Traveling Program Directors Rick Wynveen, Girls
9051 68th St N
Stillwater, MN 55082
651-770-9577
rbwynveen@aol.com
Mike Mustar, Boys
245 Hallam Avenue South
Mahtomedi, MN 55115
651-426-1131
mustarm@stillwater.k12.mn.us
Traveling Team Schedules Introduction
This information is intended to help parents, players, and coaches understand what our traveling programs are all about. These established guidelines have been used by the Mahtomedi Basketball Association consistently over the years and are strictly adhered to. The MBA strongly supports having multiple traveling teams at each grade level provided sufficient player turn-out.
It should be noted that MBA has made three changes to the traveling program for the upcoming season:
1. We have added, on a pilot basis, a 4th grade traveling team option for both boys and girls. You will note below that the 4th grade traveling teams will play a less intensive schedule (5 weekends), but will play against a higher level of competition and benefit from 2 practices each week.
2. The schedule for 5th and 6th grade girls Blue teams have been reduced to 8 weekend tournaments (from the previous 10 tournaments).
3. The MBA will no longer be administrating the 9th grade traveling program. Instead, the Mahtomedi High School basketball programs will handle all 9th grade basketball activities. Thus, the HS program will run evaluations and select a 9th grade traveling team to compliment their 9th grade school program, by playing additional tournaments in February and March, following the end of their school season. Additional information is available from the High School basketball coaching staff.
Player Selection Process A maximum of 10 players are selected for each team. The members of a team are selected through a tryout process. The tryout process consists of player evaluations done by evaluators who will not coach or have children playing at the age level they are evaluating. Evaluators are board members or other qualified volunteers all of whom have considerable basketball playing and coaching experience. During the evaluation process a number identifies each player rather than names to further assure anonymity.
Each player is evaluated and given a score on six essential skills the board has determined are important to playing basketball. Specific skill drills are used to evaluate the first five skill areas of dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding and defense.
The players are then divided into teams and they scrimmage for the evaluation of the sixth skill - game sense. Points from the drills and scrimmage are added together and the players are ranked by point value from highest to lowest. A board member who will not coach or have children playing at the age level tallies the points.
The evaluation process will be divided into two Parts. Part I of the evaluation process (held on Saturday, 9/20/08) will consist of skills drills and some scrimmage time. Part II of the evaluation process (held on Tuesday, 9/23/08 or Thursday, 9/25/08) will consist of additional scrimmage activity. In the event that the evaluation groups are relatively small and the evaluators feel they have had ample opportunity to review the players during the Part I evaluation time, they may elect to forgo the additional scrimmage session. In such case, the players will be notified of that decision as early as possible. Players must attend both Part I and Part II of the evaluation process, in cases where both part are utilized. The evaluation times and dates have been selected in an attempt to avoid any conflicts with fall sports contests.
For the 4th and 5th grade teams, the top 10 ranked (by points) players constitute the team. Once player selection is completed, the parents of players who have made the team or others who are interested in being the head coach will present their coaching credentials, coaching philosophy, and experience to the board. The board will then make the final selection of the head coaches for the 4th and 5th grade girls and boys teams. The head coaches then select the assistant coaches. The interview process and selection of coaches for Traveling teams will be done at the October 8, 2008 MBA Board meeting. Please notify the traveling directors as soon as possible if you are interested in coaching a traveling team.
For all grades other than 4th and 5th, the head coaches frequently carry over from the previous year. Determining factors include a requirement that the child of the head coach from the previous year must score in the top 10 players in the evaluation and feedback received on how the team was coached the previous year has been positive. The board reviews every head coaching position each year. The board may interview and select other candidates if they feel it will benefit the program.
After the head coach is selected, the head coach selects the assistant coaches and may have input to the final team selection. The coach must select eight of the top ten rated players. The final two players may be selected on team needs, e.g. height for additional post players, need for a ball handler, etc. No player can be selected who has received less than half the total possible points. The coaches present their selection to a small committee of board members for final approval. The selection committee strongly encourages and supports the selection of the top 10 ranking players, and will only support the selection of lower ranked players for very clear and supported reasons - that support the objective of improving the team.
For the most part, there is delineation in player ability and the selection process is generally straightforward. In cases where there are tough decisions, further evaluations may be held to determine the final selections. Our goal is to be objective and fair, but not everyone will make a traveling team.
Evaluation Criteria
As stated previously, each player is evaluated on specific skills determined to be important to playing basketball. The drills utilized in the evaluations are designed to test each skill category and evaluators are guided on the evaluation criteria for each skill set with the goal of consistent, fair and proper evaluations. The focus points of evaluators are often very different than that of players and parents as the evaluators are current or former coaches and they are looking for proper form and ability, rather than simple success on a drill. For example, in shooting drills, players/parents are most often reviewing the number of shots made while evaluators are reviewing the key focus points of the evaluation such as proper shooting form, balance, etc. The evaluators are less concerned with number of shots made, and more concerned with the proper form that will translate into better shooters and better players in the future. As such, to assure that evaluators, players and families understand the evaluation focus points on each skill, they are outlined as follows:
1. Shooting: Proper form - elbow in, good follow through, good balance, correct hand positioning on ball, proper release, use of leg strength, ability to stop and shoot without dribble
2. Passing: Good form, strong/crisp passes, proper touch when necessary, accuracy, proper timing, ability to use both hands
3. Ball handling: Eyes up, legs bent, control of ball, proper hand/finger contact with ball (not carrying the ball), ability to increase speed and maintain control, ability to change directions and maintain control, ability to use both hands
4. Rebounding: strong/wide body positioning, willingness to make/take contact, aggressive pursuit of ball, proper timing, anticipation and positioning, hustle
5. Defense: proper body positioning (on balls of feet, legs bent, backside low, hands ready not reaching), movement of feet, quick directional change, ability to cut-off drive, ability to contest shot, ability and desire to recover when necessary, hustle
6. Game Sense (evaluated during scrimmage): TEAM PLAY (we are not focusing on individual scoring we are looking for team players), getting the ball to the open player, setting screens properly and at appropriate times, help defense, understanding balance on the floor, hustle, proper aggressiveness, ability to make everyone else on the floor better.
Team Options
For the upcoming 2008/2009 basketball season, the MBA will continue to utilize a format that will provide some flexibility in the level of play that a player/family select. The following will outline the general options:
Blue Traveling Team (highest level of competition)
Participants will have two weekday evening practices and participate in 10 full weekend tournaments throughout the season, plus a State traveling tournament. Players must participate in a tryout and meet basic skill requirements. Limited roster of 10 players (no more, no less).
The exceptions to Blue schedules are as follows:
4th grade (boys and girls): Will play in a traveling league on 5 weekends during the year, as well as the State traveling tournament.
5th and 6th grade girls: Will play in 8 full weekend tournaments, plus the State traveling tournament.
Gold Traveling Team (intermediate level of competition)
In the event that a sufficient number of interested players have signed up and a Blue team is filled, a Gold team (or more than one Gold team) may be established. Participants will have two weekday evening practices and participate in one or two full weekend tournaments, but primarily participate in 8 or 9 one day tournaments or one day traveling league events. Ultimately, the Gold teams will also play on 10 weekends, plus the State traveling tournament. Players must participate in a tryout and meet basic skill requirements. Limited roster of 10 players (no more, no less).
White In-house teams
Participants practice one evening a week and have a game on Saturday either in Mahtomedi or a community in the suburbs of Saint Paul. All players are required to participate in a skills evaluation process, but the evaluation results are only used to assist in establishing equal teams. All players will be placed on a team.
From a procedural standpoint, the following rules have been adopted to guide the establishment of the traveling teams:
There will be only one Blue team for each grade level
At each grade level, a Blue team must be established before a Gold level team can be established
Subject to gym availability, a sufficient number of qualified players and tournament opportunities, there may be more than one Gold team at each level.
Playing Time
On our Traveling teams we think it is very important that all players be allowed to perform during game situations. The board has established the following expectations for playing time:
At the 4th, 5th and 6th grade levels, all players will be given equal playing time in each game.
At the 7th and 8th grade level, all players will be given equal playing time during the first three quarters of the game, but during the 4th quarter coaches may utilize players as they deem in the best interest of the team.
Tournaments
Blue traveling teams in grades 5 8 will play in 10 tournaments held on weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from November through March, with 3 to 5 games per tournament as well as the state tournament at the end of the season. Gold Traveling teams would play in a traveling league and a number of one day tournaments, as well as several full weekend tournaments. Traveling basketball can be a significant time commitment requiring travel (generally within the Twin Cities metro area with one exception). For perspective, the Boys Blue traveling teams will play tournaments in Eagan, Centennial, Roseville, Eastview, North St. Paul, Tartan, Woodbury, White Bear Lake, Mankato and Mahtomedi. Our Girls Blue traveling team will play tournaments in Mankato, Roseville, North St. Paul, Cottage Grove, Anoka, Blaine, Forest Lake, Tartan, Eastview and Mahtomedi.
As mentioned above, Blue traveling teams (boys and girls) at the 4th grade level will play in a traveling league on Saturdays of 5 weekends throughout the year, at a location to be determined.
The Mahtomedi Basketball Association sponsors a Girls Tournament (December 6& 7, 2008) and a Boys Tournament (February 28, 2008 and March 1, 2009). Parents of each traveling team player are expected to work a minimum of two hours during the tournament. We try to plan for parents of girls traveling players working at the boys tournament and parents of boys traveling players working at the girls tournament. Your coach will contact you regarding the times assigned for your team. This is a major fundraiser for our program so please do your part.
Summary
Our teams, coaches, and players are not pre-selected. Every effort is made to assure that the evaluation process is comprehensive and impartial, and the ultimate team selection process follows the evaluation results and treats every player fairly.
The child of a coach from a previous year does not automatically make a team they can only earn a spot through the evaluation process. The corollary to this is that until the child of the coach from the previous year makes the team, the final determination of the coach is not made.
Evaluators are board members or other qualified volunteers all of whom have considerable basketball playing and coaching experience. Evaluators cannot have a child at the age level they are evaluating to assure impartiality.
A board member who will not coach or have children playing at the age level tallies the points from the evaluation.
Questions
If you have questions about the selection process or the Traveling program, please contact Bob Donohoe, President 426-4873, Mike Mustar, Boys Traveling Director , 426-1131 and/or Rick Wynveen, Girls Traveling Director, 770-9577.
The MBA Board works hard to ensure integrity in our processes. Wherever possible, there are checks and balances. We volunteer so all our players can learn to play the game and develop a love for the game of basketball. There is no way we can make everyone happy; but above all, we work hard to be fair. We elect board members every year. Please consider joining the board at the Mahtomedi Basketball Association Annual Meeting and Board election in May.
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