ARL Flight - Arlington's  AAU Basketball Program!

ARL Flight is Arlington Basketball Club’s AAU program. Our mission with this new program is to provide Arlington families a local, affordable, and high-quality youth AAU basketball training program that fosters individual development while simultaneously developing a high level and competitive team-based cohort of players in each year group that are prepared for entering the High School basketball programs after 8th grade.

​

This program is different and more competitive than the Arlington Travel Basketball program that plays in the winter (mid-November to early March).  The ARL Flight AAU program will hold open tryouts for the Spring 2026 season - please see below for grades and schedule. Each grade will have a 10-player roster plus 2-3 development practice players.  The goal of the Metrowest Winter travel basketball program is that every player gets placed on a team and the teams are leveled, A, B, C and so on.  The ARL Flight AAU program is a competitive program where the top 10 rated players (plus 2-3 practice players) make the team and compete in AAU programs in the Fall and Spring.  Well coached and team-based Arlington ARL Flight teams have been and will continue to be competitive against the highly priced regional AAU clubs.

 

For the schedule there will be two practices per week, with one being an individual team practice and one being a combined skills night with another grade led by the Flight directors.  For tournaments each team will play in 4 tournaments (which typically include 2 games on a Saturday and 1-2 on a Sunday). We understand some players may participate in other Spring and Fall sports and there may be occasional conflicts but request the player attend as many of the practices as possible to ensure the team is ready to compete together at tournaments.

 

This program is for Arlington residents only.  The program started in 2021 and expanded in Fall 2025 with boys teams in grades 4, 5, 6 and 9.  Coming this spring we are adding boys teams in 3rd, 7th and 8th and two girls teams, grade 3/4th and grade 5/6th.

 

The Spring 2026 tryouts schedule is provided below. Roster selection is made by the ARL Flight Directors, not the coaches or any player parents. Roster selection is primarily based upon tryouts results; however, all available information will be used in the Directors selections for the AAU rosters. The high school team roster is by invite only.

Offers to join the team will be sent out by the end of December, the season begins the week in mid-late March, a couple of weeks after the travel basketball season ends.  

 

How to Register: Fill in your player’s info on the google form HERE. There is no cost to attend tryouts. All interested players (including returning players) must attend at least one tryout to be considered for the team.

 

Any questions please contact: arlflightbasketball@gmail.com

​

Tryout Dates/Location: Sunday 11/23 & Sunday 11/30 at Ottoson Middle School.

 

Schedule:

​

4:00 PM - 3rd/4th & 5th/6th girls

5:00 PM - 3rd & 4th boys

6:00 PM - 5th & 7th Boys

7:00 PM - 6th & 8th Boys

 

Program Details:

​

Price: $550/season for players, which includes:

​

• Initial Jersey and swag

• Team placement for the Fall and Spring.  Fall season typically runs from early September until early November, Spring season runs from late March until early June  

• One team practice per week 

• One skills practice per week for all players in the program

• Entry into 4-5 weekend tournaments in each season​

​

What are the differences between ARL Flight and other AAU clubs? 

 

ARL Flight:                                  

​

Cost: Affordable ($550)

 

Location: All practices are in Arlington (no long drives to/from practices in rush hour traffic)

 

Coaching: Experienced coaches that also strive to create positive player to player and coach to player dynamics. ARL Flight provides coach development training to ensure quality and consistency of our coaches

 

Community: Established to continue building the Arlington basketball community, and foster stronger player connectedness

 

Tournaments: The same tournaments (typically Zero Gravity)

 

Competitiveness: Our prior teams continue to be very competitive and grow more competitive each season with individual and team development​

​​

Typical AAU Club Teams by Comparison:

​

Cost: Over-priced (ranges from $800-$1,150 + $125/jersey for the Spring 2025 season)

 

Location: All practices are in surrounding towns including Waltham, Burlington, Reading or further

 

Coaching: In our experience with 6+ different AAU clubs, the coaching quality is typically disappointing, and most coaches do not create positive player/coach connections

 

Community: N/A

 

Tournaments: The same tournaments (typically Zero Gravity)

 

Competitiveness: Each team varies season to season​​​​​​​

​​