East End Explosion Basketball was started in 2008 in Richmond,Virginia because of a serious problem surrounding youth basketball. Too many youth programs are started only to round up some good players and play in as many tournaments as possible without any real effort to help the players improve. East End Explosion strives to solve this problem, at least in a couple areas of the country, by concentrating on player and team DEVELOPMENT.

East End Explosion Basketball wants players who are motivated to work hard and improve their game. Through our weekly Development Workouts, players work with our staff and go through drills that help them become better basketball players. More importantly, these kids are learning the value of hard work and self-discipline. They can take these skills and transfer them to other aspects of their lives outside the gym; that's what really separates us from other programs. We are here to help players out there who want to work hard, but don't know what to do to become a better player. With the right attitude and proper guidance, these players can achieve great things. Greatness is defined differently for each player. Maybe it's making the team next year. Maybe it's starting on the team. Maybe it's getting a college scholarship. Whatever it is, together we can work to make it happen.

Along with the Development Workouts, East End Explosion has several Travel Teams that compete against players of similar ages around the country. This gives players the opportunity to work on team skills that can carry over to their winter seasons as well. U15, U16 and U17 teams play in tournaments where college coaches evaluate players and potentially recruit them to play at their schools. What a great opportunity to use basketball and the hard work in the classroom to be able to get a college education. East End Explosion Basketball is here to help players reach their potential.

Organization

East End Explosion is a 501(c) non-profit organization. We are organized to coach, mentor, and guide young men to become productive and responsible citizens. Our vehicle is basketball. The young men in our program are expected to excel in the classroom, the community, and on the court. We are preparing these young men to use their basketball skills as a vehicle to obtain a college degree.


The East End Explosion is based in Henrico County,VA with players from Henrico, Hopewell, Ashland, Richmond and Chesterfield. Our goal is to attract and recruit players that are committed to teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. This organization is committed to providing exceptional leadership, teaching, mentoring, and developing the youth in the community.

The purpose behind East End Explosion Basketball is to teach kids about God being our Higher Power through Jesus Christ who died for our sins and will rise again someday. In addition to developing the spiritual mindset first we can Educate each child on the importance of how to establish a strong family responsibility by showing teamwork through sports, in addition we have to change the mind set of how they may feel about their individual Academic achievement. We feel that not all kids have the same levels of academic achievement but we will spend time in developing those children that may be faced with some challenges in their academic endeavors but through hard work and assistance they can overcome every obstacle that they are faced with through providing confidence, a positive attitude, and participation from all parties starting with family, friends, and volunteers; thus yielding an all-out effort in accomplishing anything. Our devoted Staff will Train them in becoming great sportsmen participants in their desired field. We know that not every athlete makes it to the pro’s but this will provide them with Life changing skills to become great community servicemen and women. Our overall goal is “We Build People”. Without people we can’t make the world a better place. No it wasn’t an accident about seeing the highlighted word above.

ARE YOU READY for the EAST END EXPLOSION?? - Things to Consider

The following list can also be used evaluate whether YOUR FAMILY is ready to commit to AAU competition

It's Not All About Your Skills!!!! What our AAU Coaches will be looking for when selecting Players for the Explosion Team.

Hustle/Effort - ALWAYS try your hardest and give your best effort! There is no substitute for hard work. People have different levels of talent, but EVERYONE can try. It takes no talent to hustle! Effort/hustle will ALWAYS be acknowledged and rewarded.
Concentration/Mental Awareness - Basketball is a thinking game. Concentration is essential to good performance. Can the player be quiet, listen and learn? How focused is a player during instruction and drills? Is he able to observe and adapt?
Enthusiasm and Team Skills – Attitude!! Controlled enthusiasm is contagious and builds unity and togetherness. Also, the athlete must have the ability and willingness to be coached and learn.
Sportsmanship and Competitiveness - Great competitors respect their opponents. Competing means being able to take the wins AND the losses.
Discipline - Good players and teams are highly disciplined. Discipline includes personal commitment and self control. The coaches will expect and establish discipline, but the players will be given the opportunity to develop and learn self-discipline. Also, a player AND parent must be able to handle constructive criticism.
Athletic Ability - The coach must combine and refine the collective talents to build a "team." Factors such as conditioning, speed, strength, and agility will be evaluated.
Ability to leave the coaching to the Coaches and the “bad vibes” at home - On the court, the Explosion coaches should have the athlete’s full attention. “Coaching from the bleachers” should not take place during practices or games. As a spectator, if you think you can coach your athlete or the team better - use another forum to do so – not at a East End Explosion event. There will be opportunities for parents to provide input to the coaching staff as the season progresses, however, there is nothing more distracting and confusing for a young athlete then to have adults screaming conflicting instructions from the sidelines during a game. In addition, only positive comments and reinforcement are allowed during Explosion activities – adults who do not behave in a positive way will be asked to leave the Explosion association. No matter how bad the ref was or how the other team played, we want to maintain a level of civilized decorum for our player’s at all times.

FAMILY COMMITMENT – Time & Money. Competing at the AAU level requires both a time and a financial commitment from both the athletes and their families. The number of practices and games and the amount of money required to perform even adequately at the AAU level is beyond what is required for recreational and local leagues. Your family needs to understand this when considering whether or not they wish to pursue playing AAU basketball. In an effort to help your family, The East End Explosion Basketball will give a tentative schedule and lay-out of the expected fees which will be due from each athlete chosen to participate with one of our teams.

 Why Play for East End Explosion Basketball Club?

 1.)  Our goal is to produce Student athletes

 2.)  Just as important is player development

 3.)  Our coaches have a vast amount of experience and knowledge

 4.)  We have 20+ years of experience and know the college exposure events.

 5.)  We will always participate in NCAA certified tournaments and high profile recruiter’s tournament.

 6.)  We provide our players the opportunity to play with and compete against some of the most talented players in our area and in the country.

 7.)  We provide the opportunity for players to attend a national tournament which every player should experience.

 8.)  Our players make lifelong friends while having the time of their lives.

 9.)  We are not your Average AAU club, take a break from ordinary.