HYAA Tournament Basketball Team Policy

Effective 6/1/2014

HYAA will sponsor travel teams for both boys and girls. There will generally be one travel team per age group (i.e. an A team).  With sufficient interest, qualified coaching volunteers and available gym time we will also consider B teams at all age levels.  The goal is to develop teams that are competitive at the travel team level.

Composition of Team

All teams shall be formed by age and or grade only.  Players have the option to play at their grade level or appropriate age limit. The player's age is determined by the Mid-Monmouth league rules.   It is required that U8 Boys and U9 Girls teams carry 12 players.  U9 Boys and U10-U13 teams should carry a minimum of 10 players and a maximum of 12.  Exceptions shall be if there are not a sufficient number of players in a particular age group to field a full HYAA travel team.  If this occurs, younger players may play up to the next age group.  For U8 Boys and U9 Girls, these teams may carry a maximum of 15 players.  A maximum of 3 younger players may play on the U8 Boys and U9 Girls team.

Selection of Team Coaches

The HYAA basketball committee will determine the coach of a specific age group.  On an annual basis the HYAA travel basketball team coordinator will present potential coaches to the basketball committee.  The committee will select the coach.  Coaches will generally be determined before the scheduled team tryout.  However, if more than one individual wants to coach the same team the committee will interview each applicant and may make the selection after the tryout concludes.  Assistant coaches must also be approved by the basketball committee and will be selected after the travel team is determined.  An individual can only be the head coach of 1 travel team within a Fall or Winter season (an individual can be a head coach of a Fall team and then a Winter team).  A head coach may not be an assistant on a second team within a Fall or Winter season.  An individual may be an assistant coach on two teams.

Open Tryouts

The HYAA will conduct an open tryout that will determine the composition of an HYAA travel A and B teams (if applicable) for that age group. It is required that a minimum of two tryouts are held in order to give all of our HYAA participants an opportunity to make a team.

A player must attend at least one tryout for the specific grade.  All tryouts must be announced on the HYAA website.

Tryouts for the travel teams will be conducted by a panel of at least two individuals who have no children trying out for the team. Ideally, these individuals will have coached previous HYAA travel teams and will provide an unbiased evaluation of the participants. The composition of both teams will be determined by a standard rating system approved by the basketball commissioners to be applied across all grades.

The HYAA Basketball Committee can choose to hold spring tryouts, conducted in May or June, for all teams except for U8 Boys and U9 Girls to allow coaches time to conduct practices and play games in the summer with his/her team.  If a player moves into Holmdel after spring tryouts but before the start of the school year, that player can petition the HYAA basketball committee for a special tryout which would again be conducted by at least two individuals who had no children trying out for the respective team.  Based on the evaluation, the player will be ranked along with all other players that participated in the earlier spring tryout, and may then be placed on the A team, the B team if one exists or cut depending upon the results.

Minimum HYAA Regular Season Participation

In order to be eligible for an HYAA travel team, a player must attend and participate in at least 50% of the HYAA regular season games.  Exception: Players on the U11, U12 and U13 travel teams are exempt from this requirement.

Facilities

Facility usage for HYAA travel teams will be allocated only when the needs of the HYAA recreation program and its participants are fulfilled.  A Recreation team practice or game has priority to Holmdel facilities before an HYAA travel team.  The Basketball Committee will receive gym time from the HYAA and allocate time equally between the travel teams.

Playing Time

There is no guaranteed playing time for travel team players.

Travel Team Budget

Each player will pay a participation fee determined by the Basketball Committee.  Checks will be made payable directly to HYAA.  Coaches will deliver checks to the HYAA Office promptly.  Coaches will receive a check from HYAA which will be used to pay League Referees.  This amount will vary depending upon the number of scheduled league games.  All league fees and tournament fees will be paid by the HYAA.

Awards

All team trophies that are awarded to an HYAA travel team belong to HYAA.  It is suggested that these awards be displayed at events which promote our organization. If a travel team wins a Mid-Monmouth Championship the HYAA will purchase each player a gift to commemorate their accomplishment. This gift should be limited to $50 a player.

Exceptions

All exceptions to this travel team policy must be made in writing.  The HYAA Basketball committee will review and issue an opinion within a reasonable period of time.

Complaints

All complaints (written or verbal), received by an Executive or Basketball Committee member should immediately be forwarded to the Basketball Committee member designated to handle complaints.  The designated basketball committee member will gather information and assess the validity of complaints.  When appropriate this member will consult with the full basketball committee in the resolution of such complaint.  In the event the basketball committee can't agree on a resolution to such complaint the matter should referred to the grievance committee of HYAA.