About Us - Prospect Knights Feeder Basketball

Purpose

The purpose of the Feeder program is to provide an opportunity, for young men, in 6th through 8th grades, to participate in an advanced basketball program.

The ultimate goal of Prospect Feeder Basketball is to instill a love for the game of basketball, competition, and hard work in the young men that participate in our program. While the importance of winning is not lost on any of our board members or coaches it is our belief that a focus on skill development, basketball IQ, sportsmanship, community, and love for the game will greatly outweigh a winning record at the 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade level.

The boys will have the opportunity to meet, and play with, kids from other middle schools, whom they will attend high school.

Affiliation with Prospect High School

The term “feeder,” in this instance, represents boys feeding into the Prospect High School program. The long-term goal is to develop quality players and enhance the opportunity for them to play at the high school level. Although there is a strong relationship between the feeder program and the high school program Prospect High School has no direct affiliation with the feeder program.

Eligibility

Boys living within the boundaries of Prospect High School and enrolled in 6th through 8th grade. You may not play up, so 5th graders are ineligible to play.

Program Cost

The estimated cost for the season will be between $800 and $850. The cost will include uniforms & equipment, practice time, tournament & shootout entry fees, and other miscellaneous expenses. The final cost will be determined prior to the beginning of the season. We believe all players should have the opportunity to participate, if you are in need of financial support please contact us.

Program Time Frame

Tryouts will take place in October.
Formal practice will begin in November.
During this time frame anticipate playing 25+ games.
Games are planned to be only on the weekends however occasionally games are played during the week.

We recognize that some players may go on vacation over the holiday break. This does not preclude them from being on the team however practices do take place during this time and coaches can adjust playing time accordingly. Please discuss any potential conflicts with a feeder representative prior to the tryout.

Commitment

Based on the information above, it is anticipated that the teams will be together for up to two nights during the week as well as on Saturday and Sunday. This is a big commitment to make. We recognize that the boys may have conflicts and always emphasize that school and family are always the first priority. Should any of the boys be involved in an activity for another sport we expect that the feeder commitment is given priority, as much as possible. We highly recommend not participating in another basketball program during the season. Should you decide to participate with another team, we would again expect that the “feeder” commitment would have priority.

Team Size & Structure

Prospect was one of the first programs to take expanded rosters. Over the years we have experimented with different structures. For 2024-2025 7th and 8th grades, teams will have an approximate roster size of 20 players, 6th grade will have an approximate roster size of 22 players. An A & B team will be created at each grade level. Once teams are finalized they will remain the same for the rest of the season unless coaches determine that a change is crucial for player development. Teams at the same grade level will practice together as much as possible.

Playing Time

Prospect Feeder Basketball has been extremley successful over the years in scheduling extra games and tournaments in order to maximize the progress of all of the participants by getting them as much game competition as possible. With that, feeder basketball teams are competitive, and playing time will not be equal or guaranteed. Practices will be structured for the development of all of the participants on the team. We are committed to developing as many players as possible within our program.