The COMETS are a non-profit girls basketball club started in the Mid 1980's by Rene Pierangeli and John Gallagher. The main objective that began back then, has continued through today. The COMETS strive to provide quality basketball instruction and superior competition for females from ages 9 to 17. These young ladies compete against teams from around the country, and continue to thrive at college exposure events and AAU Nationals. Since the very beginning, the COMETS have created a reputation for fielding a group of hard-working, fun-loving and highly competitive and talented teams. Currently the COMETS boast 25+ girls playing college basketball, and over 100 former players receiving college scholarships. Our priority continues to be development through instruction and EXPOSURE by participating in the MAJOR College Viewing tournaments. The 2007 version of the COMETS promises to be no different!

Where do we play and why

Our national level of success has afforded us invitations to the most exclusive tournaments in the country. The COMETS are one of a few clubs in the Tri State area that are invited to the Boo Williams Spring Invitational in Norfolk in April (college viewing), Pre-Season Challenge in Richmond(college viewing), and USJN(college viewing) in July. Exposure and visibility are key elements in our program. Most of the tournaments we participate in are during the April and July viewing period for our older age groups. We have cultivated a tremendous relationship with over 100 colleges and they enjoy watching the COMETS play. Winning a National Championship in 1997 thrust the COMETS into the National spotlight and a position we do not intend to relinguish. It is our intention that every player is afforded the opportunity of a scholarship possibility. The COMETS spend many hours contacting colleges through phone calls, letters and emails and cultivating relationships so that every player is given an opportunity to be seen by the colleges. We believe in development and EXPOSURE!

How to Participate

Tryouts for all age groups are conducted during mid February or early March. These tryouts are open to any young lady who is born in the appropriate year. Each age group selects anywhere from 10 to 12 players from these tryouts. Practices during the AAU season will be scheduled by each individual coach, with each team meeting an average of 2-3 times per week. All the older teams will have a few overnight trips/tournaments during the season and all teams will also host the highly respected COMETS Tournament for their own age group. Please check the Latest News for times and dates of the Comets tryouts.

Fees and Related Costs

The COMETS have a cost effective system in place, in order to defray the expense for each athlete. There is an upfront fee of around $300 dollars to cover the cost of 2 uniforms (home and away), shooting shirt, bag, and a required AAU registration card and the first couple tournaments of the season.

The remaining costs for the season (tournament fees, referees, hotel rooms for coaches, gym rentals, etc.) are covered by selling advertisements in the COMETS Tournament program book. Each athlete is required to sell at least $300-$500 worth of advertisements in order to achieve a financial balance. This system, by taking the direct burden for money off of each athlete, has proven to be very effective throughout our successful history.