1. What does the registration fee include?
The registration fee includes registration fees for Calgary Minor Basketball, uniform and equipment use, practice gym rental, and coach training and player development subsidy. Your registration fees also help to cover costs of administration wages, board insurance, and those associated with the running of an association. Your registration does not include personal equipment such as shoes, mouth guards, athletic braces, team gear (hoodies, track pants etc), or individual training or additional gym time in excess of that allotted your team.
2. When does registration open?
Registration usually opens around June 1st on a "first come-first placed" system. Up to the first 10-12 players registered are guaranteed a team placement. Registration will remain open until rosters are adequate sizes and/or frozen by Calgary Minor Association roster deadline.
3. Can I get my registration fee back if my child withdraws?
Players who wish to withdraw must contact the CoMBA administrator, copying the association president, directly in writing (i.e. email) prior to August 1st. Players who withdraw prior to August 1st will receive a full refund minus a $50 administration fee. After August 1st, no refunds will be issued, unless accompanied by a medical note.
U15 players who are confident they will make their High School team are strongly encouraged to play U18 that has two separate seasons.
Should no spots become available for a player who is on a wait list, a full refund will be issued. U18 winter sessions for CoMBA will be determined on demand each winter.
Other withdrawals with special circumstances (e.g. medical issues) are dealt with on an individual basis.
4. Why does basketball registration start so early?
It is Cochrane Minor Basketball's goal to ensure a place for every player who wants to play. Numbers such as 14 mean players may be turned away, as 14 players on a team is too big and 2 teams of 7 players is too small. We need time to address short benches and divisions that do not divide well into two teams. In order to determine the need for evaluations and secure gym time, equipment allocation, coaches and uniforms we must have a clear idea of the number of players well in advance. Gym space is a premium in Cochrane, and in the event our demand is greater than availability we must act quickly to accommodate.
The deadline for final registration is in mid-September we must determine the number of teams to register with Calgary Minor Basketball and pay our non-refundable registration fee for each team in full. After rosters freeze in mid October we are no longer permitted to add, or change, team rosters.
5. Can I pick my coach?
The size of the league prevents us from being able to manage this request. Requests cannot be accepted for specific coaches or to be placed with certain players/friends. There are too many to accommodate.
Parents/coaches should not entice others to play "with them" or on their children's team. Until evaluations, parents, coaches, and players are not aware of who has already registered or their level of skill, and therefore team assignment. Nor is the coach able to state that you can be on his/her team, as we must ensure proper placement of all players is achieved, through an objective evaluation process. In some situations, we will ask coaches/players to recruit other players if we are trying to fill a team at the last minute. But we cannot guarantee which team the new recruits will be placed on until they are evaluated.
6. How are teams formed?
Registration to a team is on a "first come, first serve" basis. The first 12 (13 with board approval) players will be assured a spot to play. If an age group is full the player will be placed on a wait list until registrations reach a total that will support an A and a B roster.
Where numbers warrant more than one team in an age category CoMBA will hold evaluations to determine player placement. The desire is to field as competitive a team as possible with the available players. Accordingly, players will be placed on the team for which their abilities are most compatible.
Each season CoMBA has an evaluation committee who evaluates players, determines player placement and suggests team placement within Calgary Minor Basketball’s divisions. Decisions of this committee are as unbiased as possible and if required, in consultation with the Board. All decisions are final.
Player evaluation schedules can be found on our website. http://cochraneminorbasketball.com/content/evaluation-schedule---to-be-updated-when-gyms-are-confirmed
7. Can my child play up in a higher age group?
You may request that your child be moved up to a higher age group, however, such requests will be considered on an individual basis, and require board and Calgary Minor Basketball approval. "Playing up" will only be considered if there is roster space at the higher age group, and the player will be required to evaluate with both his/her age group and the requested division.
8. Are there a maximum number of players in a division or on a team?
We try our very best to allow every player who registers to be placed on a team. We field as many teams as we can, providing we can supply all teams with a sufficient number of players and coaches. We typically do not have more than 12 players on a team. If there are too many children for a team, the player(s) that registered last are put on a wait list. The maximum number of players that Calgary Minor Basketball allows on a team is 14. We cannot exceed this number.
9. How long is the league season?
Players are evaluated starting the second or third week in September and are subsequently placed on a team. Games start the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend. There is a Christmas break and then games resume in January and go until the first or second week in March. If a team goes to Provincials, Provincials are typically the third or fourth week in March.
The U18/High School (16-18 year old) division starts their season earlier in order to be done the first half of the season before high school basketball starts up. Evaluations are done the second week in September and games usually start the third weekend in September and finish by the end of November. If there are a sufficient number of players to register a winter team, the winter team plays from January to the first or second weekend in March
10. Where/when are the games and practices?
Most teams practice in Cochrane, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, at either Spray Lakes Sawmill Family Sports Centre or at school gyms. We do reserve the right to change these days due to facility availability. Prior to league commencement, the days and times will be confirmed, after which a team’s practices are held on the same day, at the same location and at the same time each week. Occasionally, adjustments must be made (due to, for example, a school being unavailable for a special event) and the practice needs to be moved to a different day, location and/or time. CoMBA tries to give as much notice as possible in these situations.
Games are usually on Saturdays in Calgary and can be in all quadrants of the city. CoMBA has no control over where a team plays. Calgary Minor Basketball arranges the game schedules and locations.
11. As a parent, do I have a responsibility to my child's team?
We hope that all parents make the most of the basketball season by getting actively involved in the program (it tends to be a lot more fun if you do!). A player's parents are required to volunteer in a specific capacity unless they choose instead to provide a volunteer donation of $150 per registered player. There are many roles on a team that can be fulfilled such as coach/co-coach/assistant coach, equipment manager, team manager, year-end party planner, etc. Each team must supply a scorekeeper or timekeeper, and a gym monitor for each game. These duties are not included in the obligated volunteer hours.
Players (and parents) are asked to understand that a commitment to a weekly practice and game is essential. We expect all participants to attend weekly practices as well as all games. If you know in advance that you are unable to attend a practice or game on a certain day, we ask that you please notify the coach(es).
12. Can I participate in running the basketball program or another role?
Absolutely. We are always looking for volunteers to assist with all aspects of the program from coaching to merchandising to being a board member. All we ask is that you enjoy supporting kids and appreciate the value of athletics in the development of our youth. If you are interested in finding out more, please email our administrator, cochraneminorbasketballassoc@gmail.com.
13. If I have a complaint, how do I let someone know about it?
the 48 hour rule is in effect for all coaches, parents, spectators, volunteers and players. For all feedback, suggestions, concerns and complaints, it is required that 48 hours elapse prior to approaching or discussing the issue at hand.
If you have a concern/complaint regarding the team your child plays on, we encourage you to communicate your concern directly to one of the coaches or your team manager, and work to resolve it together. If this does not result in a satisfactory resolution, you may contact the current president and discuss your concerns. If you are still unable to resolve the issue, a formal complaint can be submitted in writing to the President after which a Discipline Committee will be convened to address your concerns. Please refer to the complaint procedure tab on the website for the official steps.
If your concern involves something "external" to Cochrane Minor Basketball such as a referee's competency or a coach's inappropriate behaviour from the opposing team, there is a game report form that can be completed and submitted on the Calgary Minor Basketball website.
14. Does the rule of "fair play" apply during games?
Yes. Coaches are responsible for playing all players listed on the score sheet for a significant and meaningful amount of time per quarter of each game. All players listed on the score sheet must play in each period of the game unless excused due to illness, injury, late arrival or for disciplinary reasons.
It is important to recognize that 'fair play' does not mean 'equal play' and the expectation that court time be equal is not reasonable. The frequency of whistles, number of players on the bench and speed of a 'run time' game make this impossible, and an unrealistic expectation of coaches.
If a player is sat for disciplinary reasons, these reasons must be communicated to the child prior to the discipline and the action must be followed up with the child by the coaches, and including parents where warranted.
Parents are responsible for speaking with the coach if they feel their child is not being treated fairly.
15. Is there a program available for my child that is younger than 9 years of age?
Yes. There is a skill development program geared for 6 to 8 year olds. It is a one hour session once per week with instructors who introduce the fundamental aspects of basketball. Informal, non-competitive, developmental games of 4 on 4, scrimmages are played as part of this program.
16. If my child is younger than 9 years old, can he/she play in the regular league?
There are situations where 7 or 8 year olds are permitted to play in the Mini Division (9 and 10 year olds). The decision to allow this is based on the child's previous basketball experience and maturity level. There must be room on the mini roster for underage players and players will be objectively evaluated as to their maturity and skill in a 1-2 hour skill evaluations. We are aware that this is a small window of time in which to assess a child's skill level, however, it is often very evident to both parents and evaluators when a child is not ready for competitive play.
17. How is my child insured?
Your child is insured by ABA and Canada Basketball through the additional fee packages added at registration. Please go here for more information. https://www.abbasketball.ca/
18. Where do I go to take the SafeSport training required by CoMBA?
https://safesport.coach.ca/participants-training