• The Amateur Athletic Union of the United States, Inc. (AAU), is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organization in the United States. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. 
  
  Please Note: Multiple events that take place throughout the country are being falsely identified as AAU Licensed Events. We encourage you to do some homework verifying that it is truly a licensed AAU event. NOT EVERYTHING CALLED AAU IS TRULY AAU. The AAU offers online tools to search for events. Find out what events are AAU Licensed by clicking here and browsing the event listing on the different sport pages of our website.
  
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• AAU MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION & BENEFITS:
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  Membership Fees & Info:
  - Always ask for receipt.
  - Do not pay in cash.
  - Please note that an AAU Athlete membership is ONLY $14.00 or $16.00.
  - AAU membership should be purchased by the parent/guardian to ensure that their child has a valid AAU membership.
  - All membership fees and AAU Licensed Event fees can be found on our website at www.aausports.org.
• Regular vs. Extended Coverage Membership:
  - Please visit our website at www.aausports.org and click JOIN NOW to purchase your child’s membership and it will explain what is covered on each of these options.
• Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA):
  - The Positive Coaching Alliance Course is mandatory for coaches to take but we cannot enforce coaches to utilize the best practices they learn from taking the course.
  - This course is free to coaches that are members of the AAU.
  - We encourage parents to take this course so that they may learn what a positive coach should be doing.
  - Understand that this course is to show best practices; it is encouraged and recommended to be part of the club culture. It is not mandatory that coaches use these procedures.
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• GENERAL INFORMATION FOR GETTING STARTED WITH AN AAU CLUB:
  
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  Get to Know the Coach:
  - The AAU does not select coaches for your athlete or place athletes on a team or club. It is the -responsibility of the parent/guardian to do this.
  - Ask for resume of coaching history.
  - Ask locally for references on the coach.
  - Spend some time with the coach/club director before you make your decision.
  - Talk to the coach about their philosophy on playing time, skill development, club structure (are they a recreationally based club or an All Star club?).
  
  Know & Understand what you are paying for:
  - Ask the club director for a breakdown of what the club fees are paying for.
  - Hold them accountable for the line items listed on the budget through the season.
  - Check in throughout the season to make sure money is being spent properly.
  - Find out how much the tournament/event fees are for your team/athlete.
  - Again, please note that all membership fees and AAU Licensed Event fees can be found on our website at www.aausports.org.
  
  Research the Club's History:
  - How many years has it been in existence?
  - How is the record of credibility and reliability?
  - Do they have a positive history in different areas?:
          *Good relationships within the club with parents/athletes, tournament directors, community facility owners, good financial history, good relationship with area schools.
• - AAU does not have any authority over club tryouts, how athletes are selected to participate on a club/team, how athletes are placed on a club/team, or playing time. Please discuss individually with the coach their intentions for your athlete and make sure it fits what your goals are for your athlete.
  
  IMPORTANT- Every club is its own separate entity. They DO NOT have the right to speak for the AAU National Headquarters. No club (whether it is a registered club within the AAU) is an agent and/or an employee of the AAU.
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•  Proof of Membership:
  - Ask to see a copy of their AAU Club membership to verify if they are members of the AAU.
  - Ask to see a copy of their AAU non-athlete memberships for the club contact and coaches to verify if they are members of the AAU.
          *All non athlete memberships and adult athletes go through a background check through our
           membership process.
  - Ask for a copy of your athlete’s membership card if the club/coach purchased it for you.
• • The cost of an AAU memberships vs the cost of the team/league:
    - Clubs set up their own fees, schedules, rules/regulations, etc.
    - Please note that AAU membership is ONLY $14.00 or $16.00 and should be purchased by the parent to ensure that their child has a valid AAU membership.
    
    Note: Every club is its own separate entity and each club may have a different price structure based on what they are providing your athlete. It is important to ask as many questions as possible to ensure the club you are looking at is the right one for your athlete
  
  Research the Club's Timeline/Tournament Plan/Schedule:
  - Are they organized and consistent with how they do things?
  - Do they plan ahead of time?
  - Are all expenses listed and told to parents/guardians up front?
  - Are they responsible with how they manage club finances, tournament/event schedule, practice plans, etc?
  
  

If there are any other questions or concerns, please call 407-934-7200 and ask to speak to someone in your child's specific sport.