Pud, very strong points and not sure how much support you will get. I happen to agree with you to a point, the question is where do you draw the line as to who is out and who is in.

Teams I would call country are Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat, Bendigo, Korumburra, Latrobe City, Maffra, Shepparton and Warragul. But what about places like Bellarine, Southern Peninsula and Corio Bay. Depending where you come from, these are a long way to travel, for example Mornington to Corio Bay is about 2 hours.

A couple of years ago we were in a pool (VC) with Bendigo, Ballarat and Maffra. Plenty of late starts and even later drives home. It will only take one small bus with a coach and 10 kids to run off the road and it will be front page news screaming about the irresponsibility of the competition to let some of these teams in.

It's a valid question.

Fair call. We should just ban people outside of Melbourne from playing basketball, it might inconvenience a Melbourne mum or dad.

The long drive for country parents is as applicable as it is for metro people, it goes both ways. No one is saying they can't play, just that it is a safety concern. This has been around for years and will stay around until, like all things, something happens.

I think parents getting involved in VJBL need to realise how big a commitment is. i remember VBA wednesday nights driving all over the country side with my dinner sitting on my lap. Furthest was Geelong and Sunbury.

I think it all should be played on a Saturday, aligned with the clubs' senior teams' fixtures where possible.

Only problem with Saturdays is football and soccer are played in some regions on a Saturday and kids might have to give up one of the sports.

"The long drive for country parents is as applicable as it is for metro people, it goes both ways. No one is saying they can't play, just that it is a safety concern. "

Actually, PUD said Country teams shouldn't be allowed to play UNLESS they agreed to play in Metropolitan stadiums. So PUD seems to believe it is only an issue that should concern Metro people

It makes sense. Broady shouldn't have to travel all the way to Bacchus Marsh to play them when they could stop at Melton, but its absolutely reasonable for Broady to play Pakenham at Pakenham.

I will qualify anything I say in response to your idea Pud by firstly letting you know that I have had two kids in the VJBL for about 9 years and yes, we travel from Geelong, which is country.

Without getting caught up in the perceived naivety of your post, I will attempt to answer your question with as much objectivity as I can, notwithstanding the way you have appeared to be confrontational in your original porting.

Travel time is a huge issue for the VJBL, it is compounded by distance and start times, let's face it there is not much joy in playing at 10.00-11.00pm regardless of how far we travel.

Years ago, the VJBL treated country teams like poor cousins by having them play all home games at the Metro club's venue, this was changed to Werribee or Coburg for Geelong teams for some time until equilibrium was established and home/away was introduced.

There is a by-law that assists teams traveling excessive distances, more a common sense rule really, that allows the two clubs to sort out and play both games at a neutral venue. This isn't coordinated by the VJBL though, it relies on the teams to do it themselves, so court availability can be an issue.

Werribee to Frankston (both Metro) is about an hour and a half, if you get a good run, so although you place a two hour limit on your idea, there are Metro trips that can easily get to that time frame.

While many country people will find your post quite comical and to be frank I almost hear the dueling banjos strumming in the background, there needs to be some common sense approach taken to try to ease the burden of travel on Friday nights, but your original post may be a little too far right to consider going back to, I would suggest brother...

Poor Pud, you must be the only parent that works all week and then has to drive to a Friday night game. I am in the process of nominating you for an OAM, as i think what you do is simply inspiring and amazing.

Spare a thought for some of the country kids that travel in to Melbourne to play a 9:40pm game, then have to drive to the likes of Bendigo, Shepparton, and Traralgon that night or very early the next day for a country state or nitp camp.

Obviously those kids have parents that don't work, not like you Pud, being the only parent that does, so thank you for upholding the state with your efforts.

Like it has been stated before, the travel goes both ways, so get over it. How about we also state that country kids can't play for metro clubs, just to really divide our state even further. There are country kids driving over 3 hours EACH WAY to play for metro clubs, how is your concern level for those families Pud?

I don't think you will find any of the country kids and parents complaining about the travel, just our little mate Pud, the hard worker.

Its all about safety for ALL parents & kids, both metro and country. Late night travel is always dangerous, especially after a work day. For those posters that think I am telling country kids don't play, couldn't be further from the truth. Maybe get your chips off your shoulders and understand my concerns with the driving aspect.

You failed to make your point Pud.

Instead of talking about long travel in the VJBL generally, you managed to make it an anti-country thing (country teams shouldn't participate unless THEY are prepared to come to Melbourne)... as some pointed out, Werribee to Mornington or Kilsyth is a longer haul than Southern Pen to Dandy.

Then you suggest the Country teams should only play Championship - so basically kick all the country teams out of other levels because teams from Melbourne shouldn't have to travel...

but of course, you are concerned for ALL.

What about having Maryborough in the metro competition. Riduculous!!!

What metro competition are Maryborough in?

Lets make it easy. Vic Country run a comp for the country teams on Saturdays so travel isn't late on Fridays, and VJBL run a metro comp which is graded according to location. Maybe using MSAC as the furthest a team has to travel, whether from north, south, east or west. There will always be the argument that the best teams generally come from the eastern side of Melbourne, but if VC for example was split into 2 divisions of east and west, and they crossed over for finals, the best teams would win anyway. Then the best "metro" team could play the best country team to decide a State Champ!

Maryborough - U/16 Girls Pool 2

They already do that lol, there is VC, then there is the rest.

SF6 and Pud.

Its not a metro league. Its a Victorian League.

It used to be a Metro league. In fact I think at one stage it was VMJBL or something.

And Pud, your latest suggestion is as counter productive as your first one, the one with all your "concerns".

The best system has the best teams in it, wherever they come from. There are lots of people who argue now that the Championship shouldn't have 20 teams but even if it was 10, and three country teams made the top ten, then they should be in it.

Despite it being named "championship" division, its a league, played home and away. Its not a tournament. League play should determine the finalists and finals should determine the champion - not a single contest between two teams.

If there are problems with late Friday travel (and we know now they ONLY affect Melbourne people) then by all means revamp the way that occurs, but as a principle the best teams in the state should play each other at the top level.

gee, some people need to calm down. I was just stating that's its a long way to travel from Rosebud to Maryborough on a Friday night, lol.

I think one of the bigger issues is how long the season runs for and does it need to be shortened to prevent injury.Luke Sunderland posted a great story on it from the US. Worth a read:
http://yellowhammernews.com/faithandculture/world-renowned-alabama-surgeon-pleads-parents-give-young-athletes-break/

@Happy Days that is very important, there is sometimes too much emphasis on basketball and shooting and jumping and running and all the hard work kids are asked to do on a hard court surface.

There needs to be more recognition for young kids and how their bodies develop at different speeds.

Then there needs to be a lot more consideration for the importance of strength and conditioning and rest, so these kids can stay on the court when it is required of them by all their coaches...

We sometimes get things arse about I reckon?!

Curious, is there any break at all for VJBL or does it go year round?

For the 2014 - 2015 year, many clubs have tryouts starting in the first week or so of October, Spring Phase begins 7 November straight into Grading Phase 1, last game before Christmas is this Friday night, first game back after the Eltham Tournament is 30 January and it all finishes 18 September.

So depending which club you are at, give or take effectively two weeks short of a full year with holiday breaks in the middle. Having been around it with a couple of kids for over 9 years I can tell you it never stops.

And back on point, yes we have clocked up plenty of miles around the way.

Thank god you dont get into positions of influance? VJBL is the best league in the country just enjoy the privllidge that you have and play in it.
Dont squeal about travelling it evens itself out for all.
Is it fair to exclude country teams absolutely not? Most country teams travel by mini bus each week or at least they did when I was doing it. Is it too hard for metro teams to do that as well.

Suck it up princess.
Its been happening for years now and how many accidents have occurred, low risk.
People are smart enough to manage their time and resources around the requirement, clearly not the case for you.

#506169

Your comments about not playing domestic, just rep, are interesting.

Is this how it should be? Should a player not play domestic and just play rep (might be silly not "repping" anything)?

Or is the greater crime the length of the season, if the VJBL was cut back could the summer focus be domestic and the winter focus be rep?

Interested in others views.

Anon, I understand what happens now, just trying to get a feel for what might be better in the future.

the point your all missing is its called VICTORIAN JUNIOR BASKETBALL LEAGUE.....it NOT Victorian METRO Junior Basketball League so Country teams are just as entitled to play in this as metro, if country teams wish to commit to travelling almost every week without the whinging that comes from the metro ranks because THERY have to travel once in a season occasionally twice, then country teams deserve more respect than what some metro clubs are giving them.

Sorry Anon, which of the "ALL" is missing that? "the point your all missing" ... try reading idiot....

Accurate clarification anon^ it is still referred to by many as Metro in the mid range leagues, but it has been Juniour League for a few years now.

The VJBL does try to consider placing teams into regions so travel is minimised where it can, usually in the lower divisions, it can't do this in the higher ones, obviously!

Agree with HO, some posters need to read more of this thread before they comment, might help them understand what people are writing...

Accurate clarification anon^ it is still referred to by many as Metro in the mid range leagues, but it has been Juniour League for a few years now.

The VJBL does try to consider placing teams into regions so travel is minimised where it can, usually in the lower divisions, it can't do this in the higher ones, obviously!

Agree with HO, some posters need to read more of this thread before they comment, might help them understand what people are writing...

Accurate clarification anon^ it is still referred to by many as Metro in the mid range leagues, but it has been Juniour League for a few years now.

The VJBL does try to consider placing teams into regions so travel is minimised where it can, usually in the lower divisions, it can't do this in the higher ones, obviously!

Agree with HO, some posters need to read more of this thread before they comment, might help them understand what people are writing...

Oops, iPad issues... Sorry for the multi post!

Anon^ you have come up with a subjective and contrarian conclusion to what the Charter is actually saying to suit your own view point.