Before You Register
Common questions
Everything parents ask before signing up – starting with the two things you most want to know: when and where.
Schedule & Locations
What days and times are practices and games?
Games are on Thursdays for every division. Practice days and times are set by division:
- K-2nd: Practices and games run 5:00-6:45 pm, on Tuesday or Wednesday.
- 3rd-5th: Practice options are 5:00-7:00 pm or 7:00-9:00 pm, on Tuesday or Wednesday. Games are in one slot between 6:30 and 8:45 pm.
- Middle School: Practice is typically Tuesday 7:00-9:00 pm. Games are Thursday 6:00-8:00 pm. Middle School times are subject to change based on registration numbers.
Where are practices and games held?
Practices are primarily held at San Ramon middle school gyms – Windemere, Gale Ranch, and Diablo Vista. Games are also held mostly at one of the San Ramon gyms. On rare occasions we may organize a practice in Danville or Dublin, but that is the exception, not the norm.
Do you schedule games during holidays?
No. Bloom seasons deliberately skip Thanksgiving week, Christmas and winter break, and Spring break. Plan your family vacation – the season works around your school calendar.
How many seasons do you run per year?
Four – Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Players can join any or all of them. About 70% of our players return each season, often after a break to play another sport like soccer or baseball.
Coaching & The League
Who coaches at BloomSports?
Every Bloom coach is a paid professional with a real basketball background. Many have coached at the high school or college level. They’re trained to teach age-appropriate fundamentals – not just run scrimmages. Parents are welcome to support their kids from the sideline, but the coaching is done by trained professionals.
How is BloomSports different from AAU or club basketball?
BloomSports gives kids the same caliber of paid professional coaching that AAU programs offer – at roughly a quarter of the price, with no weekend tournament travel, and without cutting kids who aren’t elite-level. Our practices and games stay in San Ramon, Danville, Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore. Thursdays are game nights. Weekends are yours. And our season is deliberately structured so beginners and experienced players both develop.
How is BloomSports different from rec leagues like CYO?
CYO and city rec leagues are great for casual, low-cost play, but coaching is typically volunteer parents. BloomSports uses paid professional coaches with real basketball backgrounds. We also use a phased season structure – new players don’t get thrown into full-rules basketball on day one. They build skills first, then compete. And every season ends with All-Star Day – a celebration designed so every kid is included.
What ages and grades do you serve?
Kindergarten through High School. Divisions are organized by grade level – K-2nd, 3rd-5th, Middle School, and High School – with the option to play up a division for players ready for more challenge.
Fees
What does it cost?
Kindergarten through 2nd grade: $450 per season. 3rd-5th grade, Middle School, and High School: $480 per season. Sibling discount: $40 off each additional sibling.
What does the fee include?
Everything: a game uniform, all gym door fees, 10-12 weeks of practices and games plus playoffs, and All-Star Day with pizza. No surprise add-on fees.
How does this compare to AAU costs?
AAU programs typically charge $1,500-$3,000 or more per season, plus uniform, travel, hotel, and tournament fees. BloomSports is around a quarter of the AAU base cost – and we don’t have travel, hotel, or extra tournament expenses.
Are payment plans available?
We keep our pricing low and simple, so we don’t offer payment plans. Much of each season’s cost is paid upfront to reserve gym space before the season begins. Registration through TeamSnap accepts all major credit cards.
What is your refund policy?
We do not offer refunds. Because our pricing is kept low and much of each season’s cost – especially gym reservations – is paid upfront before the season starts, registration fees are non-refundable. Please be sure of your commitment before registering. If you have questions, email support@bloombasketball.com before you sign up.
Registration & Getting Started
How do I register?
Registration is online through TeamSnap, linked from any Register button on this site. Create a TeamSnap account, add your player’s information, choose the program, and complete payment. It takes about 5 minutes.
I completed registration but haven’t heard anything. What now?
That’s completely normal – please be patient. We are often in the middle of an active season when new registrations come in. We send the kickoff communication for the upcoming season to everyone by the Sunday before the new season’s Team Skills Assessment. We time it deliberately so families in the current season aren’t confused while their season is still wrapping up. You will hear from us before the new season begins.
What happens at team assessments? Is it a tryout?
No – it is not a tryout, and no one is cut. Team Skills Assessment is not about judging a player or deciding who is good enough. We use it to evaluate new players and to measure how returning players have improved, so we can form balanced, even teams. Balanced teams are what make the league fun – they keep games close and competitive for everyone.
What if we miss a practice or game?
Life happens. Missing occasional practices or games doesn’t affect your child’s standing on the team. We recommend communicating with your coach when you know about absences in advance.
I have more questions. How do I reach you?
Email support@bloombasketball.com or text or call 925-679-5521. You can also follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/bloombasketball and on Facebook at facebook.com/BloomSportsBayArea. We respond within 24 hours.
The Season
How is a Bloom season structured?
Every season runs 10-12 weeks in four phases. Weeks 1-2 are Assessment – coaches evaluate every player and form balanced teams, with no games yet. Weeks 3-6 are Controlled Play – games begin with modified rules (man-to-man defense only, no full-court press, no double-teaming) so new players develop and experienced players refine fundamentals. Weeks 7-8 are Competitive Play – full basketball rules apply. Weeks 9-10 are Playoffs and All-Star Day.
Why don’t you allow full-court press for the first four weeks of games?
Because it ruins the development experience for new players, and it doesn’t teach experienced players better basketball. Full-court press at the youth level rewards athleticism, not skill. By the time a player has four weeks of game experience under controlled rules, they’re ready to handle pressure – and they handle it as a basketball player, not as a kid being chased.
My child has never played basketball. Is BloomSports right for them?
Absolutely – and our season structure is specifically built for them. Teams are formed by grade level and skill, so new players are placed with peers at similar starting points. The Controlled Play phase (weeks 3-6) uses modified rules so beginners can actually participate in games – handle the ball, run offense, score baskets – instead of being trapped by full-court press. By the time full rules apply in week 7, your child has four weeks of real game experience.
My child is more advanced. Will they be challenged?
Yes – in three ways. First, paid professional coaches push every player at their level even within mixed-ability teams. Second, the Controlled Play phase forces advanced players to refine fundamentals like half-court offense and man-to-man defense. Third, advanced players can play up a division with coach evaluation and parent approval. We also run separate tournament teams for 3rd-5th graders ready for tournament-level competition.
How does “playing up” work?
If a coach sees that a player is consistently outpacing their grade-level division and the parent agrees, they can move up. Coach evaluation plus parent request. No formal tryout, no politics.
Will my child actually get playing time?
Yes. Every kid plays meaningful minutes in every game. This isn’t five-minute mop-up time at the end of a blowout – it’s real game experience.
What are tournament teams?
Tournament teams are an optional add-on for 3rd through 5th grade players who want tournament-level competition. They’re interest-based, with a separate tryout process, and play in regional tournaments in addition to the regular Bloom season. They are entirely optional – the main BloomSports league has no tryouts and no cuts.
All-Star Day
What is All-Star Day?
All-Star Day is the celebration that closes every Bloom season. It includes All-Star games (Team Black vs Team Gold), skills competitions open to every player, six awards per division, and pizza for all. It’s designed so every player walks away feeling included – not just the top performers.
How are All-Stars selected?
Approximately 20 players per division are chosen as All-Stars based on coach evaluations across the whole season – and it is about much more than raw talent. Coaches look at attendance at practices and games, how well a player listens to and follows coaching instructions, overall coachability and attitude, skill improvement through the season, and game performance.
A few things parents should know about how selection really works. Teams are mixed in age and experience – a player new to a division, for example a child who has just moved from 2nd to 3rd grade, may be competing alongside more experienced 5th graders, so selection partly reflects that experience mix rather than the child’s ability. We also make sure at least one girl is selected for each All-Star team, and we distribute All-Stars roughly equally across teams – so a team with many strong players can actually make it harder for any one of them to be picked. Most importantly: our data shows that kids who stay committed and play with us across several seasons are very likely to be selected as All-Stars in later seasons. Consistency pays off.
What if my child isn’t selected as an All-Star?
They still take part fully in All-Star Day. Every non-All-Star player competes in dribbling contests, shooting contests, and other fun events. Everyone gets to compete, everyone gets pizza, and everyone is part of the day.
What are the six awards?
MVP (most valuable player), Sportsmanship (best teammate), Most Improved (biggest growth), Best Shooter (pure shooting ability), Big Play (most memorable moment), and Super Hooper (best all-around player). Six awards per division means roughly one in three players gets formally recognized.
Is pizza really included?
Yes. Pizza on All-Star Day is included in your season registration fee. No extra cost. No collection emails.
Still have a question?
Email support@bloombasketball.com or text 925-679-5521. We respond within 24 hours.