Vermont Vultures Team Selection Policy
Saturday Competitions (GEBC)
Objectives and Responsibilities
- To ensure the enjoyment of all players within the club – through equal participation.
- To place players in teams appropriate to their current or future skill level and development.
- To develop all players to the maximum of their ability.
- To field competitive teams in all grades in each age group.
Guiding Principles
- To play children of the same age group together.
- The club will only allocate players to teams above their correct age group upon application to the Age Group Coordinator, review and subsequent approval of the AGC, and signing of an indemnity form by the parent.
- Friendship groups are important (particularly in the U8 and U9 age groups where they are maintained whenever possible) but these must be a secondary consideration for all other age groups – particularly when players move up an age group. Friendship groups in the U17/19 level will also have additional consideration to keep the kids playing a team sport and keeping active with friends as other activities like jobs and VCE start to come into the picture.
- Once a team is selected, the club attempts to maintain some continuity of the core of the group, however changes over seasons, especially when moving up age groups, should be understood
- If players are required to be moved between teams, where possible they are moved with an existing friend or teammate.
- Players that play both summer and winter seasons are always given preference in team assignments.
- Players who are current members will be given preference over players transferring from another club in the season that they transfer
Selection Process
The Vultures basketball club appoints Age Group Coordinators for both boys and girls competitions across several age groups (details on each Age Group Coordinator contacts are available on the ‘Registration section of the website). Each of the Coordinators are volunteers and have a range of duties they perform. Included in their duties is the responsibility for forming the team lists for each season.
The allocation of teams each season is a complex and time consuming process and every new season brings many factors that must be taken into account:
- New players coming to the club
- Player assessment evaluations performed from any player grading sessions
- Players returning from previous seasons
- Players moving up an age group and/or changing grading
- Player evaluations at the end of the season from every team coach
- Player evaluations from AGC’s watching prior season games
- Other information such as Rep grading and performance, or specialist training sessions
- Feedback from past season coaches, senior club coaches, and selection committee members
- Requests received indicating a preference for previous and/or newly formed friendships.
Additionally, the Coordinator is often also forced to adjust teams as players leave teams for various reasons outside the club’s control – friends move and/or change schools, players take a season off to play football/cricket etc. or teammates simply stop playing basketball.
The primary focus on team allocation, however, is on the individual player. The club, whilst considering all factors including previous or newly formed friendship groups, will attempt to place each player in the most appropriate team for the ongoing development of their fundamental skills and team play.
Requests
Please note that, where a parent, player or coach makes a request regarding team allocations to an age-group coordinator, that request must be in the registration form notes. Requests via email, verbal, SMS or Facebook may be missed with such large club and need to go through a single source.
Summary
The team selection process is a challenging one and is often one of trying to find a balance between placing children in the best team for their ongoing basketball development and other considerations.
Given that some Age Group Coordinators are responsible for more than 100 children, requests and preferences are noted and taken into account where circumstances allow. Whilst the club attempts to satisfy all such requests, it may not always be able to do so. Particularly, requests relating to friendship groups are considered, however they are considered secondary to issues of player development, skill, team composition and full participation for all players. As a result, whilst the club makes every attempt to do so, there is no guarantee that all requests can be met.
The Age Group Coordinators, and the members of the Selection Committee have all been very involved with the club and the sport, and most will have been through team selections and changes in previous season as a parent, coach or team manager. As a result, they understand the many situations that can arise at the change of each season, and most times, the Coordinators will work with parents so that their requirements can be accommodated. If not, there will be a legitimate reason for not be able to do so.
Finally, whilst recognising that friendships are important, the central focus of the club must be on promoting equal player participation and basketball development. In fact, the Vermont Vultures believe that friendships and associations naturally develop through sport, and that many new friendships will be formed amongst both players and parents through playing in new teams.
The club asks all parents that they be understanding and respectful when the club makes a decision for change relating to issues of basketball development and full participation for all players.
Mid-week Competitions (MEBA – FNJ/MWJ)
All age groups
Team selection is primarily based around friendship groups and requests.
Additional Consideration
The Club understands there may be extenuating circumstances that necessitate special consideration. Where this is required, we request that it be put in writing via email to clubadmin@vermontvultures.org.au immediately after registering your child. Although all reasonable requests will be given due consideration, no guarantee is made that they will be accommodated.
