Program Specifics

Local Teams for Local Tournaments

This program serves Grades 3rd through 12th grade. We believe in building local talent and playing local. We will play most tournaments including AAU. However, our primary goal is to play Minnesota tournaments to keep costs low, build untapped talent, encourage parent involvement, and be supportive of other obligations and interests of our players. Most tournaments will be local to Minnesota, with a few exceptions.

Programming and Costs

Please call for this year’s fee, as it is dependent on the season. Most of our tournament season focuses on the end of Spring and the beginning of Summer. After high school basketball ended. Practices will begin in April. Tournaments begin in May, with 6 tournaments total, and end in June.  With the player registration fee each player receives:

  • GPH- Mississippi Metro Reversible Uniform (Just for the Season to save costs)

  • Season Greeley Shock Hoodie

  • Warm-Up T-shirt

  • 6 Competitive Tournaments

  • Competitive Coaching and Skill Development

  • Practices (2 Practice Weekly before tournament play) and Open Gyms (1 Weekly)

Preseason Fall Ball (prior to regular high school basketball season) is a possibility.  Participation in this Fall programming has additional fees for these tournaments. These opportunities are dependent on player interest and coach availability.

Creative Camps and Additional Activities

As needed, we will have camps and/or partner with creative camps throughout the year to introduce our students to basketball and our program. Also, we use these opportunities to prepare our students for upcoming tournaments and their regular scholastic season play.

Community Focus

We are community-focused in two ways. One, we want to build on local sports efforts, partnering with the local sports culture in northern Colorado. We strive to be a part of the community efforts and the educational sports programs, to help build their players, especially scholastic athletics. Secondly, we strive to be a part of the overall community. We will have efforts that give back to the community.

Sponsorship for Players in Need

GPH- Mississippi Metro is not a free program, and is dependent on players that an pay to be a part of the program.  However, we realize that all can’t afford to pay and we do not believe that this should be a barrier for any player to play, we want all to play that want to play! Because of this, we have set up our program that regular fees go towards sponsoring players can’t afford the program. Meaning, anyone contributing to the program also get to make a difference in the community.  We also seek outside sponsorship to support players.  Please contact us if you child or players needs a sponsorship to play with GPH- Mississippi Metro.

Competitive Programiming vs. Participation/Developmental Programming

This program is built philosophy of its program mentor of the Rochester Shock (Rochester, MN), Director KeKe. Keke, a former football player and product of a tough upbringing, built a style to girls youth basketball and AAU that is reminiscent of the late great Coach John Thompson of the Georgetown Hoyas and the full-game aggressiveness of Coach Nolan Richardson of the Arkansas Razorbacks. This program is a daughter of that program, building on intensity, and competitiveness and then building its character development principles on an old-school intensity. Winning isn’t everything, but this program has a high priority on intensity and building a winning culture. That does not mean teams will win always or have a great winning record, but participants should expect a highly intense program while promoting growth, fundamentals, and fun. In this, all players are not guaranteed the same time of play, and this program will give coaches that discretion, not parents. We do not shy away from classic intensity necessary for top athletes and teams. But we are also teachers, human, love working with kids/youth, and will respect and uplift every player, parent, and coach (and referee, hahaha). However, this is not a participation/developmental program where every player gets equal minutes in games. With this in mind, we try to keep team sizes smaller than usual so that players get a lot of time to play and grow in their skills. We understand that our program isn’t for everyone. There are various participation-style programs that we promote, and partner with and those might be a better choice for players and parents. We stand with and support other area programs.