Tryouts This Sunday 12/16 1:30pm-3: 30 pm at Fitzhugh Baptist Church
Overview of Basketball Program and Team
Fierce is helping young women grow more fiery, focused and fun as they develop their skills and confidence both on and off the course. Other programs may discuss fundamentals in their curriculum but may actually focus on the tactics and plays of their “offensive systems.” We focus on creating stronger athletes, more aggressive minds, better teammates, and confidence in our players. The program runs February 1st thru the end of June.
Philosophy & Training
Fierce is dedicated to playing full court man to man defense and to playing fast-break basketball all of which allow your children to grow each year, rather than learn a different set of plays each year that provide little progressive or foundational learning.
Basketball Tournament Schedule
Fierce will play approximately 8 Austin Select basketball tournaments or a 26 game schedule. We may add more tournaments depending on the availability of families once the team makeup is decided. We may add in a few scrimmages if we find other teams interested in scrimmaging. We will avoid travel unless we started to dominate the Austin schedule and would then re-assess with the consensus of parents. Next year we would reassess and perhaps add one tournament in Dallas or San Antonio. We will most likely try to play at the same tournaments with the older Fierce team as we try to foster a “Little Sister” program between the older and more proven players and the younger ones.
Austin Select Basketball Tournament Schedule
(Subject to Review after checking player availability)
3/31 Sunday Texas Gametime at WAAC
4/6 Saturday 18th Magic Invitational (Georgetown typically)
April 27th – 2st Annual Next Level Championships Basketball Tourney Burnet, TX
May 5th , Sunday, Pac Center Tournament
5/11, Saturday 18th Magic Shootout (Typically Georgetown)
May 25th/26h Memorial Day Classic Riseup (One Day Tourney, we have asked for Sunday)
6/1,Saturday. Pac Center
June 8th, Saturday, 2nd Annual Next Level Basketball “Summer Showdown” Tourney, Burnet, TX
We may add another tournament if possible for the older Fierce Group.
We are also attempting to schedule weekday night games with Adrian, BYC , DS Elite. We will see if they will accept.
Tryouts for the Select Team
When: Sunday, December 16th at 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm at Fitzhugh Baptist Church Gym. (If you cannot make, we do have options available…We also are inviting your girls to come to Real Run as explained below for next two Wednesdays. Tryouts are free to attend. Email chris@austinyouthbasketball.com to RSVP as soon as possible.
Where: Fitzhugh Baptist Church Gym
Bring: A water bottle, basketball, and a reversible basketball jersey if possible.
Tryouts will cost $20 and will include drills, scrimmage and some light teaching to determine coachability and learning style. Announcements of cuts/makes will be made within 72 hours on a rolling basis with invitations considered accepted upon written acceptance and reception of payment for the season. Acceptance is not done until invitation and payment returned. We understand you may want to shop around, but we cannot keep committed children waiting.
Fierce Team Coach Jason McKinley
Athletic Playing Career
- Westwood High School – 3-year letterman/starter in Football, Basketball & Baseball, all-district 1994-96
- University of Houston Football Team – 4-year starter, Team Captain & All-Conference, 1997 – 2000, Top Five in all Passing Categories
Coaching Career
- Bay Area Christian High School – Head Coach Varsity Boys Basketball & Offensive Coordinator Varsity Football
- Corpus Christi HammerHeads Arena Football – Head Coach
Basketball Coaching Philosophy
I have always loved to compete and always loved to win. I will not apologize for wanting to win, but I will spend more time coming alongside you to help foster the growth of women that will be fantastic employees, bosses, spouses, parents and to excel in whatever they choose to do. I will be spending time teaching them to be hardworking, tough, generous, compassionate, accountable and confident in who they are. Having three daughters of my own (and a son) has helped me realize that sports will come to an end someday and we can use basketball to play a major role in the future success of our children. That being said, we will work hard….not on a scheme or an offense, but on developing basketball players that are fundamentally sound, aggressive and will be an asset to their team.
Fierce Advisor & Assistant Coach Fred Gonzalez
- Born in Chihuaha, Mexico
- Father, Pepe “Chiquilin” Gonzalez played professional basketball in Mexico for the Dorados de Chihuaha
- Played High School Basketball in New Mexico
- Played collegiately at the University of Delaware
- Two NCAA Tournament Appearances
- Coached at Delaware by renowned player development expert and current Notre Dame University Head Coach Mike Brey (Fred was Coach Brey’s second recruit of his coaching career)
- Believes strongly in the development of the player and person ahead of other goals for younger players
- 2017 and 2018 Full Ironman Finisher
- Vice President of Finance for Sallie Mae
- Dad of Luke, Carly and Nathan… husband to fellow Ironman (Ironwoman) finisher Stephanie.
- Still can’t guard Coach Chris 🙂
Basketball Trainer Bio
Chris Corbett of Austin Youth Basketball will be serving as the curriculum director and skills trainer for the team. This is an essential part of the girls’ growth. They will be judged in middle and high school tryouts based on skills, athleticism, and effort…. not rote memorization of robotic plays and offenses. Chris played grew up in the playground basketball mecca of Queens, NYC. Then played Point Guard at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. His work as a trainer has been endorsed by NBA and WNBA players, college and high school coaches, and more importantly, hundreds of families just like yours.
Fees
$1097 paypable upon 48 hours after invitation to team unless other arrangements have been made. 
Uniforms / Swag (not included for new or growing players)
Players will receive a reversible jersey and short from Under Armour that is a high quality. They will also receive a practice jersey which is also reversible. Lastly, they will receive a pullover from Under Armour. We will have a team store more than likely for parent gear, backpacks etc. These are luxury items and not necessary to be part of the team! The uniform fee last year was $187 it could be slightly different this year as we shop proposals. We were very pleased last year with the quality of the uniforms and the kids loved them.
Practices & Facility
Practices are to be held at Fitzhugh Baptist Church in Southwest Austin/Dripping Springs area.
Mondays: Skills Sessions 7-8
Monday: 8-9:15 Real Run (Optional but highly encouraged…The girls play against other 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade girls in a refereed pickup with no coaching. Then they do 15 minutes of basketball-specific speed and agility work in addition to ACL prehab work. This is strongly encouraged but not required if the girls have heavy homework etc.
Wednesday: Team Practice 7-9 pm