2010-11 SEASON TRAVEL BASKETBALL INFORMATION

Questions regarding the EPBBA Travel program may be directed to Jim Bengtson, EPBBA Travel Director, at . Information will also be posted at www.epbba.org.
 
Registration:
 
EPBBA registration will be held online. Players must register with the EPBBA and pay the basic EPBBA fee for their grade prior to September 24th. Refunds for all EPBBA registrants, both In-House and Travel, must be requested prior to the close of registration on September 24^th. The basic EPBBA fee will not be refunded for players not selected for a Travel team. The basic fee covers registration for the In-House season. Players not selected for a Travel team are encouraged to participate in this program. Registrations will not be accepted on the first day of Travel tryouts. Players not registered with the EPBBA will not be allowed to participate in the Travel tryouts.
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Philosophy:
 
The Travel program is designed to give boys with more advanced basketball skills the opportunity to play against stronger competition. Tryouts are open to boys that live in Eden Prairie or attend school in Eden Prairie. Travel teams compete in 10 tournaments that have been selected in advance by the EPBBA. Tournaments are held on weekends and games are played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Travel coaches may schedule one additional tournament at the team’s expense during the season. The optional tournament may not be scheduled on any of the scheduled breaks detailed below. This insures that all participants in the program will participate in an approximately the same number of tournaments and also allows for all participants and their families to have scheduled “weekends off” during the season.
 
It is expected that participation on a Travel team will be the player’s primary extra-curricular activity during the Travel season. Practices will start in mid-October and the season concludes with the State Tournament in mid-March. Participation in other activities should not conflict with the Travel tournament and practice schedule. Parents will be given a tournament schedule at, or before, the first practice of each team. It is expected that family vacations will not conflict with the team’s tournament schedule. Teams are not scheduled for tournaments or practice over Thanksgiving weekend, during the Christmas/New Year’s break, or over the President’s Day weekend. If a team adds a tournament, the added tournament should not be scheduled over these dates.
 
Participating in Travel basketball is a privilege requiring a significant time commitment from the player and his family. If participants are unable to make that commitment, they should not participate in the Travel program. In past years the number of players that desire to play Travel basketball has exceeded the number of available roster spots. The EPBBA believes that players that are willing to make a commitment to the Travel program should have a priority in participating over players that are not willing to make the required commitment.
 
It is expected that parents of Travel team participants will comply with the following:
 
 

• Bring players to practices and games on time and pick them up on time.
• Do not provide instruction or coaching from the sidelines during practices or games. This often results in a distraction to the players. Cheer and support the team, but please leave the coaching to the coaches.
• Support the efforts of your team’s coach and discuss any concerns in private with the coach. If necessary, seek the assistance of the EPBBA Travel Director or the EPBBA President in addressing concerns.
• Promote good sportsmanship and appropriate behavior at all tournaments. We represent our community when participating in these tournaments and any inappropriate behavior can have a negative impact in future years as well as having a negative impact on other Eden Prairie sports associations.
• Volunteer and work your designated shifts during the EPBBA Travel Tournament.

 
Failure to comply with these policies or a failure to follow through on a commitment to the Travel program by the player or parent will be taken into consideration in future evaluations for participation in the Travel program.

Exhibiting good sportsmanship and the development of players and their basketball skills are our primary points of emphasis. Coaches are not required to play each player equally. Coaches should play each player for at least half of each game while attempting to win. Coaches have the right to bench players for disciplinary reasons.
 
The EPBBA sponsors five travel teams in grades 5 to 8. 43 players will be selected in each grade. In the 5^th grade, players are selected first for two “A” teams of equal ability and then two “B” teams of equal ability. The fifth team selected in the 5^th grade will play at the “C” level. All teams in the 5^th grade will play at their designated level. The two “A” teams will have 8 players and the “B” and “C” teams will have 9 players.
 
In grades 6 through 8, players are first selected for an “A” team, then a “B1” team, “B2” team, “C1” team and a “C2” team. The “B1” team will play a mixed “A” and “B” schedule throughout the season. The “C1” team will play a mixed “B” and “C” schedule throughout the season. The other teams will play at their designated level. The “A” and “B1” teams will have 8 players. The “B2”, “C1” and “C2” teams will have 9 players.
 
Tryouts:
 
All boys who are interested in playing Travel basketball are encouraged to participate in the tryouts. The tryouts will be conducted and the teams will be selected by the EPBBA. Participating as evaluators in the tryouts will be the EPBBA Travel Director, EPBBA Board members, Travel team coaches and Eden Prairie High School Basketball Varsity Staff. All evaluation sessions will include evaluators independent of the Travel program and independent of the specific grade being evaluated. The tryouts consist of three sessions. No players are cut after the first session. A cut will be made after the second session. It is anticipated that from 45 to 48 players will be asked to return for the third evaluation session. At the conclusion of the final evaluation session, 43 players will be selected. The players selected to return for the third evaluation session and the rosters for the five Travel teams will be posted by last name at the tryout site and at the EPBBA website. Players that desire to learn of the results in private and who do not have Internet access may call the EPBBA Travel Director for the results. The approximate time that the results will be posted will be announced at the conclusion of the second and third tryout sessions.
 
It is important that parents and players understand that the evaluators are looking for the 43 players that will make up the best five basketball teams and not just the 43 tallest players, the 43 fastest players, or the 43 players that have the best shots. A successful and winning basketball team includes players that can rebound, play defense, pass the ball, shoot the ball and are willing to play within a team framework. Parents should encourage their sons to attempt to demonstrate all of their basketball skills during the tryouts. Players demonstrating abilities in all facets of the game and that demonstrate the ability and willingness to play as a member of a team, and not as an individual, will be more highly-rated in the evaluations than players concerned only with making as many shots as possible. Evaluations from prior year’s Travel coaches will also be taken into account in the selection of players.
 
Coaches:

Coaches will be selected by the EPBBA. Criteria used in selecting the coaches include the following:
 
 

• Previous youth coaching experience, with an emphasis in coaching basketball
• Knowledge of basketball and the ability to relate that knowledge to players
• Willingness to teach players of all skill levels and positions on the team
• Ability to make Travel coaching a priority and attend all practices and games
• Feedback from prior year’s coaching, if applicable
• Ability to provide positive reinforcement during games and practices
• Ability of the coach’s son to play at the Travel level
• Adherence to and compliance with EPBBA Travel policies

 
 
Being selected as a coach does not guarantee that a coach’s son will be placed upon a Travel team, or that he will be placed on a team at a certain level. The players are placed upon teams based upon the evaluations. This season, up to five coaches will be selected in each grade prior to the tryouts depending upon the number of candidates in each grade and the needs of the program. It is possible that additional coaches will be interviewed and selected during the tryout process. This has occurred in the past when it appeared that the coaches that were pre-selected will still leave a coaching opening at one of the playing levels, or when the son of a pre-selected coach is cut during the tryouts. Final coaching assignments will be made during the tryouts. Every effort will be made to have coaches selected prior to the posting of the team selections. It is possible that at the conclusion of the tryouts a team may not have a coach. In that event, the parents of the players selected will be contacted seeking a volunteer to coach the team. In the event no parent volunteers to coach, the EPBBA will attempt to hire a paid coach. The cost of the paid coach will be the responsibility of the participants on that team.
 
Tryout Dates And Times:
 
Tryouts consist of three separate sessions. A player must attend all three sessions to be selected for a Travel team. Vacations, family commitments, or other sports activities are not reasons that will allow a player to miss a tryout session. Uncontrollable or unforeseeable family emergencies preventing attendance will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the Travel Director and the EPBBA Officers. These situations may also be handled under the injury and illness rules detailed below at the discretion of the EPBBA.
 
If a player is unable to participate due to injury or illness, the parent of the player must contact the Travel Director prior to the tryout session. At that time the EPBBA rules governing placing injured or ill players on a Travel team will be reviewed with the parent. Players that are injured or ill at the time of tryouts may still be placed on a Travel team at the time of the initial team selection. The primary factors involved in making this determination include:
 
Anticipated recovery time: If a player is not expected to be able to participate in basketball until after December 14th, they will not be placed on a team at the time of the initial team selection but may utilize a mid-season evaluation when they are physically able to play. If a player is not expected to recover until after January 30th, they will not be placed on a team and will not be able to utilize a mid-season evaluation.
 
A player’s past participation in the EPBBA: A player’s former coaches will be consulted to obtain an evaluation of the player and the level of his play. This may involve discussions with both Travel and In-House coaches.
 
The EPBBA in its sole discretion will determine if players are allowed, or required, to participate in a mid-season evaluation. Mid-season evaluations consist of a player participating in practices with the team at the level they desire to try out for. The Travel Director, EPBBA Officers and the coaches from the specific grade level will watch the player participate in a practice or series of practices and if the player is determined to be better than 50% of the players on the team, he will be placed upon that team for the balance of the season. The player will pay the full Travel fee regardless of the length of the season remaining. A player may try out for a team at one level and if not placed at that level, may be placed on a team or try out for a team at another level. Players participating in mid-season evaluations may also be placed on teams to replace players originally selected but the suffering an injury subsequent to tryouts. Players missing tryouts for reasons other than injury, illness or unforeseeable family emergency may not utilize the mid-season evaluation process for placement on a Travel team. Unless a player is bedridden as a result of injury or illness, they must still attend the tryout session even if they are unable to participate. The EPBBA reserves the right to require confirmation from the player’s doctor as to the extent of his injury or illness and the anticipated recovery time.
 
Tryouts will take place on Sunday, September 26th, Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday, October 3^rd. Both Sunday tryout sessions will take place at the EP High School Gym (EPHS). The Saturday tryout sessions will take place at Central Middle School (CMS). The specific tryout schedule for each grade is as follows:
 
 
 5^th Grade:  Sunday, September 26: 10:30-11:00 check-in; 11:00-12:30 tryouts
                   Saturday, October 2: 1:30-1:45 check-in; 1:45-3:00 tryouts AT CMS                        
                  Sunday, October 3: 9:45-10:00 check-in; 10:00-11:15 tryouts
 
6^th Grade:  Sunday, September 26: 12:30-1:00 check-in; 1:00-2:15 tryouts
                  Saturday, October 2: 11:30-11:45 check-in; 11:45-1:00 tryouts AT CMS                  
                 Sunday, October 3: 11:45-12:00 check-in; 12:00-1:15 tryouts
 


7^th Grade: Sunday, September 26: 2:15-2:45 check-in; 2:45-4:00 tryouts
                  Saturday, October 2: 3:30-3:45 check-in; 3:45-5:00 tryouts   AT CMS          
                 Sunday, October 3: 2:45-3:00 check-in; 3:00-4:15 tryouts
 
8^th Grade:  Sunday, September 26: 4:00-4:30 check-in; 4:30-5:45 tryouts
                  Saturday, October 2: 5:30-5:45 check-in; 5:45-7:00 tryouts   AT CMS          
                 Sunday, October 3: 4:45-5:00 check-in; 5:00-6:15 tryouts
 
           
Parents are not allowed in the gym during tryouts unless they are participating in the evaluation process. There are no exceptions to this rule.
 
A parent information meeting will take place on the first day of tryouts at 11:00AM in the Activity Center Classroom. All parents are welcome to attend. Parents of 5^th graders and those new to the Travel program are strongly encouraged to attend. This meeting is for parents only. Players should report to EPHS at their designated check-in time.
 
Travel Team Fees:

Fees for participation on Travel teams include the basic EPBBA registration fee and an additional Travel fee of $275. The basic EPBBA registration fee is paid during September registration. The Travel fee is collected at the last session of the tryouts from all players selected to participate in the last session. The Travel fee must be paid on that date. If a player is not selected for a Travel team, the check for the Travel fee will be destroyed. Parents and players should be aware that there are additional costs for participation in the Travel program that are the responsibility of the participants. The estimated additional costs could total approximately $550 - $650. These costs include admission fees for the tournaments, expenses of traveling to and from the tournaments and overnight lodging and food costs at the Rochester tournament. These costs are not included in the fees paid to the EPBBA.
 
Parents of the Travel team participants are required to assist at the EP Tournament on December 3rd-5th. In addition to the Travel fee of $275, players selected for the last day of tryouts will bring a second check in the amount of $100. This check will serve as a deposit requiring the parents to work their designated shifts at the EP Tournament. If the parents decline to help at the EP Tournament, the $100 will be used to reimburse the EPBBA for the hiring of tournament workers. Tournament deposit checks from players not selected for a Travel team will be destroyed. Deposit checks from players whose parents work their assigned shifts will be destroyed.
 
Thank you for reviewing this information and for considering participation in the Travel program. We’re proud of the basketball experience we offer the participants in this program and look forward to another enjoyable basketball season.
 
Eden Prairie Boys Basketball Association