Tips for Ordering Basketball Uniforms for AAU Leagues and Tournaments
AAU is one of the most prestigious athletic organizations you can get involved with. High school coaches and college scouts recognize the talent that comes from the Amateur Athletic Union and its members. Joining a team or forming your own AAU team to participate in competitive leagues and tournaments is easy. However, there are some requirements that you must follow when ordering uniforms. The following paragraphs provide a basic outline on what to follow when designing and purchasing basketball uniforms:
Home and away teams:
This is where the initial cost comes into play. The AAU requires teams to have a “home” and “away” jersey to participate in the league. This is pretty amazing considering the high school I played in only had 1 uniform for both of us. There are ways around this to make better use of the team budget when two separate uniforms are required:
1. Reversible order! As long as one side is light and the other dark, a reversible will suffice in most AAU district leagues. In general, reversibles can get a bit heavy, although a reputable uniform company will have the means to make a lighter uniform to solve this problem. You can also choose to sublimate or screen print the jerseys instead of twill to remove some weight.
2. Order a reversible jersey with standard shorts. Some uniform companies offer the option of purchasing a reversible jersey with a single-sided standard shorts to match the jersey design. This is a cost reduction compared to ordering a full reversible because single-sided shorts are typically much less expensive than having a reversible.
3. Order two tops and one shorts to match both. If weight becomes an issue, or if the age group participating is below the 9/10 range, you can always order two separate jerseys and matching shorts. You can get a short color that matches the color scheme of both jerseys, or get a reversible short to match either. Guarantees that the jerseys won’t be AS heavy as the reversible ones and can even be a relief to team moms who don’t have to wash the same uniform over and over again!
personalization
Personalization is a crucial part of the AAU uniform. Unlike the middle and high school game, most AAU districts allow the team unlimited customization on the uniform. Kids feel great, look professional, and more often than not, that translates to playing a little better. Basketball is the most “flashy” of all sports uniforms, so get creative with piping, accents, sublimation, and logos. A reputable uniform company should be able to provide you with a unique design from scratch and allow you to add just about anything you want to the uniform.
Numeration:
Numbering can usually be twill, silkscreen, or sublimation. But again, districts vary, but most follow the following rules (quoted from the NJ AAU women’s basketball website): “Each player must be numbered on the front and back of the jersey with simple Arabic numerals.
The following numbers are legal: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 00, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55. (But double zero and zero cannot be used for the same team) The number must be at least 6 inches tall in the back and at least 4 inches tall in the front and no less than 3/4 inch wide”.
I hope this helps all AAU trainers and interested participants!