Team Selection Process
Marist College Canberra Basketball Club: Updated Team Selection Process
(Last updated 16 February 2018 – minor edits)
Marist College Canberra Basketball Club is committed to an open and fair process for the selection of teams and the identification of development players. Selection will be based on clear criteria that are communicated to all players and parents prior to the basketball playing year (Summer-Winter seasons) commencing.
The Club’s duty is to put forward the best team combinations possible with a focus on team competitiveness and individual player development within the Basketball ACT graded competition across the two seasons.
Marist Basketball Club is committed to a year-long program with one selection trial per rotation (in the Summer-Winter split). The Winter Competition teams will be graded on summer competition Coach and Age Coordinator feedback against set selection criteria (detailed below) and a three-week in-team trial process at the commencement of the Winter season (again based on Coach and Age Coordinator feedback).
Selection and Team Nomination Process
The Vice President and Coaching Coordinator form a Basketball Sub-Committee which also includes age group coordinators and senior coaches, under the oversight of the Club Executive Committee to conduct selection and ongoing assessment of players throughout the playing year.
Coach and Age Coordinator feedback will inform each season team selection, identification of development and higher age players culminating in the Summer Trials process for each Age Group (U12, U14, U16, U19).
Through this process team selections and team combinations will stabilise across the playing year, and coaching staff will be able to develop a good understanding/identification of skills.
After the Summer Selection process, the Selection Committee and the Club (President, Head of Sport and Registrar) will determine the proposed composition of teams being nominated to BACT in terms of number and proposed grades. This will be considered by the full Club Executive Committee to ensure that any financial and other implications for the Club are considered.
At the conclusion of the Winter Season Registration process, the sub-committee will meet to discuss registered players, team combinations and select prospective teams based on, amongst other things, season feedback against selection criteria, team numbers, team balance from the available player pool and individual player attributes.
These individual attributes include:
• Age and basketball experience (e.g. standard of previous play) and commitment to the game;
• Basketball skills, decision making ability (game sense) and suitability to positions (e.g. size for forward position; ball handling and distribution skills for guards)
• Athleticism, speed and development potential;
• Work Ethic: Is the player hard working – consistently makes effort during games and at training– e.g. works hard both offensive and defensive end of the court
• Is the player coachable: a good listener and learner; do they follow instructions;
• Attitude – is the player unselfish (e.g. makes extra pass, doesn’t over dribble), does the player understand and fulfil team concepts and plays; does the player have a positive attitude to team mates (offers support, looks to make team mates better); does the player bring a positive and focused attitude to training.
The Selection Committee will draw on the following inputs throughout the Selection process:
• Previous nominated playing experience and views of past Marist Coaches;
• Performance at Club selection trials (where applicable);
• Performance and attitude at games and training during the first three weeks of the season which will inform a further evaluation and review of preliminary selections leading for individuals (where players are provisionally nominated to teams for first 3 weeks of a season before teams are finalised between Weeks 3 and 4 of a Season).
Grading
To facilitate sound selection and team outcomes, and allow the Club to meet its broad objectives in support of the Club’s Strategic Plan, selection and team nomination will be made according to two Marist internal grading’s within Each Age Group:
• a Premiership Grade (covering the top two Divisions in the forthcoming BACT season);
• a competitive and Development Grade (covering Divisions 3 to 6 in U19,U16, U14 and U12.
The primary aim of the Premiership Grade down to Division Four is to develop and field competitive teams in the BACT competition.
The Development grade will accommodate players who aspire to play basketball at the premiership level who need further experience or skills development relative to others selected for Premiership Grade Teams.
• Development opportunities (e.g. skills clinics) offered by the Club are not to be limited to Premiership Grade players – they will be open to all players seeking to improve their game.
Communication of Selection Outcomes
Provisional and Final teams will be posted on the Marist Website at the close of the registration process and subsequently by Round Four of the new Season.
If a player or family would like feedback on the rationale for any decision the Club will endeavour to provide soundly based feedback.
In some instances there may be feedback available from selection which will be able to directly inform player development. In other instances no such specific information will be available as a decision will be based on a relative assessment of players available coupled with the need for balance in team composition.
Contact Point for Feedback on Selection Outcomes
All requests for feedback are to be addressed to a dedicated email inbox: president@maristbasketball.com
The Club’s President will oversee the management of this process with the aim of providing initial feedback within one week from inquiry.
This will be the sole channel for communication. Parents are not to raise issues with the Registrar or current or past Marist coaches.
Where a player is moved down a Division at the completion of the provisional period of team allocation (i.e. after the first three week of a season) there will be direct communication with the player and their parents. Where available, further explanation of the rationale will be available from the President through the Selection Feedback email system if a parent would like further explanation.
While the Club recognises that selection can be a difficult and at times emotive it expects all communication with the Club officials to be civil. Parents are reminded that they are to:
• Provide a model of good sportsmanship for your child to copy;
• Be courteous in your communication with players, team officials, game officials and sport administrators; and
• Where a communication from a parent to any club official is inappropriate, the President may choose to cease further communication and refer the matter to the Marist College Sports Master.
Overall parent’s and players need to recognise that the Club is run by volunteers with every endeavour made to put in place selection processes which are:
• Fair and objective;
• Based on solid basketball principles and consistent the Club’s principles related to playing basketball and players development;
• Undertaken by people within the Club with demonstrated basketball knowledge;
• Based on Multiple inputs from Coaching staff, Head of Coaching and Age Coordinators.
Development Players
In some instances the Club may deem a player to be a “Development Player” which allows a junior to play in two grades on a permanent basis.
The purpose of junior development player status is to allow a player to further develop their game by allowing them to play a second game in the same age group as and when required by the Coach in the highest grade.
The player should be a player who is close to but not yet at the level required to be a fulltime member of the club’s next higher team above his nominated grade.
The Club’s policy with regard to development players will accord with the Basketball ACT’s Competition Rules and By-Laws with regard to Junior Development Players.
Train on Players
Where it is considered appropriate to deliver an additional development opportunity a player may train with a team in the next Division up provided the Coach of the team agrees that it is appropriate.
Age Group Training and Development
The Club will endeavour at all times to provide opportunities for players in the same age group to train together: in skills sessions and opposed play. This will ensure that the whole playing group is developed as a cohort and by position, and that they are exposed and educated in the ‘Marist Way’ of playing basketball.