The following are guidelines given to all coaches in selecting children accross all age groups. These guidleines form the basis of what Norths is looking for in its elite athletes. As you can see, Norths is quite thorough in its selection process to ensure it is a fair playing field for all.

Trial Process

The trials will involve up to 6 to 8 coaches per 2 courts in the following formation:

Format of trials:
i. games vs individual skill
ii. team based testing eg running sets
iii. maintain detailed notes of skills of all players
iv. Independent assessors

What we are looking for:
i. speed and athleticism
ii. skills
iii. athleticism
iv. good attitude (ITCP player guidelines)
v. team orientated players
vi. defensive skills
vii. Balance of positons in all divisions
viii. Height

Selection Process

Norths has a robust process for trials. We manage fairness in the selection process with the following practices:

• ensuring we have 6-7 selectors per gender and per age group, 3 of whom are not coaches in that age group. This group then presents their selections to a panel including the Rep manager and Development Officers to justify their selections against pre agreed criteria such as current skill level, athleticism, speed, height, court awareness, team sense and behaviours. This results in every trialist being the subject of debate and discussion.
• The Rep Manager and Development Officers are the final arbiters of squad selection -  they have seen your children during the year at Norths coaching clinics and at Norths domestic games; so if a child trials poorly the selectors can still take into account performance in Norths clinics and club games.
• by Board directive, excusing from the squad and team selection process, selectors who have material actual or percieved conflicts of interest, An example would be excusing a parent selector from the selection debate and discussion on their child. Coaches in this position can submit a squad to the Representative Manager and development officers, who in turn will will make the final decision.
• a strong preference for not appointing Coaches to a group of players or an age group for more than 2 consecutive years; changing the coaching mix and introducing new Coaches to the programme as often as possible - this mitigates the prejudice that can develop about any particular players abilities.
• the trials and selection process is pre-approved by the Board, then reviewed by the Board for compliance with the process before the squads are announced.

Role of NSBA Rep Manager and Development Officers

We are here and we are more involved than ever. We are here to support and help you throughout the year in every way and facet possible. Ways in which we can help you if necessary:
• Providing you with a curriculum of skills to teach
• Designing a yearly training program
• Designing a training session
• Teaching individual fundamentals
• Shooting Technique and drills
• Fast breaks, transition offence and press breakers
• Half court offence – motion without screens vs. motion with screens
• Half court defensive principles
• Full court man to man defence
• Half court and full court traps
• Game coaching
• Coaching courses
• Guest Coaching session
• Coaching the Mental game
• Set plays and out of bounds plays

Here are the latest Board approved decisions to be implemented for 2010:

1. First Cut

After the first two weeks of trials, the Development team and Representative Manager along with Team coaches are to make a first cut of the squads.  This will allow the coaches two more sessions after the first cut to make selections for the final squad, which in the past have been then more controversial decisions.  Hence, children will need to attend one of the first two sessions to be considered for a squad position.  They then will have to attend the final two sessions in weeks 3 to be considered for squad selection.  Any absences will still be considered only if parents notify the representative manager via email.

2. Rep Clothing

No children are to wear Norths rep shorts, rep tops, rep singlets, rep socks or state basketball clothing to Norths rep trials.  This can provide an unfair advantage or intimidate new children who come to trials and then they may be lost to the sport, both on a domestic and representative level.