I spent a whole weekend at Music City Premier with our squad. I’m tired, a little hoarse, and still smiling. This event has a pulse. It’s loud, fast, and very Nashville. If you’d like the official Coast 2 Coast recap in their own words, give their write-up a read at Coast 2 Coast Preps: Music City Premier – My Weekend, My Notes.
I’ll tell you straight: some parts were great, and some parts made me mutter under my breath. But I’d go again. Here’s how it went for me.
Early check-in, coffee, and a scramble
We rolled in before 7:30 a.m. for an 8:10 tip. The line at the table moved quick. They scanned a QR code from the Exposure Events app, handed us bands, and sent us on. I loved that. No paper sheets stuck to walls. No guesswork.
If you've never used it, the Exposure Events app is a comprehensive tool for managing basketball tournaments and leagues, offering features like real-time results, AI scheduling, and online registration.
The gym was cold at first. I kept a hoodie on for warm-ups. My point guard forgot her water bottle (of course), so I ran to concessions. They had Gatorade, water, and those big soft pretzels. A little pricey, but normal for a tourney.
Parking was tight by 9 a.m., and I saw folks loop around. If you’re reading this, come early or park in the overflow lot they marked with cones across the street. It saved me once.
The hoops: crisp, chippy, and real
Our 6th grade game started on Court 4. The refs were strict on hand-checks and lazy reaches. I mean, if your kid swipes, it’s getting called. I didn’t love it, but it was consistent. And honestly, consistent is all I ever ask.
We faced a team from Kentucky first. Fast wings. They trapped corners and lived for runouts. We lost by 3 after a turnover in the last 20 seconds. It stung. My guard got stripped at half court. I still hear the groan from our bench.
Game two, we saw a Georgia team with a high-low look and a big who set heavy screens—like actual shoulder-turns. The ref warned their post once, then called two moving screens back-to-back. That swung it. We won by 6. I wrote “feet set, eyes up” on my phone after that. Funny how one note keeps helping.
On Sunday, a Tennessee team shot the lights out. Corner threes, bang, bang. We tried a 2-3, but they screened the top and drilled the skip pass. I mean, you could hear the net pop. That coach knew his stuff. We lost, but it felt like a clinic.
A small thing that mattered
They used the 29.5 for boys and 28.5 for girls, as expected. But one court mixed balls between games and we warmed up with a 29.5 by mistake. Our shots were long for the first two minutes. Tiny detail, big difference. The site director switched it fast once we said something.
Schedules, streams, and updates that actually worked
All game times were live in the Exposure app. When courts ran a bit late Saturday afternoon, the app shifted start times within five minutes. No chaos, no mystery. I breathed easier.
They had BallerTV cameras on a bunch of courts. My parents loved it since Grandma in Ohio could watch. The stream lagged once during our overtime game (of course it did), but then it caught up. By night, Coast 2 Coast posted highlights and quick write-ups on Instagram. Two of our kids got tagged. Their smiles? Worth the whole drive. For a deeper dive into how Coast 2 Coast turns raw footage into stories, peep their behind-the-lens take in Coast 2 Coast Music Video – My First-Person Take.
Vibes and soundtracks
They played clean hip-hop and some country cuts during breaks. It felt like Nashville in the best way—mixing styles and letting the gym breathe a little. A DJ on the big court kept the pace steady without blasting your eardrums. You know what? It made it fun to just hang between games. If you want to explore how those playlists come together after dark, scroll through My Night, My Notes from Coast 2 Coast Music Group for some fresh song inspiration. If you want to explore more of the Coast 2 Coast musical flavor that inspires these playlists, swing by Coast 2 Coast Music and sample the tracks they’re pushing.
I saw Coast 2 Coast staff on the baselines taking notes. They greeted kids by name and asked true hoops questions—handle under pressure, shot selection, help-side habits. That stuff matters. Kids feel seen.
What I liked (and what I didn’t)
Likes:
- Check-in was smooth and fast.
- Refs were consistent, even if tight. You could plan for it.
- Solid mix of teams—Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama. Levels felt right.
- Schedules stayed up to date in the app.
- Media coverage was active and kind to kids.
Didn’t love:
- Parking got jammed by mid-morning.
- Concessions were lines-and-wait during lunch hour. Bring snacks.
- One court had a slick spot near the elbow until they mopped it up. Took a bit.
- Sunday finals started to bunch up, so warm-ups got short.
Food, gear, and little hacks that helped me
- Bring a hoodie. Gyms start cold and warm up later.
- Pack your own snack box. I’m a fan of clementines and peanut butter crackers. Simple wins.
- Extra socks. You’ll thank me when a kid steps in a mystery puddle.
- Athletic tape and a small roll-on ice stick. We used both.
- Nashville hot chicken after you’re done. Don’t eat it before a game. Trust me. We hit a spot by Cool Springs and everybody inhaled fries.
Long weekends of bleacher-sitting and whistle-blowing can make any coach or parent crave a serious back-and-shoulder reset; if you’re sticking around middle Tennessee afterward and want to pinpoint a spot for a deep-tissue session, the searchable directory at Rubmaps Winchester lays out massage locations, service details, and real user reviews so you can book with confidence instead of guesswork.
Coaches, here’s a quick cheat sheet
- Expect traps at half court from the better 7th and 8th grade teams. We used a 1-4 press break with a flash to the middle. It helped.
- Officials called high hands on shooters and no body bumping on drives. Teach verticality. Teach it again.
- Corner threes hurt zones. If you run 2-3, drill that X-out closeout the week before.
- Sideline out-of-bounds? We scored twice on a simple screen-the-screener with a late slip. Keeps you from staring at a five-second call.
If you’re hungry for broader strategy talk, the panel notes from last year’s conference are gold—check out Coast 2 Coast Music Conference 2020 – My Real Take for drills and philosophy straight from pros.
Parents, money talk and comfort stuff
Our bands were day passes. Not cheap, but standard for a big event weekend. Bring cash and card. Some spots were cash-only; others took card with a fee. The swag table had Coast 2 Coast tees, and yes, I bought one. Soft cotton, nice fit. I’m weak.
Bathrooms stayed clean till the lunch rush. After that, they needed a reset, but staff checked them often. You could find a seat if you looked, though I kept a thin stadium cushion in my bag. Bleachers get old fast.
Was it worth the trip?
Yeah. We got three good games, real film to study, and kids who grew. My favorite moment was small—a quiet huddle after a tough loss. One of our eighth graders looked at a sixth grader and said, “You kept us in it.” That kid stood taller the rest of the day. That’s why we show up. If you ever end up chasing hoops all the way to Florida, the vibe shifts but the lessons don’t—see My Real Weekend in Miami for proof.
Would I change a few things? Sure. Earlier court mops, better parking flow, and a second register at concessions during lunch would help. But the heart of it—the hoops, the care, the pace—felt right.
Final take
Music City Premier felt big but not cold. It ran on time, pushed our team, and gave families real memories. If your crew wants real reps against sharp teams and you can handle a little noise and a lot of whistles, go. Bring a hoodie, a