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VABA's Mission & Core Values

VABA Mission:

"Building character and shaping lives through the game of basketball."

FAITH

"Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."  - Hebrews 11:1


VABA defines faith as a deeper form of trust, something that goes far above and beyond the individual.   While faith derives from an understanding that an individual is entrusted with talents and must rely on his ability to maximize those talents, we are all dependent on something greater than ourselves.  Whether it be our family, our teachers/coaches, our teammates, the system, ultimately, we must have faith that our Creator has provided for us what we need to fulfill His plan for our lives.  Our role must be to do our best in whatever the circumstances and have faith things will turn out for the best. 

HEART

"Heart power is love."
       - Vince Lombardi
 
We define "heart" simply as...how much you care.  Heart is humility, attitude and a deep desire to maximize one's God-given abilities.  In each of our programs, we aspire to go deeper than merely teaching drills and skills.  For each of our participants, we set out to develop a love for the game of basketball.  However, "heart" is how eagerly you desire to diligently pursue this love.  And, our hope is that by experiencing our progam, this love also translates into doing one's best to give yourself toward the process of getting better - developing one's character and talents.  Then...you will pour your heart into reaching your potential in all facets of your life. Those youngsters who have “heart” and love striving to improve are made for this experience.

RESPONSIBILITY

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."
- Abraham Lincoln

For any group of any size to function property and effectively, each individual within that group must clearly understand his/her responsibilities. The entire group depends on each individual and the way in which he/she carrious out what is expected. This positive peer pressure creates habits which shape character and a greater sense of individual responsibility to the group effort.

TEAMWORK

Happiness begins where selfishness ends."
- John Wooden

Throughout our programs, we attempt to develop a feeling of togetherness, a culture of "team." One simple, but powerful, phrase we commonly use is, "Think team." In other words, we do not want kids to just play together, we would like to see thinking first for the team, putting team interests ahead of their own - truly losing oneself in the team. While each participant has unique gifts and is evaluated on an individual basis when it comes to skill, the performance of the entire group is how the ultimate success of any particular teaching program is measured. In addition, within our teaching programs, we often divide into teams - and it is in this team setting that all drills are taught and skills developed. Therefore, the connection is made between developing one's individual skills and how important it is for those skills to be properly used within the framework of the team.

RESPECT

"Men are respectable only as they respect"
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
We believe respect comes from three qualities: authenticity (honesty), competency, and consistency. To gain these requires honest work and practice. Players should respect their coach as boss. When a coach speaks, their players should give eye contact and listen. Being respectful to those around you, especially those in authority, is the best way to learn.

HARD WORK

"Success is dependent on effort."
- Sophocles
 
The only requirement for each player is that he/she must be willing to give their best effort. These expectations are laid down in the opening minutes of each program as we attempt to establish a simple truth and a lesson that we hope will last a lifetime. Success equals giving one's best. And, this is when the positive peer pressure begins and the synergy catches becomes contageous! Our staff implores that each participant really learn what his/her best is, and strive to give this at all times. Now, we have begun the process of developing a culture that will foster the best in each young athlete during their time in our care...and beyond.

DISCIPLINE

"Discipline yourself and others won't need to."
- John Wooden
 
Throughout every teaching program, the coaches' primary role is to instill and maintain discipline in each participant. Because we have such lofty teaching goals, discipline is an utmost priority in achieving maximum efficiency in the learning process. However, this process does not end here. Being disciplined and obedient and following instruction is quite straightforward when you are being watched and an instructor is present. To ensure continued progress, our ultimate aim is to motivate kids to develop self-discipline which must carry on well after they leave our program.