At every age, you should focus on building winning habits on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. If developed correctly, habits become second nature—something you do every time you play without the need for conscious input. Therefore, the best thing you can do to land a spot on a post-secondary roster is to ingrain the most important winning habits right now.

Grade 9 and Earlier

Theme: Foundation Building

• Focus: Player development. Instill the habits that will scale with you to the next level.
• Skills: Master the fundamentals. This is the time to fall in love with the process and start getting repetition outside of scheduled practices.
• Academics: While grades won’t count towards university admission, study habits matter from the start. Develop a study routine that works for you.
• Recruiting: Don't worry about contacting coaches yet. Watch the older players and learn from their process.

Split Second’s Academy Program helps players work on the fundamentals in a fun environment

Grade 10

Theme: Growth and Awareness

• Skills: Shift from empty reps to game-speed reps. Practice shooting with closeouts and make decisions under pressure.
• Athletics: It’s time to get in the weight room. Add strength training, agility, and conditioning to your weekly routine.
• Academics: Research U Sports and NCAA academic requirements. Plan your Grade 11 course load to ensure you will be eligible at your school of choice.
• Exposure: Compete hard in every tournament. Start compiling your best clips for a short, impactful highlight reel.
• Recruiting: Follow U Sports programs. Watch their games to understand their style of play and what their coaches value. While it’s early to send communication to coaches and you’re not likely to get return emails, it doesn’t hurt to be proactive.

Cobras putting in work in the weight room through our PEAK program

Grade 11