the tournaments?
No. This is a team sport and the coaches must take care of the team first. The coaches will make efforts to play everyone in these tournaments, but there is no guarantee of play time. Although it is more fun to play in the matches than it is to sit on the bench, many things can be learned by being on the bench, such as patience, support for others, sacrifice, etc. If players sitting on the bench pay attention to the game, they could learn much more about the game, strategies, and what to do when they get their shot to play in the game. Due to our low number of kids per team, it is hopeful that all or most kids will get plenty of playing time.
Will the players that have less playing time in tournaments still become better basketball players?
Yes. The training and hard work in practices will continue to raise the level of their game. The players actually play and compete more in their own practice training than they do in the tournaments. The I Believe coaches will do everything possible to make each player on the team a better player at all practices.
How many coaches are there for each team?
We try to have 2 coaches per team, sometimes there is only 1 coach per team and a parent can volunteer to help out with practices and such. Generally, the coach to player ratio is 1:5 or 1:6. This low coach to player ratio better enables coaches to provide feedback to players.
Who are the coaches?
The I Believe coaches include community members who have been involved with travel baskeball for many years or coach on the high school or middle school levels, some past college basketball players. See the "Coaches" web page for a list of coaches.
I Believe coaches share the common desire of wanting to help the community continue to increase the level of play in the Greenville area and beyond!
When are practices?
Each team will have at least 2 practices a week throughout the season. Most teams will have 2 weeknight practices. Practices are generally 6:30-8:30 or around 7-9pm. The specific days and times each team will practice will be determined after teams have been formed.
What are the start and finish dates of official practices?
Practices officially begin around March. The start/finish dates will be announced by each individual caoach.
What kind of equipment / uniform is required?
Uniforms are paid for by each individual team depending on if they need new uniforms or if they are going to use the uniforms that they used from the previous year. Teams may use last year’s uniforms if their team continues to use the same uniforms and if they are in good enough condition. That determination is made by each individual coach of their respective teams.
Team t-shirts and bags are included in the initial fees. T-shirts will be available for purchase for parents and siblings/family members that are not actual players with I Believe if requested. Other basketball related equipment and merchandise will be available for sale and for special order at a time to be announced.
Can parents be involved to help run I Believe?
Yes! I Believe is a non-profit organization, managed and run by volunteer coaches and parents. A Board of Directors meets every couple of months to share information and make decisions. Members are welcome to attend any meeting, and are encouraged to seek a position on the Board. Positions include Treasurer, Secretary, and Committee Chairs. An annual meeting is held in January to vote on the Board Members and review the annual budget. The board consists mostly of parents of the players. Board member parents also need much help from many other parents to run the program.
What is a team representative?
Some teams choose to select a parent to be the “team rep.” The Team Rep is responsible for disseminating tournament information to team, gathering payments, sending in photos of their team, helping the coaches with team contact and organization, organizing meals with team parents for the Tournaments, organizing players/parents for cleanup, etc.
Once teams are formed, Team Reps will be chosen.
Who arranges travel and what are the hotel arrangements?
Multi-day tournaments will require overnight stays. I Believe has a parent/board member to serve as a Travel Coordinator to secure blocks of rooms at group rates for the 2-3 day Tournaments. Teams will be provided this information as far in advance as possible in order to better plan for the trips. Travel to and from tournaments is the responsibility of the player’s family. Some players may make arrangements to travel with and stay with other families, or some teammates and parents may opt to share a room to lower the cost. Some families may opt to spend a night in a hotel prior to a regional tournament. This is optional and arranged by the individuals and/or discussed by the teams.
Are parents expected to attend every tournament?
Parents are NOT REQUIRED to attend tournaments; however, it is the family’s responsibility to get their daughter to and from the tournament and assume responsibility for any overnight accommodations. Of course, all of our family members and supporters are encouraged to cheer on the team when in attendance!
What about food during a tournament?
Time does not typically allow players to leave a tournament site to get meals. Parents will be assigned, or sign-up to bring food to share with the team and their families for most tournaments. The team usually sets up an area similar to a “tailgate” with snacks, food, and drinks available for the players and their families. This also helps reduce the cost, in lieu of eating in restaurants. Concessions are available at most tournaments. National tournaments held in Convention Centers usually do not allow outside food to be brought in. In these cases, concession stands and restaurants are usually on-site.
Do tournaments require an overnight stay?
Most tournaments are within driving range for a day trip. However, there will be some tournaments held in other parts of the state or surrounding states that may require an overnight stay. . Schedules and times are not usually posted until a few days before the tournament which are usually the Wednesday or Thursday before the tournament begins; however, the earliest a tournament game would start would be usually around 9:00 am. I Believe coaches usually request if it is a 3 day tournament not to play friday night but on a saturday morning at the earliest which means that there would be no rush to get to a tournament or it will not affect the player when it comes down to missing a day of school or something like that.
Will there be help in the college recruiting process?
Players wishing to continue playing at the collegiate level should talk with their coach to learn more about the recruiting process. There are very specific NCAA rules about contact with college coaches. Some of the tournaments will offer a Recruiting Information Session for high school age players. These are very informative and helpful for those wanting to learn more about this next step.
What does it cost to play with I Believe?
Base Cost: $200 per player
This includes: AAU / USSSA / USBA or YBOA Memberships for team, coaches, team rep, and club; uniform expenses, gym rentals, insurance: property & liability; web site maintenance; administrative expenses; and equipment expenses.
These costs do not include player/parent travel and accommodations. These costs also "DO NOT' cover all expenses for the duration of the season and that's why we require the players to assist with fund raisers to raise the remaining funds.
Fund Raising Requirements
I Believe requires all of our players/participants to participate in fund raisers to offset the costs of our program. We strive to keep our costs low to accommodate all players and their social and economic status. In order to keep our costs down the players have to participate in these fundraisers. We recommend that each team do at least one fundraiser per month, but it is at the discretion of each individual team and coach to decide based on their proposed schedule and budget how many they will participate in. This year we are also going to do club fundraisers in which all teams participate and benefit..More info to come...
Are there discounts for multi-player families?
Yes! There is a discount for multi-players in the same family. In families with siblings playing with I Believe, the base cost for one child will be at the full price, but additional children in the same family will receive a $50 discount off of their base fee. Tournament costs are not discounted so as not to affect the team costs.