Minnetonka Boys Basketball Association

MBBA POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Eligibility:

Eligibility to participate is determined by grade, not age.
Eligible players are those boys either attending a Minnetonka School District elementary or middle school or residing in the Minnetonka School District (if attending a non-district school).
The minimum grade that a player must be entering in order to try out for an MBBA team is 3rd grade.
Proof of grade level and a copy of the player's birth certificate will be collected each year as proof of eligibility; for use primarily for Minnesota state tournament entry.

Number of Teams:

The number of teams sponsored and run by the MBBA is generally anticipated each year to be 2 at the 4th grade level and 3 at the 5th - 8th grade levels. The eventual number will be determined during the annual tryout process and may be lowered or raised each year based on player evaluations, at the discretion of the MBBA board.

Practices:

Beginning in mid-to-late October, each team will practice a minimum of two times per week.
Gym availability, player/team progress and tournament schedules may produce additional practices.
Practices will last approximately 90 minutes.
Practice times are affected by space availability and will generally be scheduled on weeknights.
Players may have late evening practices on school nights due to gym availability.
There may be some Wednesday and/or Friday night practices.
Attendance at all scheduled practices is a team requirement. Conflicts must be discussed with the team coach in advance of any absence.

Games:

All games are played in tournament format as hosted by various metro-area boys basketball programs, including the Minnetonka Holiday Tournament in December.
5th through 8th grade teams will participate in 30-40 games (10-12 weekends).
4th grade teams will participate in 20-30 games (6-7 weekends).
Tournament weekends begin in early November and continue to mid-March.
Tournaments typically run from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon.
5th - 8th grade teams will usually participate in two MN state tournaments in March.

Fees:

Traveling fees cover the cost of tournaments, coaches' salaries, equipment and uniform costs.
Annual fees for all MBBA players will be determined each year during the budgeting process and will be communicated during the tryout process.
For families with more than one player in the MBBA, the traveling team fee for each additional child will be reduced by a set amount, historically $50.
The fees must be submitted in the form of two checks payable to the MBBA, one for the traveling team fee and a second for $50.00, which will be returned following the fulfillment of your parental obligation to work a 3-5 hour shift at the Minnetonka Holiday Tournament (our primary fundraiser event held in December)
Players/teams may elect to purchase sweatshirts, gym bags, or other items at an additional player expense. Items are ordered at the October parent/player meeting.
Financial assistance in the form of scholarships may be available on a confidential basis by contacting the MBBA President.
All fees are due at the initial meeting of players, parents and coaches which will be held in early October, and must be paid before your son will be allowed to practice.

Program Committment:

Each player and parent will be asked to make a written commitment affirming the mission and goals of the MBBA. This commitment acknowledges your son's and your understanding of and agreement with team expectations as a player and as a parent. If you find the commitment or expectations for traveling basketball too rigorous, there is a house league program sponsored by Minnetonka Community Education.

Tryout Policies:

MBBA provides an opportunity for Minnetonka youth to participate in an enriched and competitive basketball program. Potential players must participate in the tryout process.

All teams are formed based on grade level, not age level
Each participant will be represented by a number, not by name. Numbers will be assigned alphabetically. Players are broken up into groups of 7-11 by number, not by position, height, or any other factor.
Each group rotates through the drills and evaluators score their observations. The 3 on 3 and 5 on 5 'teams' are also formed from these groups with no consideration for height, position, etc. Attempt will be made to change teams up from 3 on 3 to 5 on 5.
A player may try out for an older grade level, but he may not try out for a younger grade level than he presently attends. In order to make an older grade team, the player must be a consensus dominant player on the "A" team of that higher grade level at each tryout session, as determined by the tryout evaluators and coaches.
All players wishing to be considered for a traveling tournament team are expected to participate in each scheduled session of the tryout process. Attendance exceptions and accommodations will only be considered when arranged with the MBBA Tryout Coordinators and/or MBBA President in advance of the tryouts. Exceptions and accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis only for compelling and extenuating circumstances (in the MBBA's discretion). Note: missing a tryout session could negatively affect a boy's chances of being placed on a team.
Tryouts will occur over three days, and players will participate with the grade level for which they are trying out. The tryout days may be reduced to two days based upon the number of participants and the judgment of the evaluators and coaches that a third tryout day is not necessary for player selection and team assignment.
The coaches of the respective teams, in consultation with non-coach evaluators, conduct the tryouts and determine player selections and team assignments.
The intent of the tryout process is to conduct an impartial, objective and accurate assessment of each player's basketball skills and ability to develop and succeed in a "team" basketball context.
The tryout process will include the assessment of a player's skill level in various areas, including shooting, ball handling, rebounding, passing, game/court awareness, defensive ability, footwork, agility/athleticism, conditioning, communication, movement with and without the ball, on-court decisions, energy/hustle, effort/attitude and team concept.
Player positions may be considered in player selections and team assignments, so as to avoid an all-guard or all-post team.
No parental contact with evaluators or coaches will be permitted during the tryout process, and all questions, comments and concerns/issues should be directed to the MBBA Tryout Coordinators.
Parents of participants are not permitted to attend or observe the tryout sessions.
Participants will typically be notified the day following session 2 if they will be invited to attend the final tryout session. Players will typically be notified whether or not they have been selected for a traveling team and the team for which they were selected on the day following the final tryout session. All notification will be done via postings on this website.
Coaches will designate alternates from the next level team to fill a roster spot should a vacancy exist or the need arise.
The MBBA will attempt to provide meaningful feedback to players about their performance during the tryout process (to the extent feasible). The scope of this feedback may be affected by the number of tryout participants. This feedback will also be available from the Tryout Coordinators after the completion of the tryouts process, upon request.

Tryout Assessments:

The tryout process will include individual and group drills and activities designed to assess a player's skill level in various areas, including shooting (including layups, free throws and outside shots off the dribble and passes), ball handling (both hands), rebounding, passing, game/court awareness, defensive ability, footwork, agility/athleticism, conditioning, communication, movement with and without the ball, energy/hustle, effort/attitude and team concept (offensive and defensive). Each tryout session will include 3 on 3 and 5 on 5 scrimmages to assess players' skills and on-court decisions in game situations. Please note: 3 on 3 and 5 on 5 scrimmages are not measureable metrics in and of themselves, but rather means of creating game-like situations by which individual skills (such as court vision, teamwork, defense, etc) can be observed. There is no value or evaluation tied to results of these scrimmages - game score is irrelevant.

Tryout Evaluation Process:

The MBBA coaches for their respective grade are in the gym evaluating the players and are responsible for selecting the players they feel will allow them to field competitive travelling teams in thier grade. MBBA board members are in the gym assisting with drills and the overall organization of the tryout sessions. Depending upon need and availability, outside evaluators may be used (at the discretion of the Board). Non-Board participants (ie, high school assistant coaches) may assist with the organization and execution of drills, but will not evaluate. No board member is allowed to assist in a gym in which they have a son trying out. Coaches make the final decisions with respect to team formation. Please note: all boys are considered to have a 'fresh start.' Any prior experience in the MBBA tryout process or participation on a former MBBBA team will not be taken in consideration during evaluations. Past participation does not guarantee a spot on any team.