When Are Basketball Tryouts? A Minnesota Calendar for Parents
The Minnesota basketball calendar
- Mid-November: High school tryouts. Minnesota State High School League winter sports begin practice in the second week of November, and tryouts are the first two or three days. Middle school and traveling association tryouts in most districts happen in October or November.
- Late January to early March: AAU and spring travel basketball tryouts. Most programs hold them in February, timed to the end of the school season. Younger teams try out; older teams are often recruited.
- March: AAU practices begin. Rosters that didn't fill at tryouts add players through individual evaluations.
- April through July: AAU tournament season.
- August and September: Fall league tryouts, where programs offer them. Fall basketball is lower commitment and often used as a tune-up for school tryouts.
How AAU tryouts are different from school tryouts
School tryouts are for one team at one school; most kids who try out know the coach and the players. AAU tryouts draw players from many schools and towns, and the evaluators may not know your player. Bring a completed registration, arrive early, and make sure your player's name is visible on a pinnie or tape.
AAU tryouts are also shorter. One to three sessions is normal, and decisions come within about a week. There is no cut list on a gym door; coaches contact families directly.
How to prepare for a tryout
- Conditioning. Tryouts are fast. A player who is winded in the first ten minutes cannot show skills.
- Ball handling with both hands. The most visible skill in a crowded gym.
- Talk on defense. Evaluators notice the kid who calls screens and communicates.
- Know the rules of the program. Grade-based or age-based teams, what the fee covers, how many tournaments.
- Register ahead. Programs that post a registration form expect it done before the player walks in.
What to bring
- Basketball shoes (not running shoes).
- A reversible jersey or a light and a dark shirt.
- Water bottle.
- Completed registration and any fee the program charges.
- A parent who stays off the floor. Coaches notice that too.
Tryouts at MN Rush
Boys tryouts for 7th grade and under are held in February or early March in the St. Michael-Albertville area. Older boys teams are built through recruiting. Girls teams add players through evaluations and post tryouts when scheduled. Current dates and a tryout list signup are on our tryouts page.
Frequently asked questions
The Minnesota State High School League's winter season begins in the second week of November, and most schools hold tryouts in the first two or three days of practice. Check your school's athletic calendar for the exact date.
In Minnesota, most AAU programs hold tryouts between late January and early March, with February being the most common month. Dates are posted on each program's website and social media a few weeks in advance.
Yes. AAU tryouts are open to any player in the grade or age group. Many players use AAU to develop before trying out for a school team.
Email the program director. Many teams have roster spots after tryouts and add players through individual evaluations, especially at older ages where teams are built by recruiting.
Related
Girls Program Director, MN Rush. Girls program director after coaching at the 13U and 14U levels. Former varsity assistant for North Branch Boys Basketball. girls@mnrush.com