Congratulations! Welcome to RockIt AAU!
There is a lot of information to digest below. We have outlined team commitments, both time and financial, as well as our plans for practices, leagues, and tournaments. Please take the time to read this email in its entirety before accepting your son’s invitation.
TEAM & COACH ASSIGNMENT
Your team and coach assignment are included in your LeagueApps invitation email. If you have any questions about your placement, please let us know.
Please download the LeagueApps Play app for your mobile device. You can login with the same email and password you use to register in LeagueApps. This will replace TeamSnap for communication and game information.
PRACTICES
The AAU season runs from September through July, with practices twice each week. We will keep the practice and game schedule up to date in LeagueApps. Our first practice will be the week of Monday, August 31st.
As we approach the spring tournament season, each team’s coach will determine the best plan for July based on the team’s schedule, player availability, and how the season is progressing. Teams may continue with regular practices and/or participate in a July tournament. If a team does not continue its regular practice schedule in July, RockIt will provide additional basketball opportunities for players, such as training sessions, open gyms, and pickup runs.
There will be no additional cost for these July opportunities, as they will take the place of regular team practices and a potential July tournament. The goal is to give players and families more flexibility during a busy summer month, while still providing plenty of opportunities for players to get in the gym, continue developing, and keep their game sharp.
LEAGUES & TOURNAMENTS
The team will participate in both RockIt’s Fall and Winter Leagues. This will involve one game each weekend, either Saturday or Sunday.
Fall League: September 19 – October 25
Winter League: December 5 – February 28
To help families plan ahead, we will release game schedules in three-week blocks.
The goal of league play is to prepare the team for the spring tournament season. We may also ask the team to “play up” against older or larger opponents to help prepare them for the level of competition they may see at AAU tournaments.
In mid-February, we will release the spring tournament schedule. The team will play 6-7 tournaments during the spring/early summer tournament season. We will make every effort to focus on tournaments that minimize travel expenses for families, as there are many quality tournaments in Richmond and within a few hours’ drive.
TEAM FEES
The total cost for the entire season is $2,750. This includes the full RockIt AAU season, including team practices, league and tournament fees, and additional team opportunities offered throughout the year, such as open gyms, pickup runs, and select training sessions. AAU players also receive reduced rates on RockIt Skills Training sessions.
Families have the option of paying the full season cost up front or dividing the cost into monthly payments. Available payment plans will be displayed when you log into the registration link below.
Important: If your son leaves the team before the end of the season, you will be responsible for the monthly fees until we are able to find another player to take his place. By registering your son for the team, you are agreeing to this policy.
Families also have the option to purchase tuition/fee insurance to help provide protection in the event that an unforeseen circumstance prevents your son from continuing with the team. More information about this option will be available during registration.
UNIFORMS
Every AAU player will wear a custom RockIt reversible jersey, shorts, and shirt for practices and games during the Fall season. These items will need to be ordered upon committing to the team.
Uniform Order:Click Here
Order Deadline: Please order uniforms ASAP since they take roughly 3 weeks to arrive once ordered
For winter rec and spring tournament season, every AAU player will wear a custom RockIt reversible jersey and shorts. These will be ordered in September.
The complete uniform package, including the practice uniform and tournament uniform, will cost approximately $250.
ROCKIT BOYS AAU PRESEASON TRAINING CAMP — FREE
All RockIt Boys AAU players are invited to a FREE preseason training camp to help prepare for the upcoming season.
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Cost: FREE
ROCKIT SKILLS TRAINING — AAU PLAYERS
RockIt AAU players are also invited to participate in our Skills Training program throughout the season.
Dates: September 1, 2026 – May 27, 2027
Days: Monday – Thursday
Time: 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Cost: $100/month
NEXT STEPS
The deadline to accept your son’s invitation is Friday, August 28th at 5:00 PM.
To accept his team invitation, please click on the link at the end of the email invite that was sent by League Apps. Please note that rosters may shift slightly as we finalize all teams. We expect rosters to be fully finalized by August 31st but there may be adjustments.
For questions regarding team placement or basketball-related questions, please reach out directly to Jerron Athey at jathey@rockitsports.net
For payment questions, please contact Lisa Woodson at info@rockitsports.net
Below are a couple bios for our coaches
Coach Rosenthal
Coach Rosenthal brings an accomplished playing background and a strong connection to RockIt Basketball. He played four years at The Steward School, helping the program reach three state tournaments and a school-record 29-win season. He continued his career at Roanoke College, where his teams won 20+ games three times, captured an ODAC Championship and made two NCAA Tournament appearances. A former RockIt player himself, Coach Rosenthal is excited to give back to the program while helping young athletes develop their skills, confidence and love for the game.
Coach Bill Reid
Coach Bill Reid brings 15 years of youth basketball coaching experience, including the past four years coaching middle school AAU teams with RockIt. As a player, he was a three-year starter at Hampden-Sydney College, where his teams compiled a 79–31 record and made two Sweet Sixteen appearances. Coach Reid played under Tony Shaver and alongside several future Division I head coaches. He brings extensive playing and coaching experience to RockIt with an emphasis on teaching the game, competing the right way and developing young players.
Coach Chaise Johnson
Coach Chaise Johnson enters his sixth year coaching with RockIt Basketball and brings extensive experience with the program. As a player, he starred at The Steward School, where he became the program’s all-time leading scorer, before continuing his basketball career at Hampden-Sydney College. Coach Johnson uses his playing experience and knowledge of the game to help young athletes improve their fundamentals, confidence and basketball IQ while learning how to compete as a team.
Coach Jerome Saunders
Coach Jerome Saunders brings extensive experience to RockIt as both a coach and former professional player. He spent nine years playing professional basketball overseas before transitioning into coaching. His coaching experience includes three years at the junior varsity high school level and four years coaching competitive AAU and travel basketball. Coach Saunders brings a high-level understanding of the game to RockIt and focuses on teaching fundamentals, developing confident players and preparing athletes to compete at increasingly challenging levels.
Coach Janssen Flotow
Coach Janssen Flotow brings a strong background in playing, coaching and player development. He scored more than 1,200 points during his high school career and nearly 1,500 points collegiately while earning All-Conference honors four times. His coaching experience includes the high school level as well as two seasons working with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever in player development. Coach Flotow emphasizes footwork, ball handling, shooting mechanics and basketball IQ, with a focus on helping players build confidence and develop the skills needed to succeed at the next level.
Coach Dylan Bultje
Coach Dylan Bultje enters his sixth year coaching with RockIt Basketball and has also spent the past two years as a Varsity Assistant Coach at Trinity Episcopal School. A USA Basketball Certified coach, Dylan emphasizes player development, teamwork and creating a competitive culture. His coaching philosophy centers on hard work, toughness, accountability and chemistry while making sure players continue to enjoy competing. His goal is to develop skilled, confident and team-oriented players both on and off the court.
Coach Corey Barnes
Coach Corey Barnes enters his second season coaching with RockIt and his third year with the Goochland Middle School boys basketball program, where he serves as Head Coach. He also works as an instructor with the Goochland High School Basketball Camp. Coach Barnes emphasizes discipline, accountability, toughness and teamwork, challenging players to compete with purpose on both ends of the floor. His goal is to develop confident basketball players who understand how to compete together, respond to challenges and become strong teammates and leaders.
Coach JaMel Allen
Coach JaMel Allen brings experience coaching both school and AAU basketball. He currently coaches with the Goochland Middle School boys basketball program, serving as an assistant with the A Team and Head Coach of the B Team. After beginning with RockIt as an AAU assistant coach, he now serves as a RockIt 14U Head Coach. Coach Allen focuses on player development, fundamentals, teamwork and helping young athletes build the confidence and basketball IQ needed to continue progressing in the game.