For parents of girls who play basketball
Keep her in the game, without paying for things that don't matter.
Club teams, trainers, camps, tournaments. Everybody has an opinion on what your daughter needs. Nobody tells you what it costs, or what's actually worth it.
From the first youth season through high school, recruiting and eligibility.
Sound familiar?
Everybody has advice. Get the whole bill before you pay.
Before long you've paid club dues, booked a hotel you didn't pick, and added trainer sessions, and you still don't know if any of it is helping her get better or keeping her excited to play.
Maybe you haven't signed with a club yet. Maybe you already have. Either way, you deserve straight answers before the next check goes out.
I'm not here to tell you what to do. I'm here to show you what to look at.
Inside the book
A few things you'll learn
When she says it isn’t fun anymore
How to talk with her without making it about college or the money already spent.
Warning signs: burnout, injury and falling behind
What to watch for, and why “behind” isn’t always about effort or talent.
What the best do with their own kids
What the best do at home, and where to start with your own daughter.
Competitive play, camps and skill trainers
How the levels, camps and trainers fit together, and where to start.
Recruiting, NIL and social media
What coaches see before they ever call.
What it takes to be allowed to play
Grades, eligibility and the rules that decide whether she can play in college.
Included
In the back of the book
Causes and Solutions Matrix
The Drill Library, Plus Five At-Home Add-Ons
The Plan
Questions Parents Ask
Not ready to buy?
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Plain answers for sports parents, camps worth knowing about, and new books when they come out. Free, and you can leave any time.
About the author
I've been the parent who didn't know what to ask
I'm Sam Duffey, founder of Prime Path Athletics. I'm a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 3. I coached youth football and basketball for 15 years and helped start a youth athletics program. I played junior college basketball at Navarro College and Cisco Junior College before I left school to enlist after September 11th.
My oldest son wanted to keep playing past high school. He didn't get to, and at the time I didn't know how to help him. That's a big part of why Prime Path Athletics exists.
My measure of a good season was never the record. It was whether kids kept coming back and parents trusted what I told them.
Before you buy
Is this book for you?
This is for you if
- Your daughter plays basketball and you're thinking about club or AAU
- You've already joined a team and the costs keep surprising you
- You want her to still love the game in high school
- You've heard "she'll fall behind" and want a straight answer
This is not for you if
- You want a coaching manual. There's an at-home drill chapter, but this book is about decisions.
- You want someone to pick a club for you
- You want someone to promise a scholarship. Nobody honest can.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What exactly do I get?
A 144-page book with 16 chapters and four appendices: a causes-and-solutions matrix, at-home drills, a year-round plan, and an index of the parent questions answered in the book. Get it as an EPUB ebook ($14.99) or as a 6x9 paperback that includes the PDF ($19.99).
What ages is it for?
It starts with the first youth season and runs through high school, recruiting and eligibility. Most families get the most from it in elementary and middle school, before the big money decisions.
Is this just the boys' book with the names changed?
No. It shares the series’ core approach, then takes on girls’ basketball directly: ACL injury risk, fueling and menstrual-health warning signs, belonging, and women’s recruiting and NIL.
Are you telling me to skip AAU?
No. Club basketball can be right for the right kid on the right team. I just want you to know what you're paying for, and what it's actually buying, before you pay it.
The Real Cost of Girls Youth Basketball
A Parent's Guide to AAU, Camps, and Keeping Her in the Game
- 144 pages, 16 chapters, 4 appendices
- Exact questions to ask, and who to ask
- Plain language, no fluff
One last thing
You can make the money back. You can't get the days back.
Don't let somebody else's calendar or sales pitch make this call for you. Get the questions and the numbers first. Then decide.
P.S. Before you sign with any club, ask one thing: "How many players will be on this roster, what role do you see for her, and how do you decide playing time?" Ask for an honest explanation, not a guaranteed number of minutes. This book gives you the rest of the questions.
Good luck this season.
Sam Duffey, Prime Path Athletics
