ABA CELTICS TEAM SELECTION AND BALANCING PROCESS

The ABA Celtics uses a team selection and balancing process in determining player placement on teams from the U12 age level (grades 5 and 6) up to U18 age level. We discourage the use of the term “tryout” as the best players will not necessarily be placed on a tier one team. But there are some competitive teams that will have formal tryouts.

U10 players (grades 2, 3 and 4) will generally play with their friends and neighbors and classmates. At this level it is about fun, new skills, positive attitudes (NOT necessarily winning). At this entry level, we are interested in new players enjoying the basketball experience, and having fun with their friends. We also want new players to learn new skills and develop a positive attitude towards involvement in team sports.

All players at each age level will participate in a team selection and balancing process. This process is to determine which players have similar skills and we attempt to place these players together on the same team. Other items also come into play when selecting teams, such as a players coachability, work ethic, attitude, effort, etc.

We believe players have a better experience and more fun when they play with others who have similar skills. It is always nice to be with your friends, but we also believe that it is also good for players to make new friends and to play basketball with players from various neighborhoods in Dartmouth.

The Division Coordinators and Coaches who will coach in that division usually determine the final selection of players on teams. We may bring in a third impartial party, generally a coach from another division or a member of the executive, to help determine team selections. Team selections are usually carried on over one or more practice sessions involving most of the players in that age group.

Coaches coaching in the same age group will work together to pick teams. We make every effort to place every player on a team who registers to play. Of course, this depends on coach availability and gym availability. If we cannot accommodate all players, we will consider the amount of time returning players have played with the club, skill level, attitude, coachability, work ethic, etc.   

We are aware that other factors may come into the selection process: friends wanting to play with friends, choice of practice day or time, car pooling and the history of previous experiences. We will try and accommodate requests to match players with friends on the same team, but only if they have skills needed for the level of team they will be on. We are also mindful of the fact that occassionally keeping an experienced ball handler, passer or rebounder on a lower division team so they can have more “touches” and better develop their skills if it is likely that their touches would be restricted on a higher level team.