From the ground up to the Golden 1 Center, the SacTown Chaos have grown to become one of the premiere youth basketball programs around Sacramento and California travel teams over the past few years by claiming championships and teaming-up with Wooter Apparel.
That noise you hear coming out of gyms around Sacramento is just a small upstart basketball program that has logged major time on the court and miles on the road of travel ball around California in order to help their guys get better as players and people.
That game plan has worked for Ignacio Hernandez who started the SacTown Chaos from a true grass roots basketball team and has helped it blossom into a hoops institution that’s produced championship teams and standout student-athletes along the way over the past three years. The journey hasn’t been easy, but the Chaos have remained committed to investing in skills training and player development and providing a pro experience for each kid that walks through the gym door.
It’s a big reason why the Hernandez teamed-up to outfit their program in customized jerseys and uniforms from Wooter Apparel and provided his squad the opportunity to step on the floor and live out their dream of playing in an NBA arena, when the Sacramento Kings hosted the Sactown Chaos at the Golden 1 Center.
SacTown Chaos head coach and founder, Ignacio Hernandez, recently took time to talk with Wooter Apparel about that experience, building and growing a basketball program from the ground up, and what it means to be able to partner with Wooter Apparel…
Before we get into talking some basketball, can you share how the SacTown Chaos even got started. It sounds like you’ve had a busy past three years?
The original Chaos started when I pulled together a few friends to play a tournament in the summer. After winning, we played another tournament and won again. That’s when I decided to formalize the team. We developed an approach that focuses on individual development, teamwork, basketball IQ, and playing tough competition. Now we are an established program that travels quite a bit.
What’s been the best part about taking SacTown Chaos from the “idea” of launching a team to actually bringing these kids together and transforming into a program?
Watching a very diverse group of kids mature on and off the court and becoming a family. They are building bonds and making memories that will last a lifetime. We have traveled all over California and Nevada; some boys had their first ever plane flight going to a tournament. When they are older, they will look back at some great memories, friendships and playing a game they love at a high level. Winning lots of games and tournaments is also pretty cool. Knowing we started this from scratch and now we are getting recognition is testament to our players who all have great attitudes.
What’s been the hardest part about that process?
As our players have developed their skills and our teams have become more successful, other AAU teams, coaches, and parents don’t want us to do well. They will criticize us and try to recruit our players to their teams. Many coaches just want to collect players and not develop skills and young people. It’s too bad that people can’t recognize that there is room for all of us to do well. Regardless, our teams have remained strong and we have something special. We support all our players and our alumni – it’s bigger than just if we win games. It’s investing in the well-being of young people as they prepare for their futures on and off of the court.
How has the team and program grown within this last year? What are some of the accomplishments you guys are most proud of?
This year we expanded to 3 different age groups. We also now have players and families seeking us out, asking to join our program because they have seen us play and appreciate what we are doing with our players. Our primary teams are now regularly winning Division 1 tournaments, and have beaten a few teams ranked in Northern California. What I hear most from others is that our teamwork and selfless play stands out.
Our elite 13u team has won 6 out of our past 9 tournaments, only losing games in Reno, Los Angeles, and to an “all-star” team from Northern California. We still have a long way to go, but we are definitely moving up. All of our players have improved, and they love playing together. Teams we used to lose to we now beat by large margins. We have also learned to come from behind, and win games in the final minute. It’s a mindset that will benefit these kids as they become older, and will carry over to school, their careers, and life. Our 10u team is only a few months old and they are already winning tournaments over established programs. They play with great energy and just love the game. And in a short time, they have all really improved.
What led to Wooter Apparel becoming the official uniform partner of the SacTown Chaos and what does it mean to the program to team-up with a customized sports apparel brand?
I was looking for quality apparel by a company that was about more than just uniforms. I really like that Wooter sponsors a wide range of tournaments and events. There is also an edge to Wooter Apparel that I like — Chaos was daring enough to start from scratch with the goal of making a name for ourselves and I see Wooter Apparel doing the same thing. And everyone loves our uniforms…Wooter also invests in the youth, which I really like.
Each chance to get in the gym is a chance to get better….but did you ever think one of those “gyms” would be the Golden 1 Center (home to the Sacramento Kings) when you first started SacTown Chaos three years ago? How excited were the boys to throw on the jerseys and get out on the floor?
Never! It really was an amazing opportunity and experience for the boys and our families. And this year we were able to make multiple trips, everyone really enjoyed it. Some had never even been inside the arena before. These kids felt like pros, and loved every minute. Our youngest player (8 years-old) said it was a dream come true (and they won!). At one point, even I had to just sit back and take it all in. It just gave our kids more confidence in themselves. They start to believe that anything is possible and to dream big.
What’s next for SacTown Chaos?
We’ll probably add a couple of teams, host our own tournament and prepare our elite teams to travel to some of the best tournaments around the country. We are also getting our oldest players ready for high school next year.