Aberfeldie Jets Resource Bank

VOLUNTEERING

Aberfeldie Jets are always looking for volunteers to help the Club in various ways:

• Coaches: we are always on the look out for Coaches and Assistant Coaches.
• Team Managers: Each team needs a Team Manager to keep them organised.
• Committee members: Our Club is managed by a Committee. All committee members hold different roles and have varying levels of commitment. These roles are ideal for parents or older players looking to get involved, drive change and shape the direction of our fantastic Club.

All volunteers require a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) and must be able to uphold and sign a Basketball Victoria Member Protection Statutory Declaration (MPSD).

If you are interested in volunteering please email admin@aberfeldiejets.com.au.

HOW OFTEN IS TRAINING & WHERE IS TRAINING HELD?

Accommodating training sessions for over 115 teams is a hard task, however we think we do a pretty good job of it. Training days and times vary according to when we can fit teams into our training schedule. Players train with their team, not their age group. The Club has no set day or time for a whole age group – eg. U12.1 boys could train Monday at 6.00pm, U12.2 boys on Wednesday at 4:30pm and U12.3 boys on Thursday at 5:30pm.

We aim to keep our younger sides training in the earlier time slots (4.30pm through to 6.30pm), whilst older sides can train up until 9:30pm. Training sessions are an hour long and training is held in local venues with a indoor court, with present training venues including; primary and secondary schools and a church hall in the Moonee Valley municipality.

To ensure our ongoing use of these facilities we need to ensure that we are respectful of these facilities and follow the school’s rules. One of Basketball Victoria’s codes of conduct that you will agree to comply with upon joining is to “always respect the use of facilities and equipment provided. Facilities and equipment cost money and will only function properly if kept in good order. Ensure that you do not abuse anything provided for use.” Another code of conduct that relates to both parents and spectators is to “keep children in your care under control.”

Players must not to be left unattended at the training venue until the coach is present, especially important in the U10-U16 age group. After training, all children should be collected promptly. The club bears no responsibility for children left at the gym outside their designated training hours or not in the presence of their coach. 

COVID restrictions currently prevent parents and siblings being in attendance during team training sessions.

During non COVID times when siblings may be present at training, they need to be actively supervised by their parents and must not climb on railings or ropes in the gym, nor play on the court while teams are training. They are not permitted to play in the toilets nor to run around outside on the school grounds or car parks. The club will not bear liability should a sibling become injured or cause material damage during training time, that responsibility will fall to the parents of the child involved. 

Children who are not part of the team training are not permitted to train with the team unless written permission is obtained from the Aberfeldie Jets Admin Officer. There are no exceptions to this rule. Coaches or Team Managers cannot grant permission for non team members to train under any circumstance.

The Club’s training policies can be found at the links below:

• Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club Training Time slots – Policy, Principles and Priorities
• Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club Training behaviour policy

If you are a Coach requesting to change your training day/time, please complete the request form here.

TEAM MANAGERS

A Team Manager is a highly organised fantastic individual that acts as the glue in each team. The Team Manager’s role is to maintain the general running of a team to free up the coach to concentrate on the coaching and training aspects of the team. Team Mangers work closely with the Coach to bring about a high level of team spirit & camaraderie within the team. A Team Manager is the liaison person between team/coach/parents/players and the Club administration.

Duties:

• Ensure all families are on Team App so they receive Club communications
• Ensure that families know when and where the games are being played each round
• Ensure that all families know how to score using PlayHQ
• Prepare and distribute a scoring roster to all families in the team. It is a requirement of playing with Aberfeldie Jets that each family provides a person who can take their turn on the score bench at games. Team Managers should ensure that parents/helpers who are unable to score on their rostered game arrange a swap with another parent/helper. It is generally not the role of the Team Manager to score each week as they will be supporting the players and Coach during the game. It is often useful to include the names of the parents and a contact number on the scoring roster.
• Ensure that all players are in the correct playing uniform before each game. The royal blue uniform is worn in all matches, the only exception being when you play another Aberfeldie Jets team, where the first named team on the fixture wears whites, and the team named second wears royal blue. Aberfeldie Jets sit at the top of the uniform clash list and do not reverse singlets for any other Clubs.
• Ensure each player at the game has a named drink bottle. It is preferable that they also each have their own towel. Drink bottles and towels should NOT be shared.
• Ensure that parents and siblings do not sit on the player bench. That area is reserved for the Coach, Team Manager and player substitutions only.
• Prior to matches, ensure the correct players are marked into the online scoring system, or paper scoresheet if applicable.
• At the end of a match encourage the team members to clear the bench area quickly so that the next team may prepare for their game.
• Arrange replenishment of First Aid or COVID backpack equipment as needed. The Club provides a Coach Bag, First Aid kit and COVID backpack for each team. The Team Manager should ensure that the Coach brings the Coach Bag, First Aid kit and COVID backpack to all training sessions and the Coach Bag and First Aid kit to all games. The Team Manager can contact the Club at any time via admin@aberfeldiejets.com.au to request First Aid or COVID backpack items be replenished.
• Hold the role of the Bio Safety Officer (BSO) if not held by another parent in the team, and attend training each week whilst BSO’s are required.
• Notify families of any changes to trainings or games. Keep up to date generally with what is happening within the Club and Association which may affect your team or parents including cancelled training, walkovers, change to game times, new season registration.
• Attend Team Manager meetings as required.
• Completing a paper based injury report form on game day at the game venue (these go to KBA).
• Completing an online injury report form for injuries sustained at training (these go to the Jets).
• Organise a fun get together with your team at least once a season.

BASKETBALL VICTORIA’S SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Aberfeldie Jets members are bound by Basketball Victoria’s Social Media policy found here.

The Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club are active on Facebook and Instagram.

These social media channels are for our members, extended community and those interested in joining the club.

Please remember, however, that these are public accounts and what is posted to them reflects on the club as a whole. Be respectful of all players and officials – both within our club and in the clubs of our opponents. We will not tolerate racist or sexist remarks or any criticism of officials, including referees.

If you are in any doubt about what you intend to post please refer to the open letter from Basketball Victoria regarding social networking sites found here. This policy outlines possible disciplinary action for unacceptable social media behaviour including tribunal sanctions.

The Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club reserves the right to take down any comments on social media that it believes reflect badly on the club or breach these guidelines and report such to Basketball Victoria to address. 

SINGLET NUMBERS

Player singlet numbers are allocated by the Club, we do not permit players to choose their own numbers, with the size of our Club (over 1,200 players) it is not feasible to allow number selection.

Current and returning players are allocated their existing number upon reordering.

New players please do not ask for a particular number as it will not be allocated.

SIN-BIN (COOLING OFF PERIOD)

To assist with managing heightened emotions that often appear across our Junior competition (especially in the U20 boys space), the KBA has introduced a five minute cooling off period (aka sin-bin rule). This rule is already in play quite successfully in the senior competition and it is hoped by introducing it into the Junior space it will assist in diffusing some of the situations which arise after a technical foul is issued.

The interpretation of this rule is outlined below (taken from the Seniors competition) and following a successful trial of the sin bin ruling in the Winter 2021 season it has been confirmed as staying.
 
A “sin bin” policy will be implemented in all U20 games . Any player who refuses to abide by this policy will be asked to leave the stadium immediately.

The rule will be implemented as follows:

• ​The rule is applicable to a player who displays poor conduct or sportsmanship that warrants a technical foul. This includes dissent, arguing with the referee, inappropriate language etc  A technical foul will be called and administered in the usual way. The difference is that the player will leave the court and may not return to the game for five minutes of playing time.
• The five minutes is of actual game play and does not include time outs or the half time break if it runs across the half.
• The player may be substituted if a sub is available.
• The referee will note the time on the playing clock that the player leaves the court and instruct the scorer to observe the earliest time that the player may return to the court through a normal substitution.
• If there is less than five minutes of game time left in the second half (before the game finishes) the player cannot return to the court.

SEASONS

Junior domestic basketball is a year-round sport.

The Keilor Basketball Association who administers our competition, runs two (2) seasons each calendar year:

• The Winter Season runs during Victorian Government school terms Terms 2&3.
• The Summer Season runs during Victorian Government school Terms 1&4, with an extended break from mid-December through to late January/early February, depending on when Victorian Government schools are gazetted to return.
• Both the Winter and Summer Seasons consists of grading games, competitive season and finals.
• Grand Finals are occasionally scheduled for the first week of school holidays in Term 3 or Term 1 depending on the length of the Term and the length of the Season, however no other games are scheduled during school holidays.
• Whilst the majority of our players play both Season’s, it is not mandatory to play both Season’s. However once a player leaves a team, there is no guarantee that they can return to the same team should they decide to take a season off.
• Basketball is a small sided game, Jets teams usually contain between 8-10 players. It is expected that players commit to playing each week of the season, it is not acceptable that players only play every second week.

SCORING ROSTER AND EXPECTATIONS
It takes a village to raise a child and it is an expectation and part of our registration terms and conditions that you accept and agree to when joining the Aberfeldie Jets that all families volunteer to assist with scoring duties throughout the season. After all, the Coach and the Team Manager volunteer their time to get other people’s kids playing, other families can assist with scoring.
The persons fulfilling score-bench duties are reminded that they are deemed to be officials for the duration of the game and should behave in a manner expected of game officials (fair, un-biased etc – Refer to Basketball Victoria code of conduct BV Codes of Conduct). Scorers should be reasonable and respectful in their approach to confirming which players are noted at being at the game or not. Any issue or dispute in the matter will ultimately be decided by the referees of the game on the day.

A blank scoring roster for the Summer 2021-2022 season can be found here.

HOW TO SCORE A BASKETBALL GAME VIA COMPUTER ON PLAYHQ
Basketball scoring is not hard compared to many other sports, if you can operate an iPhone or Android App or a computer then you can easily navigate the PlayHQ electronic score sheet!

Click here for the PlayHQ scoring guide.

For the avoidance of doubt, if a player is in uniform and able to play, even if they do not get on the court (e.g. Coaches decision), they should be marked as active on the system.

THINGS TO NOTE WHILST SCORING
The referees must be notified immediately and the player must leave the game if they receive either:

• Five (5) fouls; or
• Two (2) technical fouls (T); or
• Two (2) unsportsmanlike fouls (U); or
• One (1) technical foul (T) and one (1) unsportsmanlike foul (U); or
• One (1) disqualifying foul (D)

The score bench official should let the respective Coach know when any of their players receives a fourth (4th) personal foul, the referees do not need to be notified of this. Once a player receives their fifth (5th) personal foul, the referees need to be alerted and the player must be immediately be subbed off the court and can no longer participate in that game as they have fouled out.

Team fouls
When a team receives eight (8) team fouls in a half, the score bench should immediately alert the referees. Any subsequent fouls (that are not team control fouls) on that team after the eight (8th) team foul will result in two free throws for the opposition. 

When a referee signals a technical foul, unsportsmanlike foul or disqualifying foul then this MUST be recorded differently to a normal personal foul on the score sheet. There is a button down the bottom of the electronic score sheet that will assist you in doing this.

Coach and bench fouls
Fouls committed by the Coach are recorded by clicking on the Coach name and then clicking on the relevant foul button which is accessible via the extended foul menu down the bottom of the screen.

Fouls committed by they bench are recorded by clicking on the Team name and then clicking on the relevant foul button which is accessible via the extended foul menu down the bottom of the screen.

Neither Coach or bench fouls are added to the team’s foul count total.

If any of the following are issued to the same Coach/bench in the one game, the offending teams Coach must leave the game immediately:

• Two (2) technical fouls awarded against the Coach;
• Three (3) technical fouls (two technical fouls awarded to the bench and one Coach technical foul or three bench technical fouls) or
• One (1) disqualifying foul “D” against the Coach.

Referee signals for special fouls
Refer to the picture below for a visual illustration of the referee signals for the following special fouls:

• DOUBLE FOUL: referee waves clenched fists on both hands above head.
• TECHNICAL FOUL: referee forms T, showing palms.
• UNSPORTSMANLIKE FOUL: referee grasps wrist upward above head.
• DISQUALIFYING FOUL: referee clenches fists on both hands raised above head.

The fall back (mercy) rule
This rule requires that the leading team is required to fall back behind the three (3) point line when they score or when the trailing team in-bounds the ball. This rule applies:

• In Under 10’s, when a team is leading by 10 or more points;
• In Under 12’s and above, when a team is leading by 20 or more points

The fall back (mercy) rule only applies in regular season and is invoked or revoked at the discretion of the losing Coach. It does not apply during grading games or finals.

RULE VARIATIONS BY AGE GROUP

Some rules vary slightly across the junior domestic age groups to better accommodate the skills and abilities within those age groups

GAME RULES

To read the official rules, from our international governing body please head to Basketball Victoria’s Rules of the Game page here.

The basic rules of basketball are as follows:

In our local junior competition a game is made up of two halves (20 minutes each half). Teams have 40 minutes to shoot the basketball through the hoop (basket) as many times as possible (at your team’s scoring end! this will swap at half-time). Each time this happens two (2) points will be added to your Team’s score. Three (3) Points will be awarded if the basketball is shot from outside the designated three-point line. One (1) point will be awarded if the basket is shot from the free-throw line during a foul shot.

Each team has a maximum of five (5) players on the court at any time. Substitutes are made by the Coach to replace players on the court. They are ‘substituted’ or ‘subbed-off’. This can only be done at certain times in the game and the referee will let you know when it is ok. Subs can be called as often as the Coach likes.

The team who has control of the basketball is on OFFENCE. The team without the ball is on DEFENCE. Both parts of the game are equally important! Teams on defence are trying to stop the offence from shooting a basket. The defence should always try to stay between the basket and the players they are guarding.

There are two ways for the ball to be moved up the court on offence – by ‘dribbling’ the ball, which is by bouncing the ball with ONE-HAND only on it, or by ‘passing’ it to another of your team members. Passing is a lot faster and ensures all team members enjoy the fun of the game.

While stationary (not passing or dribbling) the player holding the ball must always keep one of their feet on the floor, this is called the ‘pivot’ foot. Players can only lift their foot if they wish to dribble, pass or shoot the ball. The pivot foot can twist but must remain in contact with the floor and in the same place. If players move their foot / feet without dribbling, passing or shooting they are penalized and the ball given to the other team, this is called ‘travel’.

The ball must stay within the court of play (inside sidelines and baselines), otherwise it is awarded to the other team.

No player may contact an opposition team member, this is called a ‘foul’. If a foul takes place while a player is shooting for a basket, the shooter is given free shots from the free-throw line. If the basket (while being fouled) is scored, two (2) points are awarded and free-throws are taken. If the basket misses two (2) free-throws are given if the player was fouled inside the three point area, or three (3) free-throws are given if the shot was attempted outside the three point area. If the basket is made points are awarded based on where the basket was attempted from and a bonus free-throw is given.

If a player receives 5 fouls during a game they must be subbed off and leave the court and can take no more part in the game.

It is important that all players spread-out on the court when playing. Good spacing let’s everyone have a go at playing. Players should assume that every basket attempt will miss and attempt a rebound. Getting possession of the ball after a missed shot attempt is called a ‘rebound’.

When two players get possession of the ball at the same time this is called a ‘jump ball’. A jump ball starts the beginning of a game and then every jump ball possession after that s determined by the possession arrow.

A Coach can stop the game to talk to their players, in our junior domestic competition each coach can call two (2) time-outs each half. When a timeout is called players must ‘hurry’ to the sideline to talk with their Coach to maximise their timeout and grab a quick drink.

Now you know some basics of the game keep practicing and remember the most important thing is to have fun! Also, basketball is a team sport! There is no ‘I’ in TEAM!

REPRESENTATIVE PLAYER STATUS & CAPS – WHAT THEY MEAN FOR YOUR TEAM

The Association has strict rules regarding representative (rep) players that need to be adhered to ensure the bylaws aren’t breached. Breaches can result in a loss of premiership points. The applicable bylaws are shown below.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• Rep player caps must not be breached (caps outlined in the bylaws found here). All grades (excepting A grade) are limited to the number of rep players they can play regardless if they actually take the court during the game. If your team already contains the maximum allowable rep players, then you cannot have players with rep status fill in for you even if your rep players aren’t playing as the cap if for the team not the game.
• ​If in doubt, please phone the Club Admin on 040 77 51 338 before playing the fill in player to ensure you are not stripped of premiership points which we have seen occur before and teams then miss out on finals.

BREACHES TO THE KBAJ BYLAW – PLAYING INELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Breaches to the KBAJ bylaws are taken seriously by the KBA. Click here to read the Association bylaws that govern the playing competition and penalties for breaching them. 

Please familiarise yourself with them to ensure that you do not breach them. If you have any questions about them please contact the Club.

REGISTRATION

• Registration is due many weeks before the new season starts.
• Registration information is emailed to all primary account holders of our players, this is whoever has registered your child on PlayHQ (sometimes this is the child themselves).
• Registration is paid online via PlayHQ, we do not hold registration days or take payments over the phone.
• Fees must be paid within the advertised registration window. We do not chase families for fees, the onus is on families to pay fees on time or have their child miss out on playing.
• Our fees are comparable to other basketball clubs in the Association and less expensive than other sports in the area such as football, cricket and soccer.
• Our registration refund policy can be found here.
• Registration fees and other costs can be found here.
• Our team selection policy can be found here.
• Our Court time policy can be found here.

Prompt payment is appreciated and keeps the Club running smoothly. Just like running a household, the Club has expenditures and without income in the form of fees, our bills for venue hire, insurance and the like cannot be paid. The Club has a strict “no pay – no play” policy to ensure every player pays on time and Club Registrars and Admin do not expend energy chasing unfinancial members.

THE POSSESSION ARROW EXPLAINED

Initial Setting of the Arrow
Before the game starts, the possession arrow is in the neutral position. Once the ball is tapped and a team gains control of the ball, the arrow is flipped towards the basket of the team that didn’t get control of the ball.

On the rare occasion that two opposing players gain control of the ball at the same time before the arrow can be set to start the game, those two players undertake another jump ball to determine possession.

If one team commits a violation during the jump ball, such as hitting the ball out of bounds or committing a foul, the other team is awarded the ball and the arrow is turned towards the basket of the offending team who caused the violation.

Half time
The arrow direction is not changed at half time, and will determine which team receives the ball after they swap ends at half time. The arrow is switched after the ball is in-bounded in all of these situations.

When It’s Not Switched
If the opposing team commits a foul or violation during a team’s alternating possession throw-in, the arrow is not switched after the ball is in-bounded. For example, if the home team receives the ball for an alternating possession throw-in due to a held ball, and the away team commits a foul before the ball is in-bounded, the home team would receive the ball out of bounds again for a throw-in, but the arrow would not be switched once the ball is in-bounded because the throw-in is now a result of a violation.

Alternating Possession Procedure
The alternating possession procedure establishes a fair way to determine which team gets the ball in unusual situations when both or neither team has possession of the ball. The held ball is a frequent example of when the alternating possession arrow determines which team gets the ball. If two players simultaneously hit the ball out of bounds or if the officials cannot determine which team last touched the ball before it went out of bounds, the possession arrow determines which team gets the ball for the throw-in. The arrow is also used when two opponents commit simultaneous goaltending, or basket interference, violations.

Overtime period (Finals only)
In a period of overtime during finals, another jump ball starts the overtime period and the arrow starts in the neutral position again.

PLAYED BEFORE?

If a player has played with another Keilor Basketball Association junior domestic club within the last 12 months, that player will need to request a transfer and raise a clearance to be able to play with another KBAJ domestic club. Before any clearance can be approved the player must:

• Confirm that the Club they wish to transfer to has a suitable team for them to be in placed into
• Advise the Club that they are wanting to leave of their decision to move
• Settle any outstanding debts with the Club they are leaving
• Return uniform/equipment they may have been loaned or given to use

 A step by step guide to navigating the clearance/transfer on PlayHQ can be found here.

Important to note:

1. Clearances can be lodged at any time once registrations open for the coming season.
2. A player cannot take the court for their new Club until the clearance process is fully completed. Clearances must be fully approved as outlined in the step by step guide (referenced above) for a player to play.
3. Clearances must be lodged no later than 11:59pm the Friday before Round 3 and finalised by all parties 11:59pm the Friday before Round 4.
4. Clearances can not not be granted after the cut off.
5. Parents/guardians if your child is considering transferring from another club, please email the respective registrar boysregistrar@aberfeldiejets.com.au or girlsregistrar@aberfeldiejets.com.au to discuss placement options before leaving your current club. Due to high demand for places in our teams, transfers cannot always be accommodated. The Association also has bylaws surrounding transferring of clearance players that must be adhered to so it is not always possible to accommodate all requests.
6. The transfer process does not apply to players moving from other domestic teams at neighbouring Associations including Broadmeadows, Coburg or Westgate, it only applies to players already playing junior domestic at Keilor Basketball Association for another junior domestic Club.
7. Aberfeldie Jets requires early notification that you are leaving, advising the Club during or after finals or after next seasons teams have been allocated is too late.

MERCY RULE / FALL BACK RULE

The Mercy Rule / Fall Back Rule is bylaw as outlined below:

• 10.21 Mercy Rule / Fall Back Rule: The mercy rule/fall back rule is in place to promote sportsmanship and to stop teams from dominating a particular game to the point of demoralizing their opposition. The mercy rule/fall back rule requires the leading team to fall back behind their (3) point line following a successful shot attempt, or whenever the opposition team in-bounds the ball. No defence may be played until the ball is dribbled or passed across the centre line. Subject to the following provisions:
  • 10.21.1 Enforcement of this rule is at the discretion of the losing coach.
  • 10.21.2 Applies in Under 10 competitions when the opposition team is leading by 10 points or more.
  • 10.21.3 Applies in all other competitions when the opposition team is leading by 20 points or more.
  • 10.21.4 The penalty for non-compliance is a violation.
  • 10.21.5 This by-law does not apply during grading games or finals.

The Mercy Rule / Fall Back Rule:

• Can only be enforced at the discretion of the losing coach. If you are the losing coach and don’t want to apply it you don’t need to, the referee cannot force the other team to do it if you are the losing coach and don’t want it invoked.
• Can be revoked at any stage throughout the game if the losing coach changes their mind, as a losing coach you may decide to have it applied when you reach a 30 point difference and then you score a few baskets closing the gap to 20 points (10 points in U10’s) so you ask for it to be revoked. This can continue all game or you may decide not to invoke at all. As the losing coach with a margin of 20 or more points (or 10 points or more in U10’s) the choice is yours to make.
• Automatically stops being applied once the margin drops to less than 20 points (except U10’s which is less that 10 points).
• When invoked changes the “shall stop for all whistles in the last two (2) minutes of the second half” ruling as per KBA bylaw 13.1.2 below:

TIMING RULES

• 13.1 Games shall consist of two halves of twenty (20) minutes.
  • 13.1.1 The game shall stop for timeouts in the last two (2) minutes of the second half only.
  • 13.1.2 The clock shall stop for all whistles in the last two (2) minutes of the second half, except where a team is leading by 20 points or more or for under 10’s, if a team is leading by 10 points or more,then the clock will only stop for timeouts.
  • 13.1.3 No timeouts will be taken in the last one (1) minute of the first half. Where a timeout is in progress prior to the one-minute point of the first half, that time-out will cease at the one (1) minute point and the players will be called to resume play immediately.

MEMBER PROTECTION BYLAW

We are committed to the safety and well being of all children and young people.  We abide by the Basketball Victoria Member Protection Bylaws which outline the screening process for people in our Club who volunteer (committee members, coaches and team managers). Volunteers who accept a role in our Club agree to supply a current WWCC (unless they are underage, hold a Victorian Institute of Teaching Card or are an active member of the Victorian Police Force) and they must complete a Basketball Victoria member protection statutory declaration.

Basketball Victoria’s member protection bylaw can be found here.

JETS VS JETS – WHO WEARS THE WHITE SINGLETS AND WHEN?

The Aberfeldie Jets approved uniform is royal blue. All our singlets are reversible with the alternate side being white. 
​
When two Aberfeldie Jets teams are playing each other, the team listed first on the fixture will reverse their reversible singlets and wear white. This is Club policy and not to be disputed on the day. Teams that fail to flip the singlets as per Club policy, will forfeit the game and points will be awarded to the opposing Jets team.

In finals the Aberfeldie Jets team that finished highest on the ladder wear the blue singlets and the opposing Aberfeldie Jets team wears the white singlets.

In Grand finals whichever Aberfeldie Jets team got to the Grand Final first wear the blue singlets, the opposing Aberfeldie Jets team wear the white singlets.

This Club policy is not up for discussion on the day, referees should be enforcing this policy.

The Association’s latest uniform contrast list can be found here. Aberfeldie Jets sit at the top of their color pool and do not change singlets for any other Club in the Keilor competition.

In the Broadmeadows competition when we play Strathmore Unicorns we switch to white and the above contrast list is not applicable.

REPORTING AN INJURY DURING TRAINING

For injuries that occur at training, the Team Manager should notify the Club by completing the form here. These details are required by the Club for insurance purposes. For information about Basketball Victoria’s insurance claim process please click here.

REPORTING AN INJURY DURING GAMES

For injuries that occur during the game, the Team Manager should ensure an injury report is completed and submitted at the venue on the day of the injury. Injury reports and disposable ice packs are available from each venue, please see the venue supervisor for assistance. The Team Manager should also notify the Club by completing this form here. ​ For information about Basketball Victoria’s insurance claim process please click here.

ORAL INJURIES

Aberfeldie Jets strongly supports the wearing of professionally fitting mouthguards to assist in preventing damage to the teeth and mouth both at training and during games. Although technically basketball is a non-contact sport, accidental contact will and does regularly occur. Each season without fail we have at least one significant oral injury that could have been prevented or reduced in seriousness if the player was wearing a mouthguard. Information on where to purchase a custom made mouthguard locally can be found here.

AMBULANCES

If an ambulance is called during the game or at training the Club must be notified by completing this form here.

GAME DAY – KEILOR BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION’S CLIMATE (HEAT) POLICY​

The Keilor Basketball Association adhere to the Basketball Victoria Climate Policy. When the policy parameters are reached, they will be implemented by the appointed KBA representative at each respective venue.

The Keilor Basketball Association’s Climate (Heat) policy can be found here.

TRAINING – ABERFELDIE JETS BASKETBALL CLUB’S CLIMATE (HEAT) POLICY

When temperatures of 35 degrees or higher are forecast the Club will cancel training and advise their members via the Club Communication channels including Team App and social media. The venues that Aberfeldie Jets use for training aren’t air-conditioned and do get rather hot and our priority is the safety of our players and volunteers.

When temperatures of 28-34 degrees are forecast Coaches are asked to modify drills to reduce players overheating, ensure players take extra water breaks during training and keep an eye out for signs of heat stress and dehydration in their players. Players should also be encouraged to hydrate appropriately pre and post training.

GRADING GAMES

The first three rounds of each season are classified as grading games. Grading games are played to ensure that the that teams are graded into their correct competitions to make every game in the regular season as competitive as possible. 

When the Club registers each team with the KBA, the club suggests an initial grade. The teams Round 1 starting grade is a combination of the clubs suggestion and the result of the Association dividing all teams in an age group into groups. During the first three rounds of a season the KBA is looking to achieve a perfect scenario – namely that every match is as close to a draw as possible. Close competition with tight finishes is more enjoyable for the players and spectators and provides better opportunities for player development than games played with large margins. This means that during the three-week grading period for an individual team: consistent big losses may see you move into a lower grade, consistent big wins may see you move into a higher grade or it may mean no changes at all to your team and other teams may move instead.

The mercy (fall back) rule does not apply during grading games. You can read about the mercy (fall back rule) in the KBA junior domestic bylaws found on their website here.

GAME VENUES

Venues currently used for the KBA Junior competitions are located across three municipalities, Brimbank, Moonee Valley and Melton. Be prepared for games across various locations throughout the season, we do not have a home stadium and there are no “home and away” games like other sports such as AFL have.

Despite years of lobbying by the Club, the Moonee Valley City Council doesn’t have a highball facility which means long drives for Moonee Valley residents to play local sport.

This list may change from time to time depending on venue availability. The Association is limited for court space and are regularly exploring alternative locations. And maybe just one day, we will have a dedicated highball facility in Moonee Valley!

• Brimbank Anglican Church: 18 Cemetery Rd, Keilor East (1 court)
• Buckley Park College: Cooper Street, Essendon (entrance on Spencer Street) (1 court)
• Caroline Springs Leisure Centre: 9-19 The Parade, Caroline Springs (5 courts) operated by Melton Council
• Copperfield College: Community Hub, Sydenham (2 courts)
• Derrimut Sports Stadium : Cnr Foleys Road and Makland Drive/2 Makland Drive, Derrimut (2 courts)
• Keilor Basketball Stadium: Stadium Drive, Keilor Park (6 courts) operated by Brimbank Council
• Keilor Heights Primary School: Ronald Grove, Keilor Heights (entrance on Ronald Grove) (1 court)
• Overnewton Anglican Community College: 39-57 Robertsons Rd, Taylors Lakes (2 courts) this is not the campus visible from the freeway
• St Bernard’s College: 41 Rosehill Rd, Essendon (entrance on Hampton Road) (2 courts)
• St Christopher’s Primary School: 34 Roberts St, Airport West (1 court)
• Strathmore Primary School: 14-34 LIoyd Street, Strathmore (enter off York St) (1 court)
• Sydenham-Hillside Primary School: Wattle Valley Dve, Hillside (1 court)

GAME TIMES

• All games are played on Saturday except U20’s.
• The Keilor Basketball Association (KBA) junior competition is comprised of over 460 teams. The matrix’s will provide an idea of game times for certain age groups, although rostered games will often still deviate from the matrix. The KBA do not guarantee Saturday game times but they do their best to keep roughly to that structure.
• Neither the Club or the Association accept requests for game times. Please do not ask as refusal will offend.

GAME FIXTURES

• The Keilor Basketball Association (KBA) Junior Domestic Competition is played from 8:00am Saturday through to the last game starting at 6.00pm Saturday evening for all ages except for U20 boys which are played on Sunday nights only at Keilor Stadium from 5pm – 8:30pm.
• Age groups DO NOT have set times for games or play at set venues, (except U20 boys as outlined above). The KBA manages some 60+ competitions with over 460+ teams playing across 22 courts at 12 different venues every Saturday. They are unable to accommodate fixture requests from Clubs, Coaches, Team Managers, players or their families so please do not ask.
• Generally the younger the age group, the earlier the start, game times will vary from week to week for each grade and from season to season based on many factors including court availability, referee numbers, teams in each age group.
• The first four rounds of each season are generally grading games. The KBA releases the fixture on a weekly basis for these first three rounds. The KBA may move teams around at their discretion during grading.
• Once grading is completed the KBA aims to release fixtures for the entire season as early as possible, although it is often still dribbled out a week at a time all the way until round six due to the amount of work involved in fixturing. It is best to check the fixtures each Thursday/Friday to ensure no changes have been made.

Fixtures for the current season can be found here

Please note: when viewing fixtures, Grades which contain more than one Aberfeldie Jets team will have each team listed by their team coach (last name). 
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Example:
Boys Under 10A Grade, Aberfeldie Jets Team SMITH would be listed as “Aberfeldie Jets SMITH on the fixture. 

GAME DAY – PLAYER

Unless otherwise advised by their Coach, players should arrive 10-15 minutes before the start of their scheduled game time to ensure there is enough time to warm up and attend a pre-game chat with their coach.

• We highly recommend all players wear a custom fitted mouthguard to protect their teeth. The Mouthguard Man in Pascoe Vale South has a great range at affordable prices and Paul prides himself of his high standard of workmanship with no compromise on quality.
• During a game, players must sit on the bench alongside their coach (not with their parents). Players must place their drink bottles (and sweat towels if they bring them) at the team bench before the start of the game.
• Parents are not to sit on the team bench unless invited by the Coach.
• All families are expected to assist with scoring throughout the season. When scoring, you will either operate the scoreboard and clock or the online scoring via the computer. Scorers are also responsible for the possession arrow that advises which team gets the ball at each jump ball call.
• Apart from illness, injury or an occasional special event, players are expected to be available for all games and training, and to advise their coach and team manager in advance if they cannot play or attend training for any reason.
• Following the game, the coach will have a quick chat with the team and provide feedback about the game before everyone heads home.
• And remember, court time is earned, not given!

GAME DAY – PARENTS & SPECTATOR

Basketball is a fun and fast game to watch, however, sometimes the behaviour of a participant (Player, Parent, Spectator, Coach, Administrator or Official) ruins the fun, or even the safety, of others.

• During the game, spectators are encouraged to cheer and make positive statements, but there is to be absolutely no coaching, instructing or officiating from the sidelines.  Remember, coaches are volunteers, please treat them and the referees (who are generally teenagers) with the courtesy and respect they deserve and most importantly let our players (your children) have fun!
• Basketball Victoria’s Respect for Our Game initiative outlines what is and isn’t permissible when interacting with our referees.A breach of the rules will result in the calling of a technical foul, with the penalty being two foul shots plus possession.
• Keilor Basketball Association’s Participant Behaviour Policy provides a clear and comprehensive guide to acceptable behaviour for our local competition. Below is an example regarding spectators:

The following are examples of inappropriate behaviour:

1. A person continually disputing or yelling at decisions made by the referee
2. A person encouraging violence or threatening violence
3. A person approaching the score bench about a score or time discrepancy

Remember:

• Parents and spectators are not permitted to speak directly to the referee at any time.
• Referees wearing green shirts are trainees, please be considerate, all referees have to learn somewhere and your child’s game is a good place to start.
• The referee you are angry with could easily be your son or daughter, being verbally abused by another parent, please treat them with respect.

CODES OF CONDUCT

Basketball Victoria have developed Codes of Conduct so that we are all clear of the behavioural expectations that apply to us. These Codes are designed to assist everyone to safely receive the maximum benefit from their involvement in our wonderful sport of basketball.

Remember that breaches of the Code not only undermine the enjoyment & safety of the sport, they can also lead to sanctions being applied to individuals, teams or even the Club. In such circumstances – ignorance of the Code is not an excuse.

If controlling your temper or behaviour is an issue, please remain outside the venue, go grab a coffee, a bite to eat, catch up on your emails, phone a friend, go for a walk or sit in the car and listen to your favourite music, please let our children enjoy basketball!

ARRANGING FILL IN PLAYERS

Occasionally teams may not have a full complement of players due to injury, school camps, etc. Given enough notice the Club or Team can often arrange players from lower age groups to play up in higher age groups to avoid walkovers (such as U14 girls playing up in U16’s). When contacting families of children in lower age groups to source players, there’s a few things need to be taken into consideration. 

The Association has strict rules regarding players playing up an age group and players filling in for teams, these need to be adhered to at all times to ensure the bylaws aren’t breached. Breaches can result in a loss of premiership points. The applicable bylaws are shown below.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• A player cannot play in more than one team in the same age group, this includes if their regular team has a bye and another team in their age group is short a player that week. A bye is counted as a played game so filling in for another team in the same age group is not permitted
• Players only have up until the end of round three to move teams, the team they play in during round four is the team they are deemed to be registered to for the remainder of the season
• A player can only play up one age group U12 to U14 is ok, U12 to U16 is not permitted
• Rep player caps must not be breached (caps outlined in the bylaws found here). All grades (excepting A grade) are limited to the number of rep players they can play regardless if they actually take the court during the game. If your team already contains the maximum allowable rep players, then you cannot have players with rep status fill in for you even if your rep players aren’t playing as the cap if for the team not the game.
• Fill in players cannot play down more than two grade groups (example an U14A grade boy can play U16A, U16B or U16C but cannot play U16D or U16E) this is outlined in bylaw 8.3.2.
• Fill in players cannot have filled in for another higher aged team already that season
• If you are able to organise your own fill in players, that’s ok with the Club however the above dot points must be considered so that you don’t breach any bylaws. If you do organise your own fill in players approval must be sought from the relevant registrars (registrar@aberfeldiejets.com.au) or the Club Manager (admin@aberfeldiejets.com.au) before they play to ensure the Club are aware for insurance purposes and also to ensure the KBAJ bylaws aren’t breached.  If in doubt, please phone the Club on 040 77 51 338 before playing the fill in player to ensure you are not stripped of premiership points which we have seen occur before and teams then miss out on finals.

WALKOVERS / FOREFITS

To read more about walkovers please click here.

BREACHES TO THE KBAJ BYLAW – PLAYING INELIGIBLE PLAYERS

Breaches to the KBAJ bylaws are taken seriously by the KBA. Click here to read the Association bylaws that govern the playing competition and penalties for breaching them. 

Please familiarise yourself with them to ensure that you do not breach them. If you have any questions about them please contact the Club.

Basketball is a team sport and time on and off the court is part of playing in and being part of a team. Our Coaches are encouraged to use a variety of strategies to try and provide players with fair game time. However, equal court time is not always possible particularly in games that are closely contested and where player fitness, temperament, endurance, ability and team balance are factors in player selection, rotation and positioning. 

The Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club strongly encourages our coaches to provide players with a fair and reasonable amount of court time during grading games and regular season. From time-to-time players or their parents may question a child’s court time, but the Club suggests they consider how much court time their child received over several games, if not the entire season to-date. A child receiving a questionable amount of court time for one or two games should not be just cause to complain. Valid reasons for limiting court time may include team balance, non-attendance at training, player discipline, or injury. 

If a parent feels their child has not received reasonable court time over a prolonged period, they should raise this with the team manager who will discuss this with the coach. Parents and players are asked to wait 24 hours after games or training sessions before having the conversation. This allows any emotions to settle and allows time for reflection. 

Finals 

Finals are considered different to grading games and regular season. The emphasis in finals is to progress as far as possible. The coach to their best ability, should play the team they believe has the best opportunity to progress, and in a Grand Final, to win.  

If a coach recognises that some player(s) may have a limited opportunity during finals, this should be discussed with the players and/or the team before the finals series commences. In the younger age groups, it is a good idea to include parents in the conversation. We encourage our coaches to emphasise that getting to finals is a great achievement, that the goal is to get as far as possible through the series, and that every team member has something to contribute. For example, when players are on the bench, they need to participate by cheering and supporting their teammates, when they are on the court they need to focus, listen to their coach, play great defence and score points.  

Basketball Victoria’s Coaches Code of Conduct states “Give all players a reasonable amount of court time”. 

Other relevant sections of the codes of conduct also include: “Show appreciation for volunteer coaches, officials and administrators. Volunteers are necessary for the functioning of sporting activities. Without them, your child could not participate. Whilst many are parents of people involved in the sport, many are also people dedicated to the sport and its development. Show them the respect and appreciation that they deserve.” 

FEES AND COSTS

The fees and costs of playing basketball include:

• Basketball Victoria license fee (paid annually)
• Keilor Basketball Association Fee (payable each season)
• Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club registration fee (payable each Season)
• Purchase of a uniform (the same reversible uniform can be worn all year around, it only needs to be replaced when the player grows out of it)
• Basketball boots/shoes (non-marking soles)

Optional purchases may also include:

• Aberfeldie Jets merchandise
• Mouthgaurds
• Basketball system (portable standalone basketball stand including backboard and ring, or building mountable backboard and ring)
• Additional coaching in the form of holiday clinics, private group or one-on-one training

BASKETBALL VICTORIA LICENSE FEE

Basketball Victoria’s registration system separates out the insurance and player registration component from the Club fees. The Basketball Victoria fee registers the player, coach or team manager as an official Basketball Victoria member and includes, Personal Player/Accident insurance, Professional Indemnity, Public Liability and Management & Cyber Liability insurance. The registration fee also covers administrative, governance, legal, strategic, technical and digital support for member associations and their clubs such as the Keilor Basketball Association and Aberfeldie Jets.

Basketball Victoria’s annual fees are as follows (these are in addition to the fees you pay Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club):

• $32 – Junior participant (17 years and under)
• $46 – Senior participant (18 years and over)

​Basketball Australia Fee $5.50

Season registration fee
Keilor Basketball Association Fee $26
Broadmeadows Basketball Association $20

ABERFELDIE JETS BASKETBALL CLUB FEES

$360 – KBA Winter 2025 Season (U10 – U20)
$260 – BBA Winter 2025 Season (U8)
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Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club fees are all inclusive (no additional money to be paid on game day) and cover the following:

• Game day court hire
• Training venue hire
• Referee payments
• Weekly score sheet fees
• Training/coaching equipment for each team
• Coach education clinics
• Team registration with the Keilor Basketball Association
• Game day entry into venues managed by the Keilor Basketball Association
• Team entry fee to the competition
• Administration and operational costs associated with running the club (employee wages, superannuation, club phone/computer, club email, club website, storage unit costs etc)

Prompt payment of fees is required and keeps the Club running smoothly. Just like running a household, the Club has expenditures and without income in the form of fees, our bills for venue hire, insurance and the like cannot be paid. The Club has a “no pay – no play” policy to ensure every player pays on time. This policy is also supported by the Association and the state governing body Basketball Victoria, unfinancial players cannot participate.

The Club is unable to offer payment plans. Payment must be made in full before a player can take the court at training or a game.

UNIFORMS

All players must wear the approved club uniform to play. The uniform consists of an Aberfeldie Jets reversible singlet with a unique number allocated by the club for each team member and a pair of Aberfeldie Jets shorts.

Players who play with Aberfeldie Jets from U10-U19 (girls) or U20 (boys) typically purchase two uniforms throughout their playing career, one upon commencement in the younger years and one in their mid teens. Unfortunately due to the size of the Club we do not allow players to choose their own numbers.

Information on how to order a uniform can be found here.

MOUTHGUARDS

It is highly recommended that all players wear a mouthguard both at training and games. Although technically basketball is a non-contact sport, accidental contact will and does regularly occur. Each season without fail we have at least one significant oral injury that could have been prevented or reduced in seriousness if the player was wearing a mouthguard. Information on where to purchase a custom made mouthguard locally can be found here.

MOUTHGUARDS

Aberfeldie Jets strongly supports the wearing of professionally fitting mouthguards to assist in preventing damage to the teeth and mouth both at training and during games. Although technically basketball is a non-contact sport, accidental contact will and does regularly occur. Each season without fail we have at least one significant oral injury that could have been prevented or reduced in seriousness if the player was wearing a mouthguard.

Professionally fitting mouthguards are available from most dentists or you can visit Paul the local mouthguard man in Pascoe Vale South. He offers custom mouthguard fittings in a wide variety of colors, for a reasonable price, health rebates are also available.

Please protect your child’s teeth.

Click here to visit The Mouthguard Man

BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA’S CONCUSSION PROTOCOLS

Basketball Australia adopts and adheres to the Sport Australia Position Statement on Concussion. It is important to note the Return to Sport protocol for children 18 years of age and under:

“Children should not return to contact/collision activities before 14 days from complete resolution of all concussion symptoms.”

Concussion in Sport Australia
https://concussioninsport.gov.au/

Return to Sport Protocol – children 18 years of age and under
Return to Sport Protocol – adults over 18 years of age
Concussion Management Flow Chart – parents, coaches, teachers, team-mates, support staff – on court
Concussion Management Flow Chart – parents, coaches, teachers, team-mates, support staff – off court
Poster for athletes – basketball
Poster for athletes – basketball – child

THE COMPETITION GRADES

The Keilor Basketball Association (KBA) Junior domestic competition is graded from A to E grade in the boys space and A to C grade (sometimes D grade) in the girls space. The competition grade range is determined by the KBA office and is based on the number of teams entered into each age group.

Where team numbers in grades are high, a ‘reserve’ grade or tiered grade may be used. For example in U14 Boys there may be multiple D and E grade competitions and they may be called E and E reserve to allow two E grades to be run or E1, E2, E3.

Combined grades, such as an A/B grade, may be used to allow more teams to play in a wider competition or where there are not enough teams nominated for each grade to warrant separate grades. Combing a grade supports a finals series for each grade.

COACHING MULTIPLE TEAMS

Having a Coach who wants to coach multiple teams (referred to as Coach conflicts) whilst great in theory can present a challenge logistically, not only for the Coach of the teams, but the Aberfeldie Jets Committee and the Keilor Basketball Association (KBA).

Aberfeldie Jets is actively reducing the number of Coach conflicts we submit to the KBA each season. Fixtures for Coaches with Coach conflicts need to be manually adjusted using limited software, which given the size of the Keilor competition is complex and time consuming. Coach conflicts delay the fixtures being released which not only impacts on families planning their weekends but also referee schedules. Additionally with a low vacancy rate on our training schedule, it is difficult to manage requests for coaches wanting back to back sessions. 

The following was emailed to Jets Coaches with a known Coach conflict on 27/9/21 in preparation for the Summer 2021-22 Season:

To: Aberfeldie Jets Coaches who coach more than one team
Re: Coaching conflicts and your obligations
 
You are receiving this email as you have been identified as meeting the following criteria:
 
A coach who coaches more than one junior domestic team within the Keilor Basketball Association (KBA) and as such you are recognised as having what is referred to as a Coach conflict
 
What you need to know:

• The Club has provided the details of the teams that you Coach to the KBA to allow them to identify you as having a Coach conflict and fixture games without clashes where possible.
• The KBA tries their best to roster your games without clashes however fixture clashes are not guaranteed.
• Coaches who have a Coach conflict must complete this form here.
• All fill in Coaches must be registered to their teams prior to coaching (preferably at the start of the season not the day of the game). This ensures Aberfeldie Jets comply with their legal obligations and have provided their WWCC prior to filling in. If you are not sure if your fill in meets these requirements already, please check via admin@aberfeldiejets.com.au
• If your games clash, the KBA will not change them so please do not ask.
• The following may occur when fixtured:

We are thankful that the KBA allow us to submit Coach conflicts as many Associations do not. The KBA have advised that their priorities when fixturing games with coach conflicts are as follows:

1. If Clubs get their Coach conflicts in by the due date (which Jets have done) the KBA will do their best to fixture games each week to avoid conflicts, however they do not guarantee that games will not clash. From experience we know that some coaches don’t have any issues all season, yet others who coach back to back age groups such as U10/U12 or U16/U19 or in the same age group U14/U14 have issues.
2. Player coaches get lower/no priority, this will generally only be an issue for player coaches who play/coach in the same age group (such as U16/U16) or one age group below (such as U16/U19 or U16/U18) due to clashing game times.

Thanks for being part of a group of special people who dedicate their own time to help others. Without people like you we would not be able to field the teams that we do and have children out playing in the KBAJ domestic competition each week. We sincerely appreciate your efforts.

COACHES

Coaches are the lifeblood of any junior sporting Club, volunteering their time to support children in their basketball journey and acting as role models as young people. 

Coaches at Aberfeldie Jets may be mums, dads, older sisters or brothers, aunts or uncles of a player in the team, they may even be past players or members of the general community with a passion for basketball. Our Coaches are not paid for their time, nor are they NBA or NBL standard, they are just people who generously give up their time to help others grow and enjoy the sport we love.

Aberfeldie Jets requires new coaches to attend a coach induction session and complete a Basketball Australia Community Coaching course which is funded by the Club. Additional Coach development and mentoring opportunities are also available. 

Coaches aged 18 years and over must hold Working with Children Checks (or recognised exemption) and be able to uphold and sign a Basketball Victoria Member Protection Statutory Declaration. Victoria Police members and teachers (who have separate checks) do not have to get a Working with Children Check however, they should provide proof that they are Victoria Police members or teachers by showing their VP accreditation or supplying the Club with a copy of their Victorian Institute of Teaching card. These exemptions are recognised by Basketball Victoria.

The Act exempts parents where their children are playing in the team in which the parent is involved as a volunteer. Also exempt are adults where all children in a team are closely related to the person. However, Basketball Victoria, the Keilor Basketball Association and Aberfeldie Jets will not recognise these exemptions and will require those parents or close relatives to hold valid Working with Children Checks. For more information on this, please download the Working With Children pamphlet from Basketball Victoria.

Coaches are required to commit and operate under Basketball Victoria’s Code of Conduct Basketball Victoria’s Code of Conduct here.

Being a Coach at the Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club is a wonderful way to create relationships, develop life skills, give back to your community and for parents an opportunity to show support for their children. To express an interest in coaching please complete this form and we will be in touch.

The association rules that govern the playing competition. Keilor Basketball association.

BEHAVIOUR

Basketball is a fun and fast game to watch, however, sometimes the behaviour of a participant (Player, Parent, Spectator, Coach, Administrator or Official) ruins the fun, or even the safety, of others.During the game, spectators are encouraged to cheer and make positive statements, but there is to be absolutely no coaching, instructing or officiating from the sidelines.  Remember, coaches are volunteers, please treat them and the referees (who are generally teenagers) with the courtesy and respect they deserve and most importantly let our players (your children) have fun!

Basketball Victoria’s Respect for Our Game initiative outlines what is and isn’t permissible when interacting with our referees.A breach of the rules will result in the calling of a technical foul, with the penalty being two foul shots plus possession.The Keilor Basketball Association’s (KBA) Participant Behaviour Policy has been developed by the KBA and the Keilor Referees in consultation with the junior clubs. The policy provides a clear and comprehensive guide to acceptable behaviour for our local competition. Below is an example from the policy regarding spectator behaviour:”The following are examples of inappropriate behaviour: A person continually disputing or yelling at decisions made by the referee. A person encouraging violence or threatening violence. A person approaching the score bench about a score or time discrepancy”

Remember: We will not tolerate poor behaviour in any way, shape or formSpectators are not permitted to speak directly to the referee at any timeReferees wearing green shirts are trainees, please be considerate, all referees have to learn somewhere and your child’s game is a good place to startThe referee you are angry with could easily be your son or daughter, being verbally abused by another parent, please treat them with respect

CODES OF CONDUCT

Basketball Victoria have developed Codes of Conduct so that we are all clear of the behavioural expectations that apply to us. These Codes are designed to assist everyone to safely receive the maximum benefit from their involvement in our wonderful sport of basketball. The Keilor Basketball Association and Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club support and adhere to Basketball Victoria’s Codes and expect players, coaches, parents, spectators, officials and administrators to do the same.

Remember that breaches of the Code not only undermine the enjoyment & safety of the sport, they can also lead to sanctions being applied to individuals, teams or even the Club. In such circumstances – ignorance of the Code is not an excuse.

If controlling your temper or behaviour is an issue, please remain outside the venue, go grab a coffee, a bite to eat, catch up on your emails, phone a friend, go for a walk or sit in the car and listen to your favourite music, please let our children enjoy basketball!

BALL SIZES

There are three different ball sizes used in basketball, ball sizes are determined by FIBA the sports international governing body:

​We ask that all basketballs be clearly labelled with the players name and a contact phone number so if left behind at training or games we can return it to the player. A black permanent marker is good for labelling basketballs however the text will need to be refreshed every so often when the maker fades.

If you are looking for a permanent solution on an existing ball or to purchase a new ball and have it permanently branded then check out My Ball ID™ run by Aberfeldie Jets parent Ashley.

AGE GROUPS

Age groups are set by the Keilor Basketball Association who administer the competition in which the Aberfeldie Jets Basketball Club compete in, the KBA follow the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) age group rules. In line with the KBA requirements, Aberfeldie Jets allocate players to their correct age group based on year of birth. “Playing up” an age group is discouraged by the club as it is generally not in the best interest of the child to do so. Age group eligibility is often the reason that children are unable to be placed with their school friends or social group, as not all children in school classes are the same years of birth. We build teams by years of birth, by having mixed aged teams it often leads to one or more children being “orphaned: when the age change season occurs and then we need to find them another team, or the child playing up an age group which is against the Club’s policy.

Players will generally play two years (four seasons) in each age group once, two seasons as a bottom age player and two seasons as a top age player. With the spread of age groups it is common for younger aged players to be in lower grades in their first year in an age group, and a higher grade in their second year. This is not a reflection of a child’s ability, more so matching them against players of similar age and standard.

Each Summer Season is what is referred to as an age change season where the older year of birth children from the Winter age group, age up into the next age bracket. As Keilor currently don’t have an U8 competition, we only accept what we refer to as “double bottom age born children” (who would qualify to play in U8’s if the age group existed) in the Season Winter only.

Birth certificates or passports are often requested by the Club and the Association to confirm proof of age.

It is the Club’s preference that players play in the correct age groups according to their years of birth and not up in higher age groups, particularly in the boys space where the physicality, skills and strength difference becomes more noticeable in the U14-U19 age groups.

Why does my child have to go up from Under 10 to Under 12 when they are currently only eight and about to turn nine?
You may be a bit concerned and thinking…my child has only just turned eight and you are expecting them to play in U12’s? Potentially against other children who are almost eleven? The reality is, the age groups all contain children with the same year of birth or a year of birth one year older/younger. The age group of a player is determined by the year the child is born and it is a calendar year (January to December). E.g. for Summer 2021-2022 season, any children born in 2013 and 2014 will be required to play in U10’s. The rule exists to simplify the organization of grades and teams for the Associations (and the clubs) so that there is only one point in the year when children are changing age groups.

Can my children with different years of birth, play together in the same team?
Families may occasionally request that siblings be placed in the same team in order to accommodate family logistics and transport arrangements. In the Under 8 this is certainly a high priority when formulating team lists. From Under 10 onwards, accommodating family requests becomes more difficult as there are numerous other factors to consider including the size and skill level of the players. In all instances, the coach has the final say as to whether to accept a younger sibling into the team. The club and/or parent cannot pressure a coach to take on a younger sibling. Of paramount importance is the safety of younger players at trainings and in games when they play against bigger players in the age group.

Can my child play in the same team as their friends?
Placing friends together in teams is a high priority and friendships will try to be accommodated as much as possible provided there is a vacancy in a team and the children are of similar skill level. However, the Club believes any new players to basketball should be accommodated in lower graded teams to learn the rules and develop skills under less pressure, no matter who their friends are. From experience, this is a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience for the new player and new friendships are soon formed in their new team.