We ignored warnings about this program and two years later we regret it. This is definitely a PAY for play program with no loyalty to participants and little to no emphasis on individual skill development. While we felt two one hour practices a week our first year were too short we still had a ln overall good experience on the A team. Our experience this year on the B team was drastically different. Everyone who tried out for the team made it, a practice more consistent with an in-house program than a very costly AAU/travel program. Most of the kids selected had never played basketball before yet the team was entered into competitive tournaments where we lost games by 20-30 points. An experience which proved to be very discouraging for the players.
The B team coach while nice, was terrible, especially when it came to coaching the games. He began taking his frustrations out on the kids who were set up to fail from the start and never jelled as a team. It’s clear that the owner John Raybin is all about the money and not about the players. If your kid is a super star and makes the A team, you will win lots of championships since tournaments are craftily orchestrated by John Raybin. If you make the A team you will probably have an ok experience....until the next best player comes along. If your an average or above average player your money is better spent on a better quality program that focuses on skill development, confidence building and fostering a love for the sport. I’m sure John Raybin will have one of his chosen few A player parents write their experience in response to this post. Or he will say its sour grapes because our kid didn’t make the A team. He is a crafty business man who knows how to put a spin on it. His concern about this post won’t be about our sons experience but how this may deter others and impact his bottom line......THE MONEY! We are submitting this to warn other parents.....We wish we had listened to all those who had warned us!!
Greenwich Stars Basketball Organization Reviews
We ignored warnings about this program and two years later we regret it. This is definitely a PAY for play program with no loyalty to participants and little to no emphasis on individual skill development. While we felt two one hour practices a week our first year were too short we still had a ln overall good experience on the A team. Our experience this year on the B team was drastically different. Everyone who tried out for the team made it, a practice more consistent with an in-house program than a very costly AAU/travel program. Most of the kids selected had never played basketball before yet the team was entered into competitive tournaments where we lost games by 20-30 points. An experience which proved to be very discouraging for the players.
The B team coach while nice, was terrible, especially when it came to coaching the games. He began taking his frustrations out on the kids who were set up to fail from the start and never jelled as a team. It’s clear that the owner John Raybin is all about the money and not about the players. If your kid is a super star and makes the A team, you will win lots of championships since tournaments are craftily orchestrated by John Raybin. If you make the A team you will probably have an ok experience....until the next best player comes along. If your an average or above average player your money is better spent on a better quality program that focuses on skill development, confidence building and fostering a love for the sport. I’m sure John Raybin will have one of his chosen few A player parents write their experience in response to this post. Or he will say its sour grapes because our kid didn’t make the A team. He is a crafty business man who knows how to put a spin on it. His concern about this post won’t be about our sons experience but how this may deter others and impact his bottom line......THE MONEY! We are submitting this to warn other parents.....We wish we had listened to all those who had warned us!!