EASTBAY BULLDOGS BASKETBALL

So 2023 is wrapping up.  And with that, 2024 will be the tenth year of our ALPHA Elite program.  ALPHA is our Elite program for the most skilled, most committed players in our program.  ALPHA is an all inclusive Elite program.  ALPHA is an 8 month program (Mar 1 to the end of Oct).  But we also offer Winter as an optional add-on at a discounted rate making it an 11 month program (from Mar 1 to the end of January) for those that want a year round program.  We practice twice a week and play the MVP Spring and Fall leagues and do all tournament play in Summer and Winter.  ALPHA also gets 20 extra "ALPHA Only" practices (10 in Spring / 10 in Summer).  ALPHA also goes to Reno over Memorial Day Weekend for the largest AAU Event in the world. 

For 2024, we hope to have at least 7 ALPHA teams, one 3rd grade team, one 4th, one 5th, one 6th, two 7th & one 8th grade teams.  Signups and tryouts along with our ALPHA Parent Mtg. will be in February, the 4th, 18th qnd 25th.  See the calendar for updated info.  We will also run an invite only, ALPHA practice Sunday Feb 11 in the morning. 

So what makes these teams different from other year round or elite programs?  I think it is the teaching.  We are committed to teaching the skills needed to make HS basketball teams.  And Alpha is an 11 month program, but for winter, we only play on Saturdays.  So we won't ask you to choose between us and your CYO team as they play Sundays.  Rather, if you want to do both, that is fine.  We do Alpha tryouts and start practice in late Feb and go to the end of January.  The catch is, to be selected for the ALPHA team in your grade, we need you to commit to the full 8 to 11 month program or at least the balance of the program from when you join to the end of January. We aren't interested in re-forming these teams every 3 months. We want the continuity from playing together for an extended period.

If the commitment for Bulldogs ALPHA is too much for you, the Bulldogs will still offer their traditional Bulldogs teams you have all come to know from us. Those teams will still play in the MVP leagues and still all receive the excellent coaching Bulldogs teams are known for.

Someone called me yesterday and said "Is this a shift in philosophy for your program?".  No, not at all.  We will still play man, run motion and focus on fundamental skill development and building smart, hard nosed, tough players that play hard and have great attitudes.  Our goal will still be to help our kids improve and make their HS and hopefully, maybe college teams some day.  And we will still have White and Blue teams that play the four sessions of the year.  This is just a way for the player more committed to basketball to be with a group that feels the same way.

So if you are interested in being considered for one of these Select teams, contact Coach LeClaire at 925-570-1334 asap to get on the tryout list. There will be an email going out in early January with all the details about the program.  Then, tryouts and practice will begin in February.  Hope to see you out there,

Coach LeClaire