Uptempo Hoops for Community Basketball

Ohlone College 7th Grade Tournament

Spread the word!!!  Support our UH coaches!!!

 

For further information, please contact

John Peterson, Head Basketball Coach of Ohlone College.

 

This is sure to be fun for any 7th grade basketball player with exciting competition.

 

Email:  jpeterson@ohlone.edu

 

 



Basketball Injuries

Because we do care

At Uptempo Hoops, our focus is the young athletes which represent our organization.  We invest time and money into these kids.  Moreover, we feel emotional investment in every player.  Their well being and safety is always a top priority for every parent, staff member and coach.  Often we take it for granted, believing they are young and resilient and can heal fast.  Even with all the care we give our kids, in every sport there is the risk of injury.  Uptempo Hoops wouldn't be who we are if we didn't take this into consideration when working with our children.  Part of our responsibility is to educate.

Some of our female athletes enjoying beautiful weather during the UH picnic

A wonderful website which discusses injuries specific to basketball and kids is:

http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/basketball-injury-prevention.aspx

Please take the time to visit this website and find out what can be done at home to ensure the safety and health of your child. 

From this website comes some valuable information:

How can basketball injuries be prevented?

Have a pre-season physical examination and follow your doctor's recommendations for basketball injury prevention

Hydrate adequately - waiting until you are thirsty is often too late to hydrate properly

Pay attention to environmental recommendations, especially in relation to excessively hot and humid weather, to help avoid heat illness

Maintain proper fitness - injury rates are higher in athletes who have not adequately prepared physically

After a period of inactivity, progress gradually back to full-contact basketball through activities such as aerobic conditioning, strength training, and agility training.

Avoid overuse injuries - more is not always better! Many sports medicine specialists believe that it is beneficial to take at least one season off each year. Try to avoid the pressure that is now exerted on many young athletes to over-train. Listen to your body and decrease training time and intensity if pain or discomfort develops. This will reduce the risk of injury and help avoid "burn-out."

Talk with your coach and/or athletic trainer about an ACL injury prevention program and incorporating the training principles into team warm-ups

The athlete should return to play only when clearance is granted by a health care professional.

One very important tip, which we recommend is to speak to the child about injury prevention and listen to him/her when they are feeling pain.  Communication is key. 

UH 6th Grade Team United at Rocklin, CA

Another website which focusses on ACL injury prevention is:

http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/acl/

This includes exercises and techniques. 

Again, UH believes in protecting our children from every possible angle.  We will continue to publish valuable information to our families.  Our coaches will continue to take every measure to protect these athletes.  Our staff will continue to support both the child and the family. 

Junior Uptempo Hoops League

Little Athletes in Action

Our future UH'ers.  That's the other name we could use for our Junior Uptempo Hoops League players.  At this young age, they are already part of the Uptempo Hoops family.  Although the camp was aimed at Kinder through 3rd grade, we were more than happy to accept some Pre-K'ers.  Any child who loves basketball and wants to play should be allowed to play.  We do our best to live up to that at UH. 

 

 

 

Day one was hectic.  The UH staff checked in each junior player as coaches went over the plans.  There were more kids than expected, but well welcomed to the 7 week camp.  Each child filled with enthusiasm.  Their bright eyes and smiles lit the gym with energy.  The staff was overwhelmed yet excited.  We could not wait to get this party started.

 

As the weeks went on, each one better than the last, the kids learned the fundamentals of basketball and played in short scrimmages.  Each session starting with the standard laps around the gym followed by drills.  As a large group, the players ran through the drills, then separated into smaller groups.  The great thing about the UH family is how everyone pulls together to make sure every session is a success.  We had coaches leading the groups, even new to UH coaches stepped up and lead the way.  Our young AAU players volunteered and their presence inspired our young minds.    There was so much support and encouragement.  All the families who attended and watched were pleased with all the interaction and attention. 

 

The sessions wrapped up with scrimmages.  Each scrimmage was age appropriate.  Shorter baskets were provided for our younger players.  This was the favorite part of the camp;  the scrimmages.  The kids loved them and wanted more.  You can hear the young players keeping the UH spirit alive by cheering on their peers.  Families enjoying every moment with laughter and cheers...and pride.

 

By week 2, the kids were provided with their camp tshirts.  Each tshirt proudly read "where basketball isn't just a game, it's a way of life".  The players were excited to receive their shirts and wear them immediately.  The waves of bright gold covered the now larger gym.  We moved to a larger gym giving the kids more room and more courts.  With a larger gym comes louder noise.  The kind of exciting basketball noise that every fan loves to hear:  cheers, squeaking shoes and the sound of the basketball hitting the hardwood floor.

 

 

The following weeks flew by.  At the end of every session we would hear questions in anticipation.  Families looked forward to coming back.  It was a welcoming feeling.  Before we knew it, the final week came and it was the best one yet.  The kids at this point were showing off what they learned in scrimmages.  You can see some had been practicing at home.  We picture them envisioning themselves in UH uniforms playing in the AAU just years later.  All the kids improved.  All of them showed better ball control than they had on day one.  We were so proud to see the group progress as a whole.  What's better than their skills was the attitude.  Many friendships were made.  They played on teams with and against friends.  But none of them had bad attitudes and were very supportive of each other.  They often cheered every single basket made, whether they watched from the side line or were playing.  This was the attitude which strongly represents UH:  our support for each other and cheering on each player. 

 

 

 

Week 7 the players wore their gold camp shirts and were treated to a private show by the Flying Dubs.  These are the gentlemen who perform on trampolines during the Golden State Warriors games.  The kids lined the courtsides sitting in anticipation and excitement.  Families came to attend and watch as well.  The acrobats flew through the air filled with screaming cheers.  They ran back giving high fives and entertaining the children.  This was a celeb moment for everyone.  These men are exciting to watch during NBA games, but even better up close and personal.  This was the highlight of the camp.  During week 7 kids also received their end of season awards and certificates.  We took a group picture and pictures with the Flying Dubs.  Families had a chance to get autographs and their pictures taken with the entertainers.  We were honored they were able to perform at our camp.  They were a great group and I'm sure inspired many young minds that night.  Some may even grow up and decide to be a flyer themselves.  That would be very cool.  Thank you to the Yamaguchi family and coaching staff for setting this up. 

 

At the end, we get emails and families asking "when is the next one?".  Because the fall schedule gets full of other sports including football, CYO and NJB, it's hard to set up another camp so soon.  We would like to make this an annual event.  We plan to keep the cost affordable.  Again, we believe if a child loves basketball and is willing to work at it, we do our best to bring basketball to the community.  We hope to bring this back to the community next summer with the same excitement and commitment. 

 

It is heart warming to see how the UH families pulled together and helped out.  The AAU players helped with drills, coaching and encouragement.  Coaches volunteered their time after busy weekends, even filled with tournaments, to come over and spend time inspiring young athletes.  Parents making the effort to bring their children, and some staying the whole time, offering a hand at clean up and set up.  One parent even stepped up and coached.  The acrobats coming on the last day to entertain our families.  Those men are now part of the UH family.  The players who wanted to play, wanted to learn and improve.  All these people are part of the UH family and the way everyone supported each other and came together to make this a success....was more than words can say.  Thank you to everyone.

 

 

Please check out www.uptempohoops.com to see the slideshow of the Junior Uptempo Hoops league highlights.

Mighty 4 Day

We were so honored

A local non profit organization which is recognized by the city and the mayor is Mighty 4 Arts Foundation of Union City.  I can't say enough about what M4 brings to community youth.  We are so honored to have been invited to their annual event.  Uptempo Hoops was the only community youth basketball organization invited.  Other organizations even asked to participate and were turned away.  Mighty 4 and UH's values and mission align...all about what we can do for the youth. 

When we arrived, there were already smiling UH faces which greeted us.  They have been enjoying the fun event on a beautiful Saturday.  The girls' teams were the first to arrive showing that UH included both female and male athletes.  These divas came to represent and they did it well.  Hip hop music was blaring and moving the ground beneath our feet.  The beat accompanied our every step making our load appear light.  The air was filled with the aromas of food trucks and sounds of laughter and conversation.  It was a street party at its best.  The mood was exciting and pure fun.  The atmosphere...inviting.  Uptempo Hoops set up right in the middle of all the action, near the pavilion, near the food, near the dancing, near everything.  All the booths were set in a way which was part of the festivities. 

Although we were to "work"...and I use that loosely...we were part of the party.  The wonderful thing about UH is how we pull together.  Everyone volunteering to help.  We were able to watch the young break dancers and the ninos with their beautiful baile Mexicano.   It was a pleasure seeing all these children showcase their talent.  There were some talented adults as well.  There were rappers and DJ's, two of my favorite were female who brought the girl power.  This event had inspiration from all urban arts for all ages, race and gender.  What did UH bring and how did we fit?  Well, we fit perfectly (wink).  UH brought another aspect of using talent and empowering community youth.  We were part of hosting the 3 on 3 event, which was exciting.  It started with some of our Junior UH'ers and community kids K-3 on one side of the court playing.  The girls teams played on the other side of the court.  Both half courts were full of action displaying the energy and lessons learned, which UH brings.  Later our 5th grade came to represent and this 3 on 3 got competitive.  However, as cousins in any family, there is always competition followed by play.  These boys did not want to separate at the end of the evening.  Our hard top event ended with the best part to watch.  The 16 and over 3 on 3 game.  Which started out as 2 on 3, half court...turned into a 5 on 5 full court of dads and coaches and young local talent.  Even some dad's sub'ed in during the 10 minute game.  This goes to show you...never too old, not for new tricks, not for basketball...never too old to have fun with players half your age.  Some of our "old men" showed some skill out there.  Both sides did a great job of entertaining the cheering crowd.  UH families including coaches and Board members continued to arrive throughout the whole event.  The 4th grade, 5th grade and 6th grade came after hard fought tournaments and winning a few games.  Once the tournaments were over, it was time to relax and party. 

The day wore on and the evening was invitingly warm.  At the end of the evening, everyone tired and happy, it was almost sad to have to wrap things up.  The event coordinator, Arthur took the time to thank us and invite UH to future events.  We are more than happy to collaborate with M4 on any community event which gives youth avenues for creativity and talent.  We were honored to be part of this success.  Moreover we were proud.  I'm so thankful for the UH families.  Many came to support us and M4.  Many members stepped up and helped out at the booth.  I received messages from families who were disappointed they weren't able to make it.  This was mostly due to our lack of planning.  It being the first time for us, we waited til the last minute to announce when UH would be present.  This was also due to Saturday tournaments.  We've learned from our mistake.  Next time, we encourage all families to come, represent and hang out until anytime during the event.  When we arrived, there was no pressure or "where have you been?"...it was just "set up...enjoy".  Even with our faux pas, we pulled off quite a successful event.  Very very proud of UH.

Stay tuned and check the website for future exciting events.  You can also check out the M4 website at www.mighty4.com.  We not only suggest following them, but we encourage it.  On www.uptempohoops.com, you can view the slideshow which was played during the M4 Day event.  It is snapshot of our success as an organization at the mid season point.  Be sure to check on the M4 blog on their website.  Try to enlarge the aerial shot.  Who is that in the top right of the picture??  Well, that's Uptempo Hoops!!  Wha-what??? 

To me, with all the medals and trophies set aside, this day was one of UH's most successful moments. 

Uptempo Hoops Year To Date

Much Needed Blog Update

This season has just flown by.  We have a few more weeks to go, but it is almost over.  All teams had fun this summer and played in many tournaments.  New friends were made as the organization has grown and old friends enjoyed spending the summer together.  We played in Reno during the Memorial Day Jam On It Tournament where our 6th grade and 8th grade teams took 1st place. 

We embarked on new events such as the shoot a thon and Junior Uptempo Hoops.  Both were a huge success for our organization.  Many people making plans for next season already.  The feedback has been positive.  We look forward to what the rest of this season holds and the exciting plans for next year. 

This year we introduced 2 girls teams, fondly called the "UH Diva's".  These girls are full of talent and team spirit.  They enjoy hanging out with each other as well as playing side by side.  Every tournament they go to represent UH.  They represent in style only a diva can.  At practice I've seen them work hard like true athletes and break down into laughter like little girls.  The way these ladies are with each other is a true example of "sisterhood".  Led by seasoned coaches, these young ladies have learned strategies to help them with their skills and been shown examples of leadership and family.  I've heard one female athlete say she never knew how to get out of a double team, until now, until UH.  She will carry that little bit of knowledge with her for the rest of her life. 

We start our boys' teams with the 4th grade.  This year we introduce a 4th grade roster of all new players and new coaches.  What started out as 2 separate teams grew into one large family.  The 4th graders practiced together well and supported each other on the road.  Reno was quite an experience for these young boys, but they never forgot to have fun.  Some of the seasoned families helped support the new families and by the end of the season, all families will be veterans to AAU.  The new coaches are doing an excellent job in their new roles leading these players to victory, fun and excitement.  This group is a wonderful example of young athletes who love the game and want to play basketball. 

The 5th graders, composed of returning and new players were divided into two separate teams.  However, the friendships and support are always present.  One team started the season hitting the ground running with their first place win in the Mana Tournament.  The other 5th grade team did well in Reno landing a 4th place ranking in their division. 


Our 6th grade team who have doubled in size since last year.  We are happy to be able to take as many players as we can.  The 6th grade is coached by a wonderful and skilled coaching staff.  During practices, each player shows high basketball IQ and position knowledge.  In Reno, they went undefeated taking a well earned 1st place in their division.  Recently, the 6th grade hosted movie night and invited some players from other grades.  This is a great idea and we hope to do an organization wide one.  This is one example of how the 6th grade looks beyond basketball.  They look at creating lasting relationships for their kids and for the families.  The returning players welcomed the new players with open arms, making them a part of the family instantly.  I saw many old and new players hanging out in Reno with each other. 

Our smallest team in number, but not in heart, hard work or determination.  Our 7th grade team consists mostly for returning players with a few added ones.  There are approximately 10 players on this roster, but have the skill set and talent of twice that size.  They work hard every time they are on the court.  Moreover, the players have leaned on each other and made sure there were always enjoying playing.  After a hard played championship game, the 7th grade placed 3rd in their division in Reno.  This team is full of young men who are exemplary both on and off the court.  Next year, they will be the oldest of our organization and it's wonderful to know they bring with them basketball knowledge but also strong character.  This team is led by 2 experienced coaches who don't determine success through wins, but by how much their boys learn and are willing to play hard.  The boys are learning a lot and building character.


The oldest of our organization is the 8th grade team.  These boys to men bring their A game to every tournament including Reno, where they placed 1st in their division.  They never forget to support and lean on each other.  The practices are intense and fast paced.  At this age, they are much more knowledgeable and faster on the court.  It's a pleasure to watch them play, even during practice where they may scrimmage outside the organization.  At one time, they scrimmaged against older players and our 8th grade boys did extremely well.  They never gave up.  Even at times where it's so easy to blame each other and let emotion take control, you don't hear negativity on the court.  The young coaches encourage these players and drive them to play their best. 

Our organization may have grown, but we try to never forget the relationships between the players and the families.  Above all, we adults probably use UH as a time to socialize among ourselves.  We create friendships and respect which will last a lifetime.  I especially love seeing the players getting along:  laughing and playing games with each other.  In AAU, we have a lot of "down time" between games.  We can fill that time in with many things, but one thing for sure, it's always filled with bonding time.   

Coaches Clinic...first of many

What our coaching staff learns

Our coaching staff consists of more than volunteers who love working with children.  Our coaches go through training and learn along the way.  Another benefit to being part of the UH Family, our coaches attend personal training hosted by Coach John Peterson.  For more information on Coach JP, his program, camps, staff and players, visit the Ohlone College Men's Basketball website and don't forget to be a fan on Facebook.

http://www.ohlone.edu/org/athletics/mensbasketball/20122013/20121106seasonopens.html




Coach JP speaks to the coaches

Wednesday evening more than a dozen Uptempo Hoops staff members and coaches sat in the bleachers ready to learn new plays and coaching techniques from a seasoned coach.  Coach JP stressed the importance of family involvement and practices at home.  He covered plays at the college level and shooting skills at a young elementary school level.  The 2 hours was filled with the coach showing everyone visually where players should stand and are expected to move.  In between lessons there were questions and answers.  Though the coach filled the session with examples which ranged from older players, to the very young, he never lost focus on the importance of youth basketball.  He stressed to our coaches that this is the prime time to train the athletes to become better players and the best they can be by adult. 

 

Coaches fill the stands

Our coaches listened attentively, many taking notes and drawing plays in their notebooks.  The coaches will continue throughout the season training and learning.  It's something we emphasize at Uptempo Hoops.  Our coaches continue to grow as we expect our athletes to continue to grow.  Our next clinic will actually be our first practice, a shooting clinic.  Here Coach JP will work with both the coaches and the players and focus on proper shooting technique and form.  All of Uptempo Hoops will be involved including the families and parents.  This will be an exciting event as the gym will be filled with hundreds of people all learning how to properly shoot a basketball. 

 

Mountain Mike Dining Out

Launching the 2013 season!

Just like last year we launch our season at Mountain Mike's pizza.  This fundraiser has always been a success for us as everyone loves pizza.  This all day fundraiser is a great turnout for our organization.  We saw some familiar faces and had fun meeting new ones. 



Tristan and mom, Teresa waiting for their order

Our fundraisers are an important part of our organization.  They bring opportunity to kids, who love the game of basketball, in many ways.  Our fundraisers help keep costs down and every year, they help provide some tokens of appreciation to our players.  All the players play hard and are dedicated.  The families are involved and we have many parents who step up to help.  Our fundraisers, like with any organization is much needed.  We appreciate all of the UH Family, both the players and extended friends, family and fans who come out to support us financially.  This year, we plan to be more active with our fundraising.  There will be plenty of opportunity to eat out and have fun. 



I had the pleasure of sharing a table with a new player to the 4th grade team, Tristan and his family.  It was nice getting to know one of our new young players.  They are excited for Tristan to play with Uptempo Hoops this summer season.  Later I met one of our female athletes family, Jasmine.  They had questions regarding Reno and you can feel their excitement.  The whole atmosphere in the restaurant was a buzz. 

 





Jasmine and family cozy up

Mountain Mike's did not disappoint.  It is a warm open area and in a good location.  The food is good and families were able to socialize the night before spring break.  It was a delight to walk around and meet some players which I've only seen at the check in table and their families.  It was also a pleasure to see returning families which I only see during the AAU season.  There was enthusiasm in the air among the new to AAU players.  Returning players couldn't wait to hit the courts one more time for back to back games.  They were ready for the challenge. Most were excited about Reno and excited to play in their first tournament.

After finishing up our early dinner and enjoying the frozen yogurt next door, we left as more Uptempo Hoops families entered.  Later that evening I returned to mingle more and greet more families.  The same mixture of returning and new were there.  I'm still learning names, but I recognize faces.  It's a warm feeling to see familiar faces and soon to be familiar faces.  It's an even greater feeling to see our young athletes and to know that over the next few months they will grow with us.  Moutain Mike's may represent our launching pad for the season, but it's just the beginning.