FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Blue Chip Basketball Game Activities
Seasons
- Spring (Mar-May): JrNBA Spring League for all ages and skill levels & 2 AAU National office tournaments for BC IDP players on Easter & Memorial Weekends in Orlando
- Summer (Jun-Aug): Duval Summer League & Approx 5-8 AAU National & Club travel tournament opportunities for BC IDP Players
- Fall (Oct-Dec): JrNBA Fall League
- Winter (Jan-Feb): NFLBL League
Blue Chip Jr NBA League
- League Consists of teams formed by
- Individual players looking for a team who register by paying a games-only fee (typically $250-350. They will go on a draft board and coaches will draft players from the board to fill open roster slots. Many coaches will practice outdoors so there is no additional charge. Some coaches have a gym secured so they may charge their own additional fee.
- Preformed teams playing in Blue Chip uniforms – These are teams who were once individuals who were placed on a team in the previous season that are continuing to play together and may add 2 or 3 new players from the draft.
- BC IDP teams consisting of players who are in the IDP weekly training pool and are assigned to a compensated staff coach and practice in a local SJCS gym. There is an additional staff/gym practice fee.
- Independent Club Teams who wear their own uniforms and are selected by the league board to round out divisions or provide different levels of competition. These teams are not guaranteed entry and are often travel teams who may play up a division level or two.
- League divisions are formed based on an initial estimate of team skill and typically the first 3 games are preseason/evaluation then teams are locked into divisions based on competitiveness, not necessarily age/grade. Then pool play begins. At the end of pool play top teams will participate in a playoff all other teams will play an evenly matched consolation game.
North Florida Basketball League (NFLBL)
- Blue Chip teams compete with 140+ teams throughout North Florida.
- NFLBL strictly separates teams by grade in preparation for school and tournament play.
- Includes a 4-12th Grade tournament level and competitive recreational teams.
Ballers Developmental Academy
- This popular program is active Spring/Fall/Winter
- For K-5th grade players new to basketball or developing skills.
- Focuses on fundamental skills and rules of the game.
- Practice weekly on Wednesday or Thursday @ 6 or 7pm
- Instructional 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5 games on Saturday mornings.
How Does the Blue Chip Elite Intense Development Program Player Pool Work?
As players begin to play basketball at Blue Chip and at other programs in the area and are looking to play the game more competitively and/or at a higher level of individual and team skill. We work to provide them with multiple paths, one of which is training in our Intense Development Player pool BC IDP.
Generally, players complete an information/tryout/availability form and are invited to be evaluated as a fit in the current player pool mix. When they make it into the pool they pay a monthly fee to train and showcase in the gym. As they train and improve they are continuously evaluated and may begin receiving availability inquiries and offers through our system to play on our IDP teams in club v club games, league play and AAU travel tournaments.
FAQ – How much does the BCIDP cost?
Base BC IDP Program (costs subject to change these are estimates)
- Monthly Membership: $25
- Practice Plan: $100-$150 (varies based on player pool, age/grade, and session time)
- Annualized average: Approximately $20 per gym hour
- Currently, $150/mo for boys $125/mo for girls. This is the only monthly fee in our program.
- Practice/training schedule is typically weeknights during the school year except holiday weeks then longer minicamps in the morning every other week in the Summer when school is out.
Uniform Costs
- Blue Chip Game and Practice Uniforms: Average cost of $100
- High-quality, sublimated, and reversible uniforms
- Usage:
- 12 months for games (Spring to Spring season)
- Additional 12 months as the primary practice uniform
- Extra 12 months as a backup practice uniform
- New uniforms can last up to 2-3 years.
- Size appropriately for growth and take care to avoid stains or improper washing.
OPTIONAL Game Activities (Not Included in IDP Membership)
1. Local Basketball Leagues (Controlled by Blue Chip):
- Games Only Registration (Fall/Spring/Winter): Typically $250-$350 for the season
- Ideal entry for recreational players or those on a tight budget because they are assigned to Volunteer coaches who hold outdoor practices at public parks or facilities they have arranged access.
- IDP players have access to staff coaches in air-conditioned gyms therefore they pay an additional practice fee
- Season’s practice fees vary ($50-$175) based on facility, frequency, and coach requirements
- League Cost Summary:
- Total average cost for a full season of games and practices (approx. 2 months): $400
- Typical schedule: 2 weeknight training/practice sessions and 1 game per weekend.
2. Local Club Tournaments (Spring/Summer)
- Often confused with “Playing AAU” these are tournaments arranged by club operators NOT AAU
- Held within the North Florida area
- Potentially exposes players to unfamiliar local or regional competition
- Often poor experience due to club operators not verifying rosters, renting poor facilities, lack of organization, inconsistent rule enforcement and relatively high spectator fees
- These formats guarantee 3 games with the potential for 1-3 additional games for some tournaments
- IDP Player Participation:
- Players pre-order their tournament fees ($45-$85) to commit
- IDP coaches choose their rosters from the committed player list
- because IDP players are familiar with IDP program there may not be any additional practices needed
- If the coach decides the squad needs additional practices then costs are arranged per practice
- These local tournament operators charge a spectator fee that usually ranges $15-$25/day
- Local Tournament Cost Summary:
- Total average cost $55 + $20/day per spectator typically $60 for the weekend
3. AAU & Club Travel Tournaments (Spring/Summer)
- Opportunities: Typically, we have 5-10 opportunities to participate
- Quality Focus: We only commit to travel tournaments held at quality multi-court facilities
- Primary Focus: Our main emphasis is on tournaments hosted by the real AAU National Office
- These AAU national events are well-organized and high-quality events
- Usually hosted at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando during Easter, Memorial Day, and midsummer
- IDP players follow the same commitment process as local tournaments, but the player preorder tournament fees typically run $145-185
- Travel arrangements are the player’s responsibility. Sometimes we will try to coordinate a team hotel or travel arrangement if we can get a better rate
- The ESPN spectator fee is typically $40 for the entire weekend