Top 13 Reasons for California Residents to Play CCCAA First!

The CCCAA is a collection of two year community colleges in the state of California. Unlike all the other divisions, this division is specifically for basketball players who live and reside in California. The majority of student athletes who Play CCCAA Basketball do end up transferring to a four year college or university to continue their academic and basketball career. Lets take a deeper look into the top 13 reasons players from California should Play CCCAA men’s basketball program.

Who is a California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Basketball program for?

To play for a CCCAA school you must live in California. It is basically Junior College for CA resident basketball players. It is a good option for student athletes who need more time to develop as athletes. It helps players who are in a particular financial situation as tuition costs are typically low. It’s a good preparation step for players who aren’t ready for a 4 year university just yet and, it is a good option for older players who are looking to get back into continuing their higher education and want to play basketball at the same time.

TOP 13 REASONS CA RESIDENT PLAYERS PLAY CCCAA BASKETBALL FIRST

Let’s take a look at the main reasons players like yourself may choose to go to a CCCAA basketball program first instead of going to attend a 4 year school immediately after graduating from high school:

1. PLAYING TIME: The biggest reason to go to a CCCAA school is to be able to get playing time as a freshman. At a 4-year college, many players spend their freshmen & sophomore years being developed for positions and getting low minutes of playing time (or no playing time at all). CCCAA typically have smaller rosters than which factors into you getting more playing time and more footage for your highlight video.
2. DEVELOPMENT: Playing time is the best way to develop because without actual game time development is limited. If you are a player who needs a little more development to up your game so you can move onto a NCAA school, then a CCCAA program would be a good option for you. The Coaches at a CCCAA program will have more time to dedicate to helping you achieve your athletic goals and giving you sound advice on how to move on.

NOTE: Getting more playing time is extremely important for young players who need extra time to prepare for 4 year school and unlock potential scholarship opportunities once they graduate and move on.

3. LEVEL PLAYING FIELD: Players who attend a CCCAA basketball program are usually of a similar age. This means you and your team-mates are closer to each other’s physical development which will makes a difference when training together and playing competitively.

4. INCREASE YOUR MATURITY ON & OFF THE COURT: Attending a CCCAA basketball program means you have two years to mature and become a better student athlete. This can really help and improve your chances of getting a higher amount of scholarship offer you may receive from a school and have opening up new options for you that you wouldn’t otherwise have got.

5. A GREAT STEPPING-STONE: Two years at CCCAA can help you get recruited to a higher level than you could have got coming straight out of high school.  You have the time to become a much better athlete. You will improve game performance, make gains in the weight-room and tremendously improve your fitness level. By achieving all of this you will better position yourself to be noticed by bigger schools and Coaches/Scouts at the NCAA level.

5. DIFFERENT ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS: CCCAA’s do not have the same eligibility standards as the NCAA & NAIA but, you do still need to maintain certain grades to be eligible to continue competing at this level. In order to be eligible to compete while representing a CCCAA member institution, student athletes must maintain their athletic eligibility at all times.

7. SMALL CLASS SIZE: At a CCCAA they have a more one-to-one approach. Many players thrive in this 2 year environment and go on to have great careers at a 4 year school. If you are dedicated to your development, you will be able to take advantage of the one-on-one attention and seriously improve your game and academics.

NOTE: CA players will be able to find a CCCAA basketball program that they want to attend which is closer to home. This can be a real plus-point and advantage for players who want to be closer to home so their families can come and watch them play etc.

8. STILL COME OUT WITH A DEGREE: Two years at a CCCAA will give you an associate’s degree whether you decide to go onto a 4-year school or not you’ll finish with a 2-year college degree! This might be all you need to pursue the career you want or, for those who want to continue their education and college basketball career, you can use this to get into a 4 year school.

9. MORE TIME: With CCCAA basketball programs you get two more years to decide what you really want to study and do regarding your education and future career. You have additional time to figure it out while getting your core subjects out of the way.

10. GREAT LEAGUE: Some CCCAA college coaches may have good networks with 4 year schools that you can tap into. You should talk and get to know your basketball coach. Talk to him about what your plans are. Most coaches will be more than happy for you to take advantage of their connections and experience. This is why they are there, to help place those who want to continue their career at a 4 year school.

11. MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE: Financially CCCAA’s are a very good option because they offer lower tuition. Also, as a student athlete attending a CCCAA shcool you are eligible to receive Federal or State aid, an academic grant which is based solely on your academic achievement, a grant which is open to any other student on campus and which does not have athletic participation or athletic ability as one of the criteria and/or other scholarships from on/off campus groups whose criteria are not based on athletic ability or participation.

NOTE: In order to be eligible for competition at a California community college, the college administrative representative shall certify that the student-athlete has an abbreviated and/or comprehensive individual educational plan on file, by the following dates: October 15 (of the given year) for student-athletes whose first competition occurs during the fall academic term and March 1 (of the given year) for student-athletes whose first competition occurs during the spring academic term.

12. NO GAP YEAR: Going to] Play CCCAA Basketball is a better option than taking a year off. The reason is simple, it is much harder to get recruited to a 4-year school after taking 1 year off from competing. Taking a year off will put you at a disadvantage. Going to a CCCAA basketball can only be a positive.

13. STRAIGHT FORWARD RECRUITING: All divisions have a recruitment process and the CCCAA is no different. If a coach is interested in having you on the team they have a very straight forward process which allows any member of their athletic staff or any representative of the institution’s athletic interests initiate or arranging contact with a you as a prospect or a family member/ legal guardian, in person, by telephone, or by mail. They can provide transportation to and from the campus. They can visit you and provide information regarding their basketball program, academic counseling, financial aid applications, employment opportunities, matriculation, housing, financial aid, etc. They will also arrange or providing you with a meal or meals during a campus visit.

REMEMBER: There are still no guarantees of playing time and competition is still very high in these programs.

Can I make it to the NBA if I Play CCCAA First?

Yes. Some of you reading this might be familiar with this name “Skip to my Lou” … does it ring any bells? A Mr Rafer Jamel Alston also known as “Skip 2 My Lou”, was a very talented professional basketball player who progressed from CCCAA schools where he started his college basketball career to then go on to have a very successful NBA career.

Born July 24, 1976 Alston first gained his basketball fame playing in the AND1 Mixtape Tour back in 1999. He earned his trademark name by doing his skipping dribble when bringing the ball down the court this is where the nickname, Skip to My Lou came from.

Alston grew up in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York City. Here he was a standout streetball player, known for his untraditional ballhandling moves that enabled him to out maneuver anyone who tried to defend him. Alston played college basketball for three seasons at two different CCCAA schools. The first was Ventura College in 1994–95 and Fresno City College in 1996–98.

Alston’s extreme playground moves, featuring helter-skelter crossover and other fast dribble moves faking out defenders, attracted a great deal of attention among players and basketball fans and scouts alike.

After getting recognition playing AND1, he went on to make it to the NBA. He was in the NBA from 1999 to 2010, and played for six teams who included the 2008–2009 Orlando Magic team that made the NBA Finals! Here are the NBA teams he played for: Milwaukee Bucks (1999–2002), Toronto Raptors (2003), Miami Heat (2003–2004), return to Toronto (2004–2005), Houston Rockets (2005–2008), Orlando Magic (2009), New Jersey Nets (2009–2010), return to Miami (2010).

This goes to show you that starting your basketball career in the CCCAA is a great option and that it is possible to start here and still make it to the NBA.