Team Selection Policy
The age group coordinators conduct team selection in consultation with our coaches, Girls and/or Boys coordinators, and other committee members in the lead-up to each new season.
Teams are created each season and changes can occur when considering player movement in and out of the sport, changes to player representative selection (to adhere to by laws), available coaches to support teams and season age cut offs. Our age group coordinators construct teams in line with the current competition bylaws. All parents should make these their first point of call when they have queries around representative player placement in teams or have questions around players playing in their own age group. In following the competition bylaws, it is not always possible for teams to stay together from season to season and it is not always possible for a player who is of a lower age to move up with their older teammates to the next age bracket (Southern Districts play in your own age group bylaw). In these cases, Hoopstars does allow players to play in two age groups at a reduced fee for the second age group, however, their actual age group must be prioritised when there is a clash with the draw. Please also be mindful that draw clashes for two age groups are not grounds for a request to game times.
Requests for friends to be kept together must be requested by both parties. One-sided requests will not be considered. While friend requests will be considered, not all can be accommodated.
Once the teams have been selected, they cannot be altered without good reason, and then, only by the Executive Committee.
Principles
our club follows these principles:
Registration – All players must register before the registration period closes to be eligible for placement in a team. Players who register late will join a waiting list and will only be placed in a team if an appropriate vacancy exists.
Selection criteria – Players are primarily assessed on skill. Other valued attributes include a commitment to team training and games, punctuality, and a positive team attitude. Team balance (e.g. a good mix of height, balancing team offensive and defensive skills) is also considered.
Friendship / School teams – All players in a friendship/school team must be registered prior to the closing of the registration period. The club reserves the right to add players to a friendship team, if and when required. Priority is always given to returning players from the most current season before availability is opened up to a full team registration. All players must be in the same age group. Players are not allowed to play out of their age group to remain with a friendship or school team.
Court time – All players should be given within reason equal court-time. From time to time or game to game that may vary slightly. Hoopstars want to ensure that every player is given time to play and valued on the team. There may be exceptions to this but they must be agreed with the parent and usually only for fill-in players.
How it works
The primary means of selecting teams is on the ability of the player. However, this is not the only criterion, and selectors have to make decisions considering a wide number of competing factors and in adherence to the competition by laws.
The selectors must find a balance and work incredibly hard to get it right. During the grading period age group coordinators will consult with coaches, operational and executive committee members and changes may be made with individual players or divisional changes to whole teams. As a result, changes may occur during this time, but once grading is finalised no further changes will be made or considered.
Assessing the ability of a player is subjective. The selectors may not agree with you, or each other on who is the ‘better’ player. Generally, selectors do not assess their own children.
Coach’s input is important, but coaches are often only familiar with the players they have coached and do not assess the other players in the age group.
Each team is provided a number within their age group. This is for identification purposes on Basketball Connect. it is possible to have 3 teams (e.g. Hoopstars 1, Hoopstars 2 and Hoopstars 3) all in Division 1 therefore, the number is not a direct measure of a player or team ability but rather a way to identify the team. Similarly, the division in which a player plays reflects the team’s ability, not the individual player.
Teams are not always fully composed of the best 7, 8 or 9 players, followed by the second best 7, 8 or 9 players and so on. Reasons why a less skilled player may have been placed in a higher team than a more skilled player include:
- the less skilled player is more skilled in certain attributes which the higher team needs e.g. offensive and defensive positioning and court spacing, shooting technique, rebounding etc.
- confidence/performance/development issues with either player (some players need a season at a higher level and some players need a season at a lower level to help with their development or confidence)
- the less skilled player is more coachable, has more potential or is on a steeper improvement curve than the more skilled player
- two or more parents of similar-ability players want to coach their child (coaches’ selection is also a factor in team selection).
- avoiding at all costs the selection of a team of unskilled players. We believe players develop quicker when supported by higher skilled players demonstrating in game situations.
Age groups
Most players spend two seasons in each age group. There is a mix of younger and older players within each two year age group band.
Often there are 60 or more players in the same age group that the selection committee judges to be of similar ability. Consequently, they may be selected to play in relatively even teams. We consistently nominate for several teams to be in the same grade.
Late registrations
Due to the large amount of work required in sorting and assessing teams, players who register late may either be placed on a waiting list, (and possibly not be able to play), or be placed in teams that get them playing rather than in the “best fit” due to teams being full and places being limited. It is therefore, imperative that players register prior to the closing of the registration period.
Team selection over multiple seasons
Remember that team selections are not indefinite selections. They are a placement for a single season only.
Feedback is requested throughout the season and team performance is reviewed for the next season.
There is always talent putting pressure on team selections and talent develops at different rates and at different times and this is considered by selectors.
If there is anything the selection committee should know before teams are selected, then please get in contact with the coordinator as soon as possible.
Finally
By registering with Hoopstars via Basketball Connect you are accepting the selection decisions outlined above.