This review is of June Banks and his 5onFive Club Basketball program in South Orange County, California.
My son played on June’s 12U team this past season. We joined 5onFive primarily based on June’s excellent coaching reputation, and despite significant deficiencies in his program, I still believe he’s a good coach. Teaches solid fundamentals and expects and gets a lot from his players. With that said, I strongly recommend you join another club basketball team. Here’s why...
Too many players on the 5onFive teams:
If your son is one of the five starters, he’ll get tons of playing time and experience. If your kid is one of the six or seven players coming off the bench, you’ll be paying $3,000 to support the extensive playing time of other peoples’ kids. Even in games with the 5onFive team up or down by 15 or more points late in the fourth quarter, expect many if not most of the starters to still be in there. June has his guys. That’s who he plays. The other kids are simply there so their parents can write checks. Since payment for the year is up front, you have to either stick it out or leave and just write it off as a loss, as many parents did.
High attrition rate:
About half of the kids that started the season with the two 12U 5onFive teams left at some point and joined other club teams. In hindsight, we should have done the same thing. However, my son insisted on staying out of loyalty to June and his teammates despite non-existent playing time. We made it to the last week of the season, then finally reached a breaking point...
My son’s mom and I grew accustomed to our son playing a few minutes per game. This past weekend at a tournament in Anaheim our 5onFive team played two games. First game my son was in for one minute and 38 seconds late in the fourth quarter. That was significant playing time compared to the second game, in which he was never put in. Both games we won by a large margin. There was no excuse for June sitting kids out. Even better, after only playing one minute and 38 seconds, June pulled our son out of the game for the remaining two minutes. Up by 17. Starters back in.
Loyalty doesn’t pay:
We have been loyal to 5onFive. Attended every practice throughout the year. Attended every game. Only player on the team that can say that. This is how our son was rewarded by June Banks.
Moral of the story...
If you want to pay $3,000 to travel all over Orange and Riverside County, pay entrance fees, pay for parking, all to watch your son play for less than two minutes a day, sign up for 5onFive.
Another endearing quality - June is an aggressive debt collector:
The only time June Banks sought me out or contacted me during the entire year was when he needed payment. Then he contacted me often. Very often. Text, email, even sought me out in practice to get his payment. Like a druken ex-girlfriend at 2am. Interestingly enough, this was the only direct communication I had with June all year that was initiated by him.
Revolving door of mediocre, uninspiring coaches:
Other than June, assistant coaches came and went. They would often show up late for games and parents would have to jump in and coach. It was obvious that 5onFive was just a paycheck for them until a better deal came along. Morale on the other 12U 5onFive team (the one not coached by June) was abysmal. Kids would scream at their teammates on court when they missed shots or turned the ball over. A lot of negative energy. Of the 12 kids that started the season on that team, only two remained at the end.
Late evening crowded practices:
Two 6th grade, one 7th grade, and one 8th grade team train together twice a week from 8pm to 9:30pm. One court. Almost 50 players stuffed in every practice. Plan on getting home around 10pm on school nights.
Extermely high coach to player ratio:
Usually two but no more than three coaches at practices. Approximately 50 kids. Individual player development non-existent.
June adds players despite already overcrowded teams:
Despite an already full bench, June will add additional players from his other teams. One recent example: Two weeks ago, June added players from his 11U team to give them experience playing at the 12U level. Good for them. As a result, the bench kids who had limited playing time already had to watch the newcomers play significant minutes. June takes care of his starters. The rest are walking wallets.
Observations of other club teams at tournaments:
We watch other teams at tournaments very closely. They typically have 7 to 9 players versus about 12 with 5onFive. Kids are rotated on a fair basis. Coaches take a keen interest in the development of all their players versus their top five, regardless of the score.
Lack of integrity with 5onFive:
The 5onFive club team is different than a rec league, where all kids play. If June Banks did not think our son was a fit for his team, why did he take our check? As a 29-year veteran of the Marine Corps, I value integrity and direct communication. You’ll find neither with 5onFive. June’s ongoing empty promises of increased playing time for our son strung us along to the end of the year (so he did not have to refund any money).
June Banks Reviews
This review is of June Banks and his 5onFive Club Basketball program in South Orange County, California.
My son played on June’s 12U team this past season. We joined 5onFive primarily based on June’s excellent coaching reputation, and despite significant deficiencies in his program, I still believe he’s a good coach. Teaches solid fundamentals and expects and gets a lot from his players. With that said, I strongly recommend you join another club basketball team. Here’s why...
Too many players on the 5onFive teams:
If your son is one of the five starters, he’ll get tons of playing time and experience. If your kid is one of the six or seven players coming off the bench, you’ll be paying $3,000 to support the extensive playing time of other peoples’ kids. Even in games with the 5onFive team up or down by 15 or more points late in the fourth quarter, expect many if not most of the starters to still be in there. June has his guys. That’s who he plays. The other kids are simply there so their parents can write checks. Since payment for the year is up front, you have to either stick it out or leave and just write it off as a loss, as many parents did.
High attrition rate:
About half of the kids that started the season with the two 12U 5onFive teams left at some point and joined other club teams. In hindsight, we should have done the same thing. However, my son insisted on staying out of loyalty to June and his teammates despite non-existent playing time. We made it to the last week of the season, then finally reached a breaking point...
My son’s mom and I grew accustomed to our son playing a few minutes per game. This past weekend at a tournament in Anaheim our 5onFive team played two games. First game my son was in for one minute and 38 seconds late in the fourth quarter. That was significant playing time compared to the second game, in which he was never put in. Both games we won by a large margin. There was no excuse for June sitting kids out. Even better, after only playing one minute and 38 seconds, June pulled our son out of the game for the remaining two minutes. Up by 17. Starters back in.
Loyalty doesn’t pay:
We have been loyal to 5onFive. Attended every practice throughout the year. Attended every game. Only player on the team that can say that. This is how our son was rewarded by June Banks.
Moral of the story...
If you want to pay $3,000 to travel all over Orange and Riverside County, pay entrance fees, pay for parking, all to watch your son play for less than two minutes a day, sign up for 5onFive.
Another endearing quality - June is an aggressive debt collector:
The only time June Banks sought me out or contacted me during the entire year was when he needed payment. Then he contacted me often. Very often. Text, email, even sought me out in practice to get his payment. Like a druken ex-girlfriend at 2am. Interestingly enough, this was the only direct communication I had with June all year that was initiated by him.
Revolving door of mediocre, uninspiring coaches:
Other than June, assistant coaches came and went. They would often show up late for games and parents would have to jump in and coach. It was obvious that 5onFive was just a paycheck for them until a better deal came along. Morale on the other 12U 5onFive team (the one not coached by June) was abysmal. Kids would scream at their teammates on court when they missed shots or turned the ball over. A lot of negative energy. Of the 12 kids that started the season on that team, only two remained at the end.
Late evening crowded practices:
Two 6th grade, one 7th grade, and one 8th grade team train together twice a week from 8pm to 9:30pm. One court. Almost 50 players stuffed in every practice. Plan on getting home around 10pm on school nights.
Extermely high coach to player ratio:
Usually two but no more than three coaches at practices. Approximately 50 kids. Individual player development non-existent.
June adds players despite already overcrowded teams:
Despite an already full bench, June will add additional players from his other teams. One recent example: Two weeks ago, June added players from his 11U team to give them experience playing at the 12U level. Good for them. As a result, the bench kids who had limited playing time already had to watch the newcomers play significant minutes. June takes care of his starters. The rest are walking wallets.
Observations of other club teams at tournaments:
We watch other teams at tournaments very closely. They typically have 7 to 9 players versus about 12 with 5onFive. Kids are rotated on a fair basis. Coaches take a keen interest in the development of all their players versus their top five, regardless of the score.
Lack of integrity with 5onFive:
The 5onFive club team is different than a rec league, where all kids play. If June Banks did not think our son was a fit for his team, why did he take our check? As a 29-year veteran of the Marine Corps, I value integrity and direct communication. You’ll find neither with 5onFive. June’s ongoing empty promises of increased playing time for our son strung us along to the end of the year (so he did not have to refund any money).