Beyond X's and O's
Coaching in Today's Competitive Environment for Athlete ages 8 - 16+
“Explore the list of programs available to Youth Athletes at MAD Athletics.”
Hello Athlete Parents,
MAD Athletics is committed to USA Basketball and NBA Youth Development Pathway. Our model includes many types of initiatives, tools, resources and offerings, all of which focus on the health and well-being of young people to enhance enjoyment, participation and development in the game.
MAD Athletics Development Centers
LA Fitness - 17500 Hall Rd, Clinton Twp.
Oakland FieldHouse - 213 Austin Ave., Rochester Hills
Tue | Wed 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Sat | Sun 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
DISCLAIMER: MAD Athletics LLC is not associated with, and is not a program of, or by any of the above Development Centers. MAD Athletics only use their facilities for training purposes.
Why Parents Choose MAD Athletics?
Basketball is the most popular youth sport in America. While youth basketball remains strong in the U.S., the sport has historically been characterized by a lack of organizational structure at the grassroots level. The result is a fragmented youth basketball landscape that lacks national guidelines and standards for how the game should be played and coached.
In the spring of 2016, the NBA and USA Basketball came together to establish three expert working groups charged with developing guidelines designed to promote a positive and healthy youth basketball experience.
The three working groups that were established are focused on:
1. Health and Wellness
2. Playing Standards
3. Curriculum and Instruction
While each working group has its own focus, the overall objective is to develop guidelines for youth basketball that promote player health and wellness, on-court skill development, and help create a lifelong love for the game of basketball.
Establishing guidelines for youth basketball is an important first step towards creating an infrastructure for the sport that promotes health and wellness, skill development, and positive basketball experiences for boys and girls.
To drive meaningful change across youth basketball, the NBA and USA Basketball are seeking like-minded organizations that have influence in the basketball ecosystem and/or run youth basketball programming to similarly endorse and adopt the guidelines. The MAD Athletics organization is committed to adopting these guidelines and implementing them across our youth programming.
Please Watch This Video.
NBA Coach Stan Van Gundy addresses the problem with youth basketball in the United States at a coaching clinic. Stan spits truth.
MAD Athletics Player Segmentation Model
This player segmentation model was developed by the Playing Standards working group after a careful consideration of the different segmentation models currently being used in youth basketball, as well as the guidelines created and implemented by the national governing bodies of other sports.
MAD Boys Team
MAD Boys Team will feature peer-led activities, allowing young boys freedom to create and challenge themselves. In addition to having structured practices and competitions, MAD Athletics will encourage informal, peer-led opportunities for individual growth.
MAD Girls Team
MAD Athletics provide opportunities for young girls and adolescents to connect with others, build meaningful relationships and take on challenges and leadership roles that promote overall personal development and well-being.
MAD Performance Team
Performance Teams includes game competition as well as practice time and structured training in which a youth works in a focused way to improve their game. Performance Teams model features a hybrid age/grade structure that employs strict age groupings of 14U, and 17U.