Out the club here and please provide more info. Was this your first club experience? What age group? Specfic list of issues? Have you registered your concerns with the club directly? What was the outcome?

No need to name individual peoples names but lets look at the mis-management by clubs on so many levels all over SA damaging these kids.

My little darling who I think is a superstar didn't get picked in division 1, can’t catch, can’t shoot, can’t dribble and now has physcological issues, GIVE ME A BREAK

Calling it Rep makes it clear its not SA.

Outing a club on a forum like this is pretty piss poor so I'm certainly glad the club hasn't been named.

If you have an issue with the process contact the Club find out their process, ask the coaches for feedback, find out when the next opportunity is. Or go elsewhere. Unlike other sports basketball isn't zoned so parents can simply go elsewhere if they think they've been poorly treated.

This is a useful communication channel.

Out the club, voice your concerns here. Then club replies to address those concerns and how they will be addressed. Club posts contact details so that they can address the issues directly with the disgruntled customer.

Other purchases of service then have the ability to make an informed decision. These processes happen all over the world, online.

It is called "customer service".

Disagree. Some clubs do it better than others. Some clubs DO treat young kids poorly in terms of feedback and invidual case by case management and support and wellbeing for the athlete.

The fact that incompetent people in clubs just blame their poor player management and support on people complaining because they didn't get the position they want IS the problem. It perpetuates. Maybe there are valid issues here at play?

Conversation, debate and discussion on this forum can facilitate learning, education and improvement.

For me the best process, if it is small numbers, if the complaint was process based, is to advise players that there is to be no discussion on selections between each other till they leave the building. Advise each athlete individually, face to face. Do it the right way. Give them some future direction and tell them you want to catchup soon to put a plan in place to get them the opportunity in the future - THEN DO THAT.

Then tell them to train as if nothing happened. They get to understand they're still involved by getting back oncourt, even if not in the team they want. Rather than stewing over it they get back on court and just play, and once that happens for kids it tends to solve all their problems.

I've been involved in a fair number as both a club, state and parent.


- If it is an open try out, then make sure everyone feels like they at least had a shot (don't separate the boys who made the last team onto one group/court).

- Record who is there and write a number on their arm (don't try and say the kid in the Cavs Le Bron singlet ...there will be 5 of them)

- Give everyone an equal chance, don't speak to one half of the group ...everyone should hear clearly what the instructions are not those lucky enough to be near the head coach.

- In scratch matches/motion change the team around, don't let guys who know each other just play together. Switch it. Plus if you get a gun guard, might want to see how he plays on another.

- Consult all coaches/selectors before you make your cuts. Then do it respectfully - pull the kids aside and they deserve 1 on 1 feedback of what they did well and what they can work on. If you don't know - then perhaps you need to work harder on why you're cutting them.

- I also used to tell my club guys not to wear last years club gear, I know lots don't like this idea but when I was running it too bad ...that was one of my rules.

Also explain to parents the cold hard truth of how it works i.e. no one is ever selecting the best 12-15 players.

You need at least 2 excellent point guards/ball handlers/decision makers, you need a guy who can shoot the lights out, you need a couple of good big men, you need a couple of guys who can match up on bigs but can also guard a more mobile player.

You may be the 7th best player there but if you're a point and the best guys 1-3 are also points ...you won't get in. Plus it is sometimes better to miss a team and go somewhere else where you can get game time and work on your weaknesses.

Finally be respectful to all those who have tried out, it aint easy putting it on the line. Your job as a selector is as much to the kids who don't make it as to the ones who do. 1 on 1 give feedback and thank them for trying out and make sure you say - I'd love you to come back next year after working on X & Y.

Slagging off a club and harming their reputation because ONE parent is unhappy is why the world is in the mess it is. My feelings were hurt so the club should die the volunteers who give their time should be sacked or embarrassed publicly.

With no facts no proof no identification provided by the OP.

Get a life this is an appropriate forum.

It's a pity you dont have a daughter. She would make it straight away and as long as she doesn't get injured will be classed as an elite athlete even though they are terrible players

"It's a pity you dont have a daughter. She would make it straight away and as long as she doesn't get injured will be classed as an elite athlete even though they are terrible players“

It's a pity you don’t have a normal sized appendage, then you wouldn’t be such an asshole!

Yea Very old, that is precisely what we are talking about. Put it out there. No need to give names but put this poor behaviour out there. Can have such an impact on these kids good or bad.

010, what are you protecting? Are you concerned an example might come up that forces you to do some self reflection????

Too many in the sport, including those in fulltime paid positions should not be working with kids. They do more harm than good. Hopefully we can bring about some transparancy, education and insights without specific naming and shaming.

Oh I love this one. In most cases the top teams (1's) are usually pretty clear cut and most parents as they go through the ages understand the process. It's a bit tougher for the big associations with a lot of depth but still it's usually done pretty well. The trouble stems when you start going down to 5's, 6's, 7's and so on where it becomes a far bigger issue. Just quietly if your kid's making the 5's and below it's not rep. It's barely D2 domestic standard of a medium sized association. This is where inclusiveness has gone crazy. Rep is the 1's. Everything else is just development.

I am not the op but my son had a pretty oppressing experience recently trialing for our state team. Just to give you a bit of background, he's recently completed his 4th season of development, recently attended nationals where he performed soundly, he's been selected in every single state development academy, attended every state trial (none of which he ever made which has never been an issue for me as I know he wasn't in the top 10 before) and even attends a basketball specialist school. Now however, things have changed and he should have been a genuine contender... He makes an enormous effort to improve himself by playing in 3 domestic teams against older players, plus done really well as a top scorer within his team at Nationals against the countries best development sides recently.

So turns out, the player who has just started his development career in third division only 12 months ago, performed below average at the trial and struggled to put up a shot was better then him (my sons a championship division player). The only clear reason why he was selected was because this kid was a bit taller then my son and I assume they see "potential" in him growing and want to give him as much opportunity to develop.

So in my opinion, if you want to develop your bigs, don't send them away to national tournaments and chuck them in the deep end at the expense of everyone else. Reward those who put the time and effort to attend every single camp you host, every trial you organize, go above and beyond to develop and actually perform at national level tournaments...

Before anyone says to me suck it up, get better etc. Put yourself in this kids shoes, he's only young and has genuinely worked his butt for years, and gets overlooked for the junior who has little creditionals in comparison....I'm sure you would not like this, if you want for your dream job which and were overlooked for someone who had barely stepped foot in your profession.

Its very tough being on the receiving end of harsh unethical decision making by people who you thought would know better.

So I contacted the relevant parties to raise my concerns, they responded saying, every player enters the high performance group at different stages of their career.

So well done to the association for gifting out backdoor passes to players who are no where near ready for state level competition. Really destroys the integrity of the state and the future hopes of those who actually take development seriously.

Basketball is not fair, never has been. But understand this, the cream ALWAYS rises to the top.....eventually. It may not be on the timeframe you want, but you will get there despite the initial setbacks, backdoor dealings and dodgy decision making of others, if you are good enough. The secret is to keep working hard, stay honest about your work ethic and stick it out long enough to be seen. Control what YOU can control.

Yes but the sad reality is if your a kid who has hopes of making an national team one day, you depend on this early opportunities like this to get noticed and to open up a pathway for higher progression. Its so much tougher breaking through at later stages of your career as I'm sure many people agree with....so why rob an athlete of this opportunity........

Now he potentially has to wait another 2 years, as the likelihood of being selected as a bottom ager next year is very unlikely whilst the kid selected instead of him gets to face the harsh reality of state basketball, where if you don't perform or contribute, you wont step foot on the court which is completely contrast to why they selected him in the first place.

Again if you want to develop a player, do it in your own time and not at a national tournament.

"I'll add to the comments above that it may sometimes come down to the coach's intended team direction or chemistry."

This is where coaches you hope your coach acknowledges the conflict of trials and not even consider much form of chemistry.

You've got x amount of boys in front of you, some who have/haven't played together before all with the same goal of making a team.

What is the single best way to get recognized? Score a lot of points.

So, players will more than likely play un-characistically, taking risks and chances in the hope of making it.

I'm sure there are always exceptions