Hoopallday

We are located in the Tri Cities area. Bristol, Kingsport, Johnson City area. Northeast TN and Southwest VA....

Any Fresh or Soph interested in a highly competitive travel team contact nautilusexpressaau@live.com. This team plays through August and competes at the highest level. It is 90% funded and this is the 12 year. Only one team and over the past 12 years there has been 47 scholarships secured for young ladies to such institutions as ETSU, UMass, Georgia Southern, Virginia Tech, Miss St, Western Carolina, Radford, USC UpState, Campbell, Tusculum, Mars Hill, Findlay, UVA Wise, Virginia Intermont just to name a few..... Hope to hear from you.. also look us up on facebook at Nautilus Express Girls Basketball.

What area are you from?

Thanks to all that came out. Hope the best to the ones that did not make it. This group of young ladies could be special!!

Today at 4:30 at Virginia Intermont College are tryouts. Hope to see you!

Nautilus Express Girls Travel Team Tryouts will be held March 4th at Virginia Intermont College at 4:30PM. This is open to all 9-11 grade girls that have to desire to play at the next level. We have help secure overthe past 10 years 35 scholarships and close to 20 D1 to such schools as VA Tech, Miss State, Radford, Western Carolina, USC UpState, Campbell, Georgia Southern, ETSU, UMass, Columba to name a few. It is a challenging and rewarding experance. The team has corp sponsers. For more information contact nautilusexpressaau@live.com

Just a reminder to all. Tryouts are at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol on Sunday March 6th 5PM. If you have any questions please contact nautilusexpressaau@live.com. Look forward to another great season!!

The email address is Nautilusexpressaau@live.com not hotmail.com

Nautilus Express AAU are having open tryouts for all 9th,10th and 11th grade girls that are interested in playing at the next level. There is no fee for this team. Team is 95% funded. Last year had 8 Jr girls and all got full rides. 4 D1 and 4 D2. This is a highly competitive team that there main goal is to help young ladies reach there dream of playing at the next level. Tryouts are March 6th at 5Pm at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol. For more information email nautilusexpressaau@hotmail.com. Look forward to having another great year!!!!

Congrats to all 8 Sr that played on the Nautilus Express Travel team this past year. All 8, through there dedication and drive, received Full Rides to play basketball and continue there education at the next level. This is what it is all about is helping and seeing these young ladies reach there dreams and goals and seeing them become wonderfull young ladies!!! Juli Osbourn(DB)Campbell University, Makensey Campbell(Sullivan South)Western Carolina Univesity, Shelby Hicks(South Greene)USC UpState, Nancy Thacker(Fort Chiswell)Western Carolina University, Ansley Ricker(South Greene)Mars Hill College, Blakely Burleson(TN High)Tusculum, Jaqu Kestner(Sullivan Central)Concord University and Rachel Artrip(Honaker)Concord University. This is a wonderful accomplishment for these young ladies. They will all be signing in the early period starting tomorrow. We wish you nothing but great success!!

Very good point and very true.

you are so right. Year round activities are not for everybody and burn out can be a case of changing intrest. Some young ladies want the scholorship and some just want to play for the fun of it and both are good reasons to play. But if you are that young lady that wants to play at the next level then you have to play for a good travel team if you are from the Northeast TN area. If you are the young lady that just wants to play then there is no reason to put yourself through the year round grind. Also, I must say if you find a good travel team to play for it is a very rewarding experance and can be a real joy but those type of teams are few and far between. I hope every young lady has the opportunity to reach there dream. What ever they are!!! You are also right about the kids playing for the parents. If this is the case then everybody looses.

I caught word that Taylor Hall from Morristown West has stoped playing ball. From what I understand she received a full ride to UTC. Any word on why? She is a great talent and great young lady.

Three girls have already commited from Nautilus Express... Makensey Campbell from Sullivan South to Western Carolina, Shelby Hicks from South Greene to USC UpState and Nancy Thacker from Fort Chiswell to Western Carolina... 3 down and 5 to go... all of the girls have offers.. hope they pick the best school for them..

Congrats to the Nautilus Express Girls team for Winning the Elite Division Championship at the Battle of the Boro this week. The girls played there guts out and showed heart and determination. These girls deserve everything they get from all of the hard work they have put into this team. Blakely Burleson TN High, Ansley Ricker South Greene, Juli Osborne DB, Makensey Campbell Sullivan South, Jacqu Kestner Sullivan South, Emmie Thompson Unicoi, Nancy Thacker Fort Chiswell, Cadence Wilmoth Patrick Henery, Rachell Artrip Honaker, Britney Allen Richlands, Jaymee Copenhaver Patrick Henery.. Now it is time to make dreams a reality... Congrats girls!!!

It starts today and goes through friday..

Good luck to all Northeast TN Girls that are playing in the battle in the boro. Always remember: If you give all you got that is all you can do!!!

Also signed: Virginia Intermont College- Shelby May 5'2 Guard Morristown West, Megan Fanny 5'2 Guard Morristown West, Kala Orick 6' Post Morristown East. Also Commitied to Western Carolina University- Makensey Campbell 6' Guard Sullivan South, USC UpState- Shelby Hicks 6' Wing South Greene

You can get a full tuition scholoarship with all of the Fed money out there but a school can only give 11 scholarship in NAIA D1 and 6 in NAIA D2. It can only average 60% of total money through out the team. That means if they gave your girl a full ride then the next girl they sign has to pay full price to even out. More than likely she still has to pay room and board. For example Montreat College cost 32,000 to go. Mary Jane gets the offer of this break down: 32000-10,000 for baskeball=22,000-6,000 for grades=16,000-5000 for Pell Grant=11,000-3200 hope=7800 and some schools give dorm free for first year so -3200 for dome=4600' 4000 for student loan=600 out of pocket per year not including books.. that is how you can get a free ride at an NAIA school... and the coach can up the basketball money also. But the money that comes from the school basketball and academics combined cannot be more than 60% of the total cost.... Look forward to playing you on the 28th.. I hear you have some new girls.. should be a blast.. the other team is a beast also...

I will speak for Gilliam from Volunteer, since I am her mom and know the facts. No, Coach Myers did not help her one bit to receive a basketball scholarship, she did it all on her own by playing travel ball and exposure tournaments. It really comes down to the player and what they want to do. Some, like my daughter really wanted to play in NAIA and no shame to any girl that wants to go that route. She knew in Div I that she would only be a practice dummy and she also looked at herself and knew where her level would be. She did bring in 5 college coaches this past season to the gym at VHS and one Kentucky recruiter for various schools. These coaches saw her in exposure events and the biggest from last summer in Louisville, KY at the Blue Chip where she made the All-Star team. And like Hoopallday states, there were over 150+ in attendance. She received many letters this past year from D1, D2, D3, and NAIA, which anyone will tell you doesn't mean jack, because chances are they sent the same letter to 50 other girls. It is constantly working to improve your game. I do believe that a girl does need to be in travel ball and at exposure events to be seen in this era. Now, why she chose Pikeville, truly the best offer. She narrowed it down to Pikeville, UVA-Wise, and Union in Ky. Loved all 3 schools, but had a gut feeling about UVA-Wise coach that he would leave by her Freshman year (and he resigned last week), loved Union because she could tell the coach was all disciplined, but it was pricey. It came down to the money $'s with Pikeville giving her the best scholarship of all with basketball and academic money and it is the cheapest private school at only $20,000 total a year. Now, the government thinks we're rich, so no financial aid for her, but if she was eligible then she probably would be able to go totally paid, but what minimum it is turning out to be, it will not be a hardship. Also, a big thanks to former coach Todd Whittemore who made the call to the Pikeville coach when he found out she was going for a visit and he truly got her the $'s. Comp, you might be happy when the times comes that your daughter might have to go NAIA, no shame in it at all. VI is getting in my opinion one of the best guards in the state with Fanney. She and my daughter along with another VI player in Orrick played travel together and are outstanding players and show how hard it is out there when it comes down to it. Heck, Fanney was even All-State tournament team. But, Laiken is very proud to become a Lady Bear and she is also looking forward to play in the first team of the Rocky Top League that starts next week in Knoxville and having a Lady Vol on her team too. Hoop, she really appreciated you checking on her a few months ago too, she has a lot of respect for you too. Thanks for your side of the facts. Good to hear people that have gone through this first hand. It is very hard in this area to get any type of looks. D1 or other wise so I will say once again congrats to your daughter. I also have much respect for her!

One player, Layken Gilliam, went to NAIA Pikeville College from what I heard and the other, now get this, went to VI and quit.... In the NAIA the only offer you can get is 60% of total tuition. You can get money for grades but that still counts towards budget. The one that went to VI only got $4000 to play. Dont know Layken.

Like I have said before everybody makes great points. The bottom line is both High School coaches and summer/aau coaches should work together in a positive way to help certain young ladies reach there goal of playing at the next level. I know not all young ladies want to do this and that is perfectly ok. I just think if they worked together then it would be a more enjoyable experance for the player and that is what it is all about! Thanks for all of your input. Just wanted some feed back so we can change for the better.

i agree with both of u. i did not say all high scool coaches are bad or lazy. i said there are some exceptional ones as there are aau. the original question was why doesnt High School coach like AAU coaches.? College coaches only have 85 days in a year to recruit players. If they go see one player in NE TN then that counts as a day so the will not waist there days on doing that. What they do is go to an AAU or a Showcase tourney in the summer to watch hundereds of girls at one time and that still only counts for one day. Trust me on this one, I am a college coach and I recruit every year. I will not waste a day on watching Science Hill play Volunteer unless I have seen a girl in the summer playing against quality competition and really like her. Then I might waste a day on it. College coaches want to see what you do against the best, not what you do against the AA school down the street that has no talent. In this case, both High School and AAU coaches need to work together so they can get the best value for the young lady. Playing ball all year around will only make the high school player better for there team. When I call a high school coach it is because I have seen that girl in an AAU or showcase tourney... Great points on this board.... Everybodys points are well thought out!

Very good points that you are making but I did not say that "High School" was the problem. I am speaking in basketball terms only. I am saying that High School basketball is not relivant anymore for a young lady to continue playing at the next level. I agree there needs to be a balance and that is what I am saying about High School and AAU coaches "Working together". The high school coaches that you speak of going to the next level is few and far between. I do not have kids but have been around basketball 37 years of my life at all levels and it is just sad at what I see going on. You say that "baskeball will not carry anyone through life" I have to disagree with you. If not for basketball I would not have gone to college. Not only did I go and get a degree I got a full ride. It also took me all over the world and opened doors for me that have been priceless. It also taught me team work, discipline, hard work, fair play, deadication and self value. So, it can carry you through life if you let it. Heck, I even met my wife of 10 years because of basketball. lol But this is not what I am speaking of. I just think if the coaches stop and think what is best for the young ladies then they would see that working together would be best. Period..... Hoop, funny that you ask. Most high schools who lose coaches in the state are loing them to Colleges/Universities or are being replaced by under estimated middle school coaches who are needing a chance. The caliber of coaches being hired as replacements seem to be at a high level to the degree that if they decide to leave for what ever reason, it is generally for good reason. Despite your posts on this site, high school coaches not only are doing a good job but its obvious they are moving up ion the ranks for the job they are doing. Right now, AAU coaches are valuable in some schemes of thing but only as technicians and schedulers of events. Anyone can do that but the contention as to who is doing the work, very nfew AAU coaches can teach school work, help with home work or do a myrid of things to help in every day life. I will take the high school, the teachers, the councelors and trainers at the schools and the wide range of help available if indeed the dreams don't necessarily work out. AAU is great in some situations really great as a supplement but as a replacement, is very far behind. As a response though, high school coaches, for some of the reasons mentioned, should be concerned that they are and have been turning over too much of their training, good or bad, to AAU. AAU does not necessarily mean very good. It is an accumulation of better players in an area on a team. If those players are trained properly you have something. They aren't taught to go to school, do their home work, select their final goals, go to church and bring everything into perspective, contribute to the community they live in. Basketball will not carry anyone thru life. Other things take over that one only experiences with dealing with the people one deals with and watching their wide range of experiences.