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Idaho Stags is a basketball club located in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, dedicated to the development of competitive players and teams. Idaho Stags embraces sound team basketball philosophy while pursuing elite individual skill development. We challenge players to reach their full potential as a player and as a person.

3rd-8th Grade Tryouts.

Join Our 2025-2026 3rd-8th Grade Tryout Teams!

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Tryouts for our 2025-2026 fall and winter basketball season will be held in July! Our teams focus on skill development and fundamentals to help every player improve and grow.


Teams will compete in Crash the Boards, TVAC Power League, and other top-tier tournaments, playing two monthly tournaments on Fridays and Saturdays. Each team has a dedicated coach who selects the best tournaments to match the team’s development goals.

Our club practices will primarily be held in Nampa, Idaho, at Mettle Sports, Skyview High School, the Salvation Army, and other available gym spaces. Players from all over the Treasure Valley are encouraged to participate.
 

⚡ Tryouts are in July, and registration is open!
If you can’t make tryouts, we encourage you to attend a skill development session beforehand to be considered. Spots are limited due to gym space and coaching availability, so don’t wait—sign up today!

LATEST NEWS.

In-Process:

🏀 Idaho Stags High School Tryouts – March 10, 2025!
 

More Than a Team. A Program Built for Your Growth.

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At Idaho Stags Basketball, we don’t just put players on a team—we develop stronger athletes, smarter competitors, and better leaders.

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Our High School Spring, Summer & Fall Program is built for players who are serious about improvement on and off the court. If your goal is to earn more minutes, dominate your role, or prepare for college opportunities, we provide the training, coaching, and competition to help you put in the work and see real results.

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Who Can Try Out?

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All incoming 9th-12th grade players for the 2025-2026 school year who are ready to compete, improve, and elevate their game.
 

Tryout Details

📍 Location: Skyview High School
👦 Boys Tryouts: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM (Register Here)

👧 Girls Tryouts: 7:15 PM - 8:15 PM (Register Here)
💲 Tryout Fee: $10
 

What You’ll Get in This Program
 

🏀 Elite Skill Development – Position-specific training to improve ball handling, passing, shooting, finishing, and more.
 

🧠 Basketball IQ & Team Concepts – Learn to read and manipulate defenses, make the right play under pressure, and sharpen your understanding of high-level team basketball.


⏰ Early Morning Shooting Workouts – Train like elite players with disciplined form-shooting routines that build confidence and consistency.


💪 Strength & Conditioning – Gain power, endurance, and explosiveness through structured weight room training.


🏆 Competitive Games & Tournaments – High-level matchups that put your skills to the test against top competition.


🎯 A Structured Path to Growth – We don’t just play games—we provide a clear, strategic plan to help you reach your full potential.


Program Schedule

  • March & April – Training + Competitive Games

  • May – Focused Skill Development

  • June – Break (High school team participation)

  • July–October – Training + Games for select teams
     

Are You Ready to Take Your Game to the Next Level?
 

We’re looking for players who want to push themselves, improve, and become the best version of their game. If that’s you, don’t miss this opportunity.
 

👉 Register Now to secure your spot at tryouts!


For any questions, contact us at Team@IdahoStags.com.

​Why Skill Development Matters in Youth Basketball


Basketball skill development follows a cycle, with highs and lows throughout the year. Understanding this cycle can help players, parents, and coaches make informed decisions about training priorities.
 

The Cycle of Skill Development
 

  1. Offseason Grind (Skill Peak & Growth)

    • Players focus on personal development—shooting, dribbling, defense, and conditioning.

    • Without the demands of games, repetition and mechanics take center stage, leading to noticeable improvement.
       

  2. Preseason (Integration into Team Play)

    • Players transition into structured team practices.

    • Individual skill work takes a backseat to team strategies and execution.
       

  3. Midseason (Skill Regression Phase)

    • Games and fatigue limit time for focused skill work.

    • Skills may stagnate or decline as players prioritize in-game performance over refining fundamentals.
       

  4. Postseason Reflection (Recognition of Skill Drop-off)

    • Players and coaches evaluate areas of weakness.

    • Shot efficiency, footwork, and ball-handling may have regressed due to a lack of targeted reps.
       

  5. Return to Offseason (Rebuilding & Growth Again)

    • Focus returns to refining individual skills, strengthening weaknesses, and preparing for the next season.

    • This renewed commitment leads to another cycle of growth.
       

The Key Takeaway
 

Skills training isn’t just extra work—it’s the foundation for a player’s success. Without it, skills erode over time, making each new season harder to regain lost ground. Players who stay dedicated in the offseason enter the next season with a higher starting point, giving them a competitive edge.


Encourage your player to set goals, find ways to train consistently, and track progress over the offseason. Whether it’s working on ball handling, improving foot speed, or getting more reps on their shot, small, intentional efforts add up to big improvements when the next season arrives.

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🏀 General Items:

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  1. AAU Membership: Please update your AAU Membership between September 1st and the start of practice.

  2. Team Communication and Schedules: Watch for messages from your coach within TeamSnap

  3. Tryouts have concluded. Registration is now open for players who receive a direct invitation from a team coach.​

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🏀 AAU Membership & Reporting Requirements:

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  1. All players and coaches must obtain and maintain an active AAU Membership.

  2. Players should choose the 'Youth Athlete' option, while coaches should select the 'Non-Athlete - Coaches' membership.

  3. Register or renew your membership: (Register AAU Here).

  4. Link your AAU membership to the '2025 - Idaho Stags' club with the code W3FY3C.

  5. Players must confirm their membership before participating in any practice. 

  6. Players report and verify their membership by entering their AAU Membership number in the "AAU Membership Number" field on their TeamSnap Roster.​

 

​🏀 TeamSnap:

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We use TeamSnap for player profiles, team rosters, schedules, camp and clinic signups, dues, and payments. Here are guides for getting started with TeamSnap:

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ABOUT THE CLUB.

Idaho Stags is a premier basketball club located in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, dedicated to the development of competitive players and teams. Idaho Stags embraces sound team basketball philosophy while pursuing elite individual skill development. We challenge players to reach their full potential as a player and as a person.

 

The foundational pillars of the club are Unity, Humility, Passion, Thankfulness, and Servanthood. The club’s founder, Ricky Bower, learned these pillars while playing for the legendary coach, Dick Bennett, at the University of Wisconsin. Ricky was recruited to Wisconsin by Dick Bennett’s son, Tony Bennett, who now coaches at the University of Virginia. Ricky’s college basketball experience makes the club uniquely situated to help Idaho youth prepare for and get to the next level.

 

The Idaho Stags place special emphasis on shooting and dedicate one night a week to the development of this skill (in addition to two team practices). For most teams, this shooting workout is conducted by the club’s founder, Ricky Bower, who set multiple 3-point shooting records in college. Ricky recognizes this skill as essential for Idaho youth who desire to play college basketball.

 

Idaho Stags has begun using the Mettle Sports facility. This new relationship allows our players to receive speed and agility training from certified trainers in the same facility where basketball practice is held. This summer, our players have the opportunity to participate in speed and agility training directly followed by 3-on-3 basketball. We anticipate that speed and agility training will become a permanent component of our program, offering our boys an opportunity to maximize their athleticism.

 

The club began in 2017 and has grown quickly, now hosting competitive and developmental teams for 3rd-12th grade boys. In addition to the competitive teams, the club offers ongoing skill development sessions for the aspiring player. For further information, please contact Ricky at idahostags@gmail.com.

Unity.

Humility.

Passion.

Thankfulness.

Servanthood.

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ABOUT THE FOUNDER.

Ricky Bower is an Idaho Native. Ricky grew up in the Treasure Valley and was part of Skyview’s charter class. He was named Adidas Mr. Basketball for the State of Idaho his senior year and led the state in scoring and assist making. Ricky still holds the 6A Southern Idaho Conference Scoring Record (26.3 pts per game). Ricky played for the Ricks College Vikings, Wisconsin Badgers, and BYU Cougars. Ricky’s Ricks College team won Region 18 and placed 8th nationally. Ricky was named Region 18’s tournament MVP and was named to the national all-tournament team with Shawn Marion and Steve Francis. Ricky’s Wisconsin team was ranked in the Top 25 all year and Ricky was ESPN Player of the Game against Temple and Ohio State. Ricky’s 2002-03 BYU team was Regular Season Conference Co-Champions of the Mountain West and made a NCAA tournament appearance against UConn. Ricky was inducted into the Skyview Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

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