When they receive their letters.

You didn't make it. The letters have only just gone out for the Sept camp so it will be a while yet. They already have them picked but may wait until after the Sept camp.

September camp is focussed on prep for the Oceania tournament. January camp is focussed on development and AIS selection.

201077, you sum it up perfectly!

(#201077) Nah! Your way wrong.

well summed up above.

from people every close to the process:
teams for Guam selected and notified already

Sept camp is aimed at building towards Guam AND 2011 world U/19's

Over the course of a preparation, they will look at maybe 50 different kids, at different camps

If you are out of the running for a team, they will tell you

They have made no specific plans for a specific preparation for the inaugural 2010 U/17 world's, but it will be a short preparation.

National teams programs have assumed responsibility for these camps from community basketball.

Currently in train, 2009 Gems and Emus (well down the path obviously) and 2011 Gems and Emus (very early in the process)

I trust this info so perhaps it fills some of the holes but there could certainly be much better info out there.

201408 - Common knowledge for who? From which State? Did they have a 'bad' Nationals? Didn't see any of the 18's but a number of the girls picked weren't 'standouts' statistically. Does that mean they had a 'bad' Nationals. What about the two bottom agers? One was a given and the other a surprise to me (I saw all the players in Perth).

Yes, it is absolutely subjective but it must be because they are ultimately picking a team which has roles to fill. How do you come up with an objective measure for smarts or determination or team orientation. Or should it be just the ten tallest, fastest or best shooters?

I have a kid in the process so I understand the frustrations (I'd love to know where they stand) but I also understand that this is a movable feast. The star this week gets a girlfriend/boyfriend/ job/criminal record (take your pick!) next week and is no longer your guy or girl for that spot. The kid dropped last camp takes it as a kick in the teeth and gets their stuff together and delivers on the potential you thought they had. The kid with all the potential wears out your patience on their ability to deliver.

The kid with none of the 'pre-requisites' wears you down simply through weight of achievement and gets picked for their first Olympics at age 35.

I know kids who think they have been mislead, mainly re the AIS rather than National teams though.

On the whole though, I think every kid with a desire to play at an elite level gets a much better opportunity to do so than they have ever had. Nobody ever did it without some obstacles or setbacks but if they can play at an elite level they will, and they will get plenty of help on the way through (at least based on my child's experience).

Having spent two of the past three weekends working at elite player development camps (as a humble volunteer coach) I can absolutely understand that there are parents who had kids at the camps who are now going 'what he hell could they be thinking' or 'she only got through because she's from X association' or 'what do they see in Y?'. I ask the same questions and often I'm involved in the process (at a lower level) so its bound to happen in any subjective process. I also know it would be simply impossible to explain every decision to every player from every camp, as desirable as that might be.

(#201408 - Its common knowledge that if a 16 women guard had a better Nationals this year she would have gone to the September camp - ask the players.

What team was this girl from?