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). Cost vs. Value: At nearly $3,000 a year, 5onFive is one of the most expensive programs in Orange County: What do you get for it?... Overcrowded teams/limited playing time Limited communication with June Banks... unless you owe him money Revolving door of uninspiring coaches Low morale Coaches frequently showing up late for games - parents jumping in to help High player to coach ratio Jam-packed practices - limited individual training and development Adding new players to an already packed team Late night practices during the school year Lack of character/integrity Extreme bias toward a few players at the expense of all others High attrition rate Final note: We joined a new team this week and could not be happier. Coaches running the new club team also lead local varsity high school programs. Only one team practices in the gym at a time (about 10 players), with two exceptional coaches who are truly interested in player development instead of income generation. My son got more one-on-one coaching in his first practice than he did in an entire year with 5onFive. Far less expensive too. Do yourself and your son a huge favor - join another one of the many exceptional club teams in Orange County and avoid the miserable experience we endured this past year with June Banks and his 5onFive program.
Went through the same thing many years ago when my son was the back-up point guard to June's son Payton. Playing time was non-existent for my son.
However, I must say this: The reality is what's more important: playing in a few games a month or practicing with and against superior talent on a consistent basis every week? My son was always smaller than the other kids on the 5onFive team. He got beat up and pushed around at practices and in the games when he did play. He finally grew tired of it and started pushing back and became an aggressive, tenacious defender and awesome ball handler.
Once he got to the high school level he was head and heels above the other kids. He spent some time on the JV team as a Frosh an some time on the Varsity team as a Soph. He played on the Varsity team his Jr & Sr year and started at point guard for those 2 years. His senior year he was the MVP of the team.
Bottom line: I attribute that to my son practicing with bigger, stronger and more athletic kids on the 5onFive club teams. As a parent you have to make the right decision for your kid. Life isn't always fair.
Ya my son should have played more but he worked hard and kept his head up high. The work ethic he learned and how to deal with adversity playing basketball has carried over to his personal life as a 25 year old adult and I couldn't be more proud of him.
Sounds negative but I could understand the frustration...
I’m the guy with the original post. Although my son’s experience was not great, that does not mean it was true for everyone.
June is a good guy and great coach. I know he means well and have heard from some of my son’s old teammate that many negative issue we had have significantly changed for the better.
Unfortunately I cannot take the original post down as my intent was not to damage June’s business, but simply to vent ongoing frustration. Please check out June’s program and make an independent decision.
we totally agree with you, we had the same experience. If your son is not a starter, he will be sitting on the bench a lot. Don't waste your money, go somewhere else.
Hi Richard. 5onFive would be a good choice only if you get June Banks as the coach (not one of his assistants).
I'd ask how many kids are typically playing at tournaments. Our experience was 10-12. Starters got the vast majority of playing time... so if your son is toward the end of the bench, expect only a few minutes per game...
or none. June is an exceptional coach, so if you're on his team with 8 players or less, please consider it.
Other teams that might be good to look at are Nikos and Evolution. It's just a matter of finding the best fit for your son, so visit all the programs you can before making a decision.
hi thanks for the great feedback my son and I are evaluating this program. What that name of the new team you joined I wouldn't mine checking them out.
Richard,
Make sure you read the responses to ocpapa...His review is so far from the truth. Sadly, I feel he was frustrated because he child wasn't at the caliber of talented, athletic kids June attracts.
June will make your child learn the game, play as a team, reach his potential... And earn every bit of it...absolutely nothing wrong with that...
OCPapa1 - I fully understand that you had a negative experience. These things happen and it is great that you found a new program to play for.
Our three children played on various teams throughout Orange County for the past 15 years. We settled in with 5onFive and have had nothing but positive experiences with June, the coaches and the program as a whole. What you will find is that there is always a lot of movement between club teams. Nikos will pickup a few 5onFive players and 5onFive will pickup a few Nikos players.
It happens every season. This doesn't make June or 5onFive a bad program. You simply found a program that works for you. I'm not sure why you need to write such a hostile review.
June is a good guy.
Using words like "scam" are ridiculous. Reading all the reviews and comments, there seems to be overwhelming support for June and the 5onFive program - in contrast to your overly negative review.
I agree that June has a tendency to put in his best players to win games and keep that respectable coaching reputation. In your argument you stated that it is not rec ball.
That is correct it is AAU if you want your son to play equal minutes put him in rec or have him get better. I myself was in the same situation your son was in for a whole season when I was 13 playing 1-2 minutes per game however at the end of the season I didn't blame it on June, coaching staff, crowded gyms, or over stocked teams. I blamed it on myself. I wasn't good enough to play for a lot for June so unlike quitting I worked harder then I have ever worked before in the offseason.
Lifting weights,practicing fundamentals,strengthen my jump shot, getting condition and when I resumed 5onfive June noticed my improvement and raised my minutes from 1-2 to 5-6 and when I played those 5-6 minutes per game I would play like it was my last game on earth. And June had no doubt in his mind that if he put me in he would get 150 percent hustle and heart every time and eventually I moved myself into the starting 5 for the rest of the season.
I respect your devotion to our country and showing true integrity because I know to be a marine you have to have incomparable work ethic. Too bad your son doesn't have the same
I have had a very positive experience with our 3 years at 5onFive.