To My Chicago’s Finest Families,

As we prepare for another season of Chicago’s Finest Basketball, I wanted to personally share where the program is headed and some changes that are necessary as we continue to grow.

Chicago’s Finest will turn four years old this November, and I am incredibly proud of what it has become. What started as an idea has grown into 13 teams, and I am still the person behind every one of them.

I coach every team, run every practice, coach the games, build schedules, coordinate tournaments, communicate with families, organize tryouts, handle registrations, and manage the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the program moving. I do it because I genuinely love this program and the kids in it.

But after four years, I have realized that for Chicago’s Finest to continue growing—and for me to give our players the level of coaching and commitment they deserve—some things have to change.I have always tried to accommodate our families. I understand that kids play multiple sports and have school, family, and other commitments. I also understand that occasional conflicts are unavoidable. However, accommodating occasional conflicts has gradually become the expectation, and trying to build basketball schedules around every other commitment is no longer sustainable. More importantly, it is not fair to the players and families who are committed to being here.

With that said, moving forward, I need families to understand:

If you choose to play for Chicago’s Finest, our basketball program is the priority.

It does not have to be the only priority, and I will always value multi-sport athletes. But there is a difference between an occasional conflict and expecting the program to consistently work around everything else on a player’s schedule. I can no longer do the latter.

When I create practice and tournament schedules, I will make decisions based on what is best for the team and the program as a whole. That is part of teaching our players and youth that commitments matter when they choose to join a team.

This is travel basketball, and Chicago’s Finest is intended to be the next level. There are wonderful park districts, feeder, and lower-level, lower-commitment programs available for families who need basketball to fit around several other activities. There is nothing wrong with choosing those options, but that is not what I have built here.

My background includes collegiate coaching experience at Aurora University, Drury University, Roosevelt University, and Grand Canyon University,  along with collegiate playing experience. I want to bring that knowledge into the gym and create a noticeable difference between Chicago’s Finest and an average local, parent-coached team.

I want our players learning how to play the game—not just running plays. I want them developing their basketball IQ, fundamentals, confidence, toughness, discipline, accountability, and an understanding of what it means to be part of a competitive team. But I cannot teach those things to an empty spot at practice, and I cannot build team chemistry with players who are only available when basketball happens to fit their schedule. Development requires consistency. Teams require commitment.

Chicago’s Finest may not be the right fit for every family, and I am becoming comfortable with that. For a long time, I tried to make the program work for everyone, but doing so sometimes stretched me and the program too thin. I would rather have families here who truly believe in what we are building and are ready to commit to it.

When your child puts on a Chicago’s Finest uniform, I want it to mean something. Teammates should be able to count on one another, and families should understand that when one player misses practice or a tournament, it affects the entire team—what I can teach, how we prepare, and how the team develops.

In return, I promise to continue giving these kids everything I have. I will continue coaching, teaching, studying the game, creating opportunities, and doing everything I can to make Chicago’s Finest a program our players and families are proud to represent.

But commitment has to go both ways.

These changes are not about becoming less understanding. They are about protecting what we are building, respecting the players who consistently show up, and allowing me to spend more time coaching and developing kids instead of constantly rearranging schedules.

As we move into this next chapter, I believe raising our expectations is exactly what this program needs. Before trying out, I ask every family to have an honest conversation about what they are looking for. If you need basketball to fill whatever openings remain on your calendar, Chicago’s Finest is not the right fit. 

But if you are looking for a program where your child will be coached, challenged, developed, held accountable, cared about, and expected to be a committed teammate, I would love to have you in the gym with us.

I am committing my time, experience, energy, and a huge part of my life to helping these players become better basketball players and better teammates. All I ask is that the commitment and dedication is returned.

On top of that if you are invited to be on one of our Adidas Jr. 3SSB 12u, 13u, & 14u teams will be expected to prioritize every practice, every tournament, every team event for the entire season. No exceptions.

Thank you to every amazing family who has trusted me with your kids over these last four years. The hundreds of relationships and memories we have created are so special to me and I am so thankful to call this program mine. I am incredibly grateful for what we have built together, and I am excited for what comes next.

Emily Thomas

Chicago’s Finest Basketball