An important consideration, if you're planning to attend a California Community College and play basketball, is to choose a school where you'll be able to play basketball.
I've often commented that a player who has his academics in order and who gets regular rotation minutes will usually get the opportunity to transfer and keep playing somewhere - even if it's not a D-1 - after finishing at the JC level. The important things in that statement are having one's academics in order (I don't think I need to say anything more about that) and getting regular rotation minutes.
So you'll need to be realistic in assessing your abilities. A player is better off in a program where he's getting playing time, even if the team is losing, than at the end of the bench, even if the team wins every game. 4-year college recruiters are only going to offer scholarships to players they've seen play, so you've got to get some playing time to attract interest.
Since California Community Colleges don't offer scholarships, and because housing can be an issue, most players try to go to school close to home. Because there are a lot of people, and basketball players, in the greater Los Angeles area, competition at LA schools can be quite intense. The same is true, though to a lesser extent, in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Fresno. If you are able to attend a school away from the major population centers, it may improve your chances of finding a place where you can get playing time.
And then there's the process of getting onto a team.
Since I've never approached it from that angle (I'm a fan, and was never good enough to even consider playing college basketball!), I asked a few local JC coaches how a player would hook up with a team. Here are some highlights.
The key consideration is personal contact. Coaches get a lot of calls from guys who say they can play, and they're loathe to get too excited about a player unless they, or someone they know and trust, has seen the player in person.
So how do you get the coach to see you play? There are several ways, and some resourcefulness and determination will come in handy. Here are some ideas, but don't let this limit you. The important thing is finding a way to have the coaches see you play, so if you think of other ways they may be worth pursuing.
One possibility is the many exposure camps and tourneys that are conducted for high school players. In addition to the 4-year colleges, many JCs have representatives at these events from time to time. If you're interested in a particular JC, you can call the coach and ask which events he'll be attending and express an interest in having him see you play. Many of the exposure events charge for participation, but if they're an option it's a way for you to be seen.
Also, some JCs have basketball camps or classes during the summer. These offer a chance for you to be seen by the coach of the school. And at times some schools have open gym periods or tryouts. Ask the coaches about these. Again, the key is rather than just telling them how good you are, try to find ways for them to see how good you are.
Another possibility is a summer exposure event. Some JC coaching staffs bring a team to these events, which are normally held at Azusa Pacific University (in Glendora) and Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill) in July. Some coaches treat these events as mutual tryouts, and I know of one case where a player met the coach only a few days before the event and ended up playing not only for the team at the event but for the coach at the JC the following year. If the school(s) you're interested in is sending a team to one of these events, this might be an option. And this year (2003), the Southern California Showcase at APU is accepting individuals as well. This will get you some exposure not only to 4-year schools, but JCs in attendance as well.
One coach I spoke with suggested that when you call a school, try to speak with an assistant (rather than the head coach). Head Coaches are often too busy to follow up on calls, but this is normally something assistants do. In many cases, the head coach will delegate following up to an assistant, but if you speak with an assistant first you reduce the risk of getting lost in the shuffle.
Regardless of how you make contact, one thing that is important is for you to have game film available for any coach you contact. This doesn't mean a highlight reel of dunks and 3-pointers; I was told that it must be full games for them to give it any weight. Remember, you're trying to show the coach you can help him win games, not impress in the layup line.
And finally, if you're dead-set on attending a particular school, you may try this last strategy: many schools offer a class on "basketball theory" or the like, often taught by the coach. If nothing else, this will get you a chance to have the coaches see you play since these classes are usually taught by the coaching staff. It's a longshot, but sometimes longshots come in!
Continue the Guide
Page 1 - Intro
Page 2 - Finding a California Community College
Page 3 - First Contact
List of California Community Colleges with my comments
Links to California Community Colleges
An overview of California
