MENDHAM BOYS TRAVEL BASKETBALL PROGRAM OVERVIEW

 

ELIGIBILITY:

The Travel Basketball is open to boys going into 4th - 8th grade for this coming school year.  All players must be residents of Mendham Boro or Mendham Township.

COSTS:  

The annual cost for TRAVEL basketball is $325:
 - $225 is due at the time of registration
 - $100 is due post try-outs, if the player makes the team.
 - Additional costs for uniforms may apply.
If the player does NOT make the team, they will have a choice of transfer to the appropriate rec/transition program OR a refund (less processing surcharge/tryout fee).  The league assumes transfer to the recreation/transition league.  Refund requests must be made directly to the Mendham Patriots organization.  If requested prior to Nov 1, the surcharge is $25.  Refund requests after Nov 1 will require a $50 processing surcharge. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:  

The Travel Program is a *TRYOUT* oriented level for players with more advanced skills.  The program includes participation in highly competitive games against other towns’ travel teams.

Skill development and practices are more demanding than in the in-town recreation program. In short—the travel basketball program is geared to a more serious and committed player.

TEAM ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Try-outs are grade based with independent evaluators who score and rank players on dribbling, shooting, passing, defense, and knowledge of the game at “game speed.”
  • Each team will consist of a minimum of 10 players.  Evaluators will present the top eight (8) recommendations for the team and rank the remaining players. The team will consist of the top eight (8) consensus recommendations and the coach will pick the remaining two (2) players.
  • The coach can only pick players that are in the team's age group (the coach cannot pick a younger player attempting to play up).  If a coach picks more or less additional players than two (2), the coach must present his/her rationale to the Board of Directors for Board approval.
  • Mendham Patriots Basketball recommends that children play with their grade level, however, Mendham Patriots Basketball does recognize that there can be unique circumstances which may create situations where players may desire to play for a higher grade level.
  • If a player wants to try out for a higher grade team than that which they are registered for (this includes, for example, 3rd grade boys trying out for a 4th grade team), they are permitted to tryout,  but that player will only make the higher grade team if the evaluators grade them within the top eight (8) players trying out. A player can only play on one travel team.  A player trying out for the higher grade team will not automatically make the lower grade’s travel team; if a player tries out for a higher grade level team and does not finish within the top (8) players, that player can still play for the travel team for the lower grade’s travel team, but must also try out for the lower grade team to be considered for selection.
  • If parent desires to register a player for a different grade team than the grade the player is currently in, they can make such a request to the board for approval to register within the higher grade level.  If a player registers for a grade level which they are not currently in, that player would then be considered to be trying out, not as a younger player, but in the grade level registered for and would need to be evaluated within the top 10 players in order to make the travel team for that grade level.  If the player does not rank within the Top 10 of the grade level registered for, that player would not be eligible to then tryout or play for a different travel team.
  • Players who do not make the travel team will automatically be eligible for the recreational league.
  • In the case where there are a minimum of 20 qualified travel players, we will consider fielding two (2) travel teams for that grade – A and B – provided that qualified coaches are approved by the Board. The A team will consist of the top 10 players and the B team will be the second 10 players. This will assure that the better players improve by competing against better players. The league we compete in subscribes to this format and division of play as well.
  • If a player who has registered by the published deadline is injured and cannot participate in the scheduled travel team tryouts, the player can either a) play recreational basketball when cleared to play; b) request a full refund for the registration fee; or c) request a tryout with the travel team as soon as able to resume play, as documented from the player’s doctor prior to January 1st. If the player cannot return to action prior to January 1st, the player cannot tryout for travel during that season.
  • If the player requests a tryout with the travel team, they will be invited to attend a full practice of the team and will be evaluated relative to the other team players by an independent evaluator. If the player ranks in the top 8 players on the team, they will be added to the team. If the player ranks 9 or 10 - it will be the coaches' decision whether to add the player to the roster. If the player does not rank among the top 10 players on the court, they will not be offered a spot on the team. In no case will another player be asked to leave the team to accommodate the new player.

SEASON DURATION AND TIME COMMITMENTS

The travel season runs from November through middle of March.  Game schedule is dictated by the league.  Practice schedule is dictated by the coach.