Varsity Community Basketball General Information

2007-2008 Season

Philosophy

Varsity Community Basketball is a recreational, developmental program

with a major focus on learning rather than competition. There is a place for the

new, as well as the experienced player in any age category. All players will

participate in game play and are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship and consideration for the officials, coaches, teammates and all opponents.

Boundaries:

· NORTH: John Laurie Blvd NW between Sarcee Trail and 14 Street NW

· SOUTH: The Bow River between 16 Avenue NW and 14 Street NW

· EAST: 14 Street NW between John Laurie Blvd and the Bow River

· WEST: Sarcee Trail NW: West boundary of Silver Springs Golf and

Country Club between John Laurie Blvd NW and the Bow

River

Member Communities

Varsity Estates Varsity Acres Varsity Village Dalhousie

Montgomery Charleswood Brentwood Triwood Banff Trail Briar Hill Hounsfield Heights St. Andrew’s Heights

University Heights Capitol Hill Collingwood Upper Hillhurst

Point MacKay Parkdale Westmount

WHO’S ELIGIBLE?

Boys and Girls from 7 to 19 years of age (as of March 31, 2007) who live within the above boundaries.

CATEGORIES

· TYKES – Born in 1999 and 2000

· MINI – Born in 1997 and 1998

· BANTAM – Born in 1995 and 1996

· MIDGET – Born in 1993 and 1994

· JUVENILE – Born in 1991 and 1992

· JUNIOR – Born in 1988, 1989 and 1990 (before May 31, 1988)

TYKES

House league run within Varsity
- Do not play in city league
Unless we hear different this program will take place from 6:00 – 7:00

p.m. at West Dalhousie School

Players will receive a T-shirt from the program – these are the player’s to keep
Players must supply their own shorts (See UNIFORMS)

MINI, BANTAM, MIDGET

Game play begins on the first weekend following Thanksgiving
The first four games of the season are a seeding round. This places

the teams in the appropriate division.

· Teams play under the Calgary Minor Basketball Association (CMBA)

· Teams play one game per week

o An exception may occur during seeding round and playoffs when there may be two games in one day

· Games take place on Saturday and can start as early as 8:30 a.m. or as

late as 3:30 p.m.

Midget players may also play games on Friday evening
Games are played all over the city of Calgary

JUVENILE, JUNIOR

These teams play under the CMBA.

Fall 2007

These programs begin early and finish early to accommodate the Senior High school season
Game play begins on September 22 and 23 ending with city playoffs completed by late November 2007
Juvenile and Junior A
- These programs play TWO games a week – usually one on Friday evening and one on Saturday
Juvenile B program
- Play one game a week – Friday or Saturday

Winter 2007

Juvenile B and Junior B programs
Players who are not playing on Senior High School teams can play this

winter season

Teams play one game per week from January to mid-March 2008

When and where do I register?

Saturday, June 23, 2006 from 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m. at the Varsity

Community Center (288-9001)

Cost

Tykes - $125
All other age groups - $260
If the cost is a problem for you, let us know and we can work

something out.

Are you ready for registration?

o You must bring:

o A current, valid community association membership from a member

community

§ You can purchase a Varsity membership at registration

o A hard copy of a proof of age

§ A photocopy of the player’s birth certificate, Alberta Health Care

card, or passport

o Your player’s Alberta Health Care number

o A cheque for $100 post-dated to April 1, 2008. We require one cheque for EACH PLAYER. When the player returns the uniform these cheques will be destroyed.

o The name and phone number of your player’s doctor

o The name and phone number of an emergency contact

UNIFORMS

All players except Tykes will wear a uniform supplied by Varsity

Community Basketball

Players will receive a uniform to use for the season. A uniform

deposit of $100 is required at registration

The uniforms are very expensive so are NOT to be worn for any occasion except game play. Players who are caught wearing the uniforms to practice will be disciplined.
To extend the life of these uniforms (and keep the cost of basketball

down) we ask that you NEVER dry the uniform in the dryer – it makes the numbers peel off.

IT IS ULTIMATELY THE PLAYER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO RETURN THE UNIFORM TO THE EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR AT THE END OF THE SEASON.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

T-shirts
- Some players like to wear a T-shirt under their uniform top. Only

plain white T-shirts are acceptable.

Shorts
- Players need short for their practices.
- The following are NOT suitable
  - Cut-offs, jams or tear away shorts, pockets, pockets turned inside out, pocket openings, tears in the fabric, belt loops, loose strings
Shoes
- Players should have a pair of basketball shoes that they use only in

the gym for their games and practices.

Shoes that are worn outside pick up dust and lose their tread. Both

these factors make it more likely for the player to slip and fall.

A shoe with some ankle support can help as basketball involves a lot of lateral movement.
The shoes should have a non-marking sole.
The shoes need not be expensive – Wal-Mart and Payless can supply you without breaking the bank.

Water bottle
Get your player a water bottle and label it with his or her name
This is a dry city and in some gyms the nearest water fountain is a

long way away.

EVALUATIONS

For any groups that have enough registrants for more than one team,

evaluations will be held.

This allows the players to be grouped with players of similar skill levels.
Please remember that evaluators do their best to find the most suitable team for your child to play on.
The 2007-08 evaluations will take on a new format. All levels of basketball will have the same evaluation process. All evaluation forms will be collected and given to the Varsity Basketball Coordinator upon completion of the evaluation. The Drills and evaluation format will be age level specific.

PRACTICES

Your player will have one practice a week.
WE CANNOT TELL YOU WHEN YOUR PLAYER WILL BE PRACTICING UNTIL AFTER EVALUATIONS ARE DONE AND YOUR PLAYER IS PLACED ON A TEAM.
We will do our best to accommodate other obligations your child may

have. However first we must accommodate the demands on the coaches

of your player’s team.

GENERAL RULES

1. All coaches must undergo Police Record checks every three years.

2. All players other than Juveniles and Junior MUST BE brought into the

gym at the start of practice and collected in the gym after practice.

· Violation of this rule can result in the player being benched for the next game. Players who continue this will be asked to leave the program.

· This rule is necessary, as in the past players have been dropped off

at a gym location that is closed due to an emergency.

3. The evaluators’ decisions regarding placement of players will not be

over-ruled by Varsity basketball.

· The evaluators are experienced coaches who have no relationship to the groups being evaluated, so will make their cuts based only on performance

4. Often players wish to be on the same team as a friend. This is usually

accomplished easily. However, should one of the friends be evaluated onto a

higher ranked team than the other, the higher ranked player must move to

lower ranked team to be with the friend.

5. CMBA rules ban the wearing of earrings, watches, rings, hats, neck

chains, metal hair ornaments, and sweatbands on the arms. This includes

Medic Alert bracelets.

· Discourage players from getting their ears (or anything else) pierced

during the season.

· They will be required to remove the piercing and cover the open wound with tape – taping over earrings or other piercings is not acceptable.

6. Two Adult Rule

· There must be two adults (over 18 years of age) in the gym at all practices. These adults must arrive at the start of practice and remain until the last player is picked up.

· If you arrive and only a single coach is there, you may not leave until the other adult arrives.

POLICY REGARDING COURT TIME

· Varsity Basketball supports a policy of equal time on the court for

all members of a team

· The coach may modify this as a disciplinary method.

· It is the coach’s choice of who plays in the last five minutes of any

game.

How to be a Basketball Supporter

1. The coaches, Coordinator, Equipment Coordinator, Gym Coordinator and Age Level Specialists are volunteers, so try to help them.

2. Let the coach know if your player has a medical condition that might

affect his or her ability to play. The coach may ask you to be present for all

practices and games if the condition warrants it.

3. Let the coach know, as early as possible, if your player will be absent

from a practice or game.

4. Do not coach from the spectators’ bench. This distracts and confuses

the players.

5. If you have any concerns, talk to the coach at some time when your

player cannot hear you. Open conflict between the coach and parents is not

healthy.

6. If your player has multiple obligations (other sports, lessons) that

might interfere with his or her ability to attend games and practices, let the coach know.

7. Learn the names of your player’s teammates and cheer for them at games.

Cheering loudly is a confidence builder for the players and great for relieving

parental stress!!

8. Remember your player will learn about sportsmanship from your

behaviour. Cheer good play by both sides and avoid criticizing any player on the

court.

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Varsity Basketball is a volunteer run organization, so it is necessary that

parents and guardians are willing to volunteer their time to keep the program

running. CMBA requires that each team supply a minor official (timekeeper or

scorekeeper), so you will need to act in this capacity for your player’s team.

Here are the job descriptions for the other volunteer positions.

Varsity Representative to CMBA Board of Directors (one per program)

The CMBA board of Directors makes all decisions about the running of

Calgary’s minor basketball programs.

Attend CMBA board meetings
Meetings take place on Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. alternating between the Blackfoot Motor Inn and the Crowchild Inn.
·There are five- (5) meeting per season: September, December, February,

the Annual General Meeting in early June, and a board meeting in late

June.

Gym Coordinator: (one for whole program)

Responsible for co-coordinating practice gyms for each of the Varsity

Basketball teams.

Tasks:
- Assist Varsity Community Association as it liaises with Calgary Parks and Recreation in booking required gyms.
- Communicate with Varsity Basketball Division Co-coordinators, Managers and Coaches regarding practice gym times.
- Schedule a weekly practice time for each team.
- Distribute any available gym times to the team equitably.
- Assist Co-coordinators, Managers and Coaches problem solve with any additional gym needs.

Age Level Specialist

Any division that has enough participants for more than one team

requires a age level specialist

This person acts as a liaison between the Varsity Basketball Coordinator and the teams in his or her division
September
- Work with the Coordinator in arranging for evaluators and gym times for try-outs.
- Contact all players informing them of time and location of tryouts
- Evaluators form teams (+/-) with help from coaches.
- Age Level Specialist works with coaches and arranges with the gym coordinator, practice times that are convenient for the coach.
- Coach contacts the teams to let them know.
- Coach and Varsity Basketball Coordinator work together to decide on team placement.

o If a coach has not stepped forward for one of the teams then the Varsity Basketball Coordinator must be notified. The Coordinator will then arrange for the first practice and a parent meeting to find a coach together.

o If a coach cannot be found then the team folds and money is refunded.

o Encourage all teams to have a team manager.

o Age Level Specialist distributes seeding round schedules, balls, first aid

kits, and uniforms to coaches or team managers.

October
- Coordinator distributes regular season schedules to teams.
January
- Coordinator distributes 2nd half of season schedules to teams.

Basketball Coach (one or more per team)

Run practice once per week. Prepare practice plan in advance.
Teach appropriate basketball skills and run drills to prepare players

for their game.

Coach in game situations, substituting players as required and using

game situations to teach players.

Encourage each player to strive to meet his or her full potential

primarily in basketball but indirectly, in life as well.

Have fun along with the players, enjoying their growth and their

experience of success.

Team Manager (one per team)

This position is somewhat different from coach to coach.
You can offer to take most of the paperwork away from the coach so that he/she can concentrate on coaching.
Receive and distribute uniforms, keep track of who gets which one for the

equipment coordinator.

Receive and copy practice times, schedules and other relevant information for all team members
- Distribute above information by e-mail, or at practice.
Fill out score sheet for coach so they can prepare for the game.
Schedule parents to be minor official for each game.
Arrange for someone to help with phoning or preparing for wind up.
Collect and return uniforms to equipment coordinator at the end of the

season.

MOST OF ALL – HAVE A BLAST!!!

Developed by Jan Stanners

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