Everything you need to know in one place. See exactly how players are evaluated, and lock in your spot in under three minutes.
No fine print. No hidden fees. Here's exactly what you need to know before you register.
Every tryout follows the same structure so every player is evaluated the same way.
Arrive in your athletic clothes. Pick up your numbered jersey, sign the medical waiver, and warm up with the team. Coaches introduce themselves and walk through the agenda.
Five stations, six minutes each — ball-handling, shooting form, defensive slides, rebounding, and footwork. Coaches rotate; every player is seen by every evaluator.
Random teams, full-court games. This is where coaches see decision-making, spacing, communication, and competitive instinct in real time.
Cool-down stretch. Head coach takes parent questions in the lobby. Players grab a Mustangs tryout shirt on the way out — yours to keep regardless of placement.
No politics. No favorites. Every coach grades every player on the same four pillars, with the same rubric. Here's exactly what we look for, in the order we weigh it.
Are they playing hard, every rep? Effort is the only thing every player can control, and it tells us everything about how they'll respond to a tough season.
Can they execute the fundamentals at game speed? We're not looking for finished products at age 10, we're looking for a foundation we can build on.
When a coach gives feedback, what happens next? This is the single biggest predictor of whether a player makes the leap from middle school to varsity.
Do they see the floor before the play happens? Court IQ separates good athletes from real basketball players. It's the hardest thing to teach.
Regardless of if you make the A team or the B team, placement is about putting your player in the right environment to grow.
No single coach decides where a kid goes. Scores are averaged and reviewed by the program director & coaches before placements go out.
Four steps. Two weeks. One Mustang family.
Pick your tryout slot and sign the waiver. Three minutes total.
Show up 15 min early. Give 60 minutes of effort. And come to compete!
Coaches debrief, score, and balance rosters with the program director.
You'll get an email with team assignment, season fee invoice, and first practice date.
Three minutes. You'll get a confirmation email with your tryout time, parking instructions, and the medical waiver to sign.
Real answers. If yours isn't here, email mundeleinboysbasketball@gmail.com — we respond within 24 hours.
We will post an our official make-up day from 9 AM to 12 PM. Email the coach as soon as you know about a conflict — we'll fit you in.
Two practices per week (60-90 min each, evenings), 2 weekend tournaments between November and February, and 14 regular season games. We share the full calendar at first practice.
Our coaches independently score every player on the four criteria above. Scores are averaged, reviewed by the program director, and balanced for grade-level chemistry. Body language and attitude during evaluation matter — we're picking on more than just talent.
Show up. About a third of our 5th and 6th grade players have little to no prior experience. Coachability and effort outweigh experience every single time.
Yes — fully and confidentially. Email coach@mundelein.org with the subject "Aid request." We will never turned a Mundelein kid away over money.
Season fee ($799/season for all grades) is invoiced after team placements go out on Nov 25. Payments will be split into two groups. $400 will be due on Dec 1st, and the remaining $399 will be due on January 1st
Tryouts are free. After acceptance, season fees are refundable for 7 days after tryouts conclude.
Absolutely. Siblings will be evaluated in their own grade-and-gender group. Tryout slots are often scheduled back-to-back so most families only need one trip.
If you have a printed copy of the medical waiver signed at home, it speeds up check-in. Otherwise, you can sign it at the door. That's it. We provide loaner basketballs if needed.
