The age cut off has always been 31st December and will not change. No one can have 3 years in a grade unless it is under 10.

Huh? The age cut off was already December 31st. So for instance if you turned 18 on December 31st in 2006 you would've needed to play U20s for summer 2005/06 and winter 2006 even though you were only 17. If you turned 18 on January 1st 2007, you could still play U18s for winter 2006.

This has seemed to always been the case, I dont know what you're on about. I don't believe the cut off date will change.

My understanding of what is going on.....The cut off age doesn't change - the season span is what is changing.

From next year, the summer season will no longer go over the Christmas break. So there will be a short summer season at the start of the year and then the main season will go until December.

So for example, you are turning 16 any time in 2007, you can play under 16 all of 2006.

The net effect is that the kids who have a birthday at the end of a year, will no longer be disadvantaged.

Ummm, how will they no longer be disadvantaged? They still will be playing kids 9-11 months older than them the whole year!!!

Whilst they play for 2 months later, so do the older kids!!!

Even though I have been involved for a long time I still can't come to grips with a 12 year old playing under 16's which is happening now if your birthday is between now and the end of the year and you were born in 1992.
The new rule will make little difference except with the season finishing before the ned of the year at least these kids will have turned 13 and the u14 season will finish before December. I suggest though that it still is a reason albeit it minor why some kids don't play. As a coach I've seen the horror on parents faces when they bring their child out to play district basketball and as a 12 year old we tell them they are a 1st year under 16. I know it has been around for a long time, but is it the best way ?? Would it be rediculous to suggest we have age groups like football ie u10, u11, u12, u13, u14 etc etc.

Anonymous (55760), you're right a big part of it is mental, but to counter that I would add - I read an article several months ago (I wish I had kept a copy) which involved a survey of a lot of elite sports people in basketball, football and a few other sports. Results were that the vast majority of people at the elite level were born in the first 3 or 4 months of the year. Interestingly I did a quick survey of the birth dates at the recent U14 Nationals at Gawler and memory is less than 25% of the kids were born between July and December ? Again as a coach you tend to get more excited by the bigger kids and an 11 month difference at the age of 13 through to 16 can mean several inches in height and several kilos in weight. Again no easy answer, just some thoughts.

The whole "but he was born in December" seems like a bit of a cop out for kids who can't cut it.

Maybe instead of lamenting the fact that you had sex 3 months too early, you could ask for extra training to improve your kids skill level.

Anonymous - I may be a lot of things but naive is not one of them. Naive as you would be aware means lacking experience or understanding. If you read my first post I said that nothing will change, so I am agreeing with you. Believe me with 2 kids in the system, been a team manager, been a coach I do understand. I am just making observations. Burying our heads in the sand to issues raised by the people who supply the children doesn't improve things.

Forget all the whingers who will never be happy, irrespective of how the age rules are set.

The positive to come out of the change is that it will put us on equal terms (with respect to age)with the other states.

No it wont Spinner, it will put us completely out of touch with the age rules of other states!! That's except for Vic Country, who have a competition aligned to the Calendar year.

The new season with thus only ensure that we and Vic Country will be able to start on level pegging when we play off for 15th & 16th at future national championships.

I was under the impression that the other states worked on the calendar year.

If not, what do they work on?

"15th & 16th at Nationals" Aren't you forgetting about Sturt @ U/14 Nationals??

Anonymous - yes my apologies you are right. After 30 years of playing, coaching, being a team manager, having two kids go through the system from U10s to U20's, and a devoted fan of the game. I obviously am a typical bystanding observer.

Baggy,

During the 80's we tried to go calander year and found that the number of forfiets and teams pulling out of the competition were much higher. The association thus moved back to the change in seasons being in October. Here are some of the reasons that you are infact ignorant of due to you not being around during this period.

1/ It is harder to have families commit to a team over summer. Trials will be in November. And the season won't start until February. (4 Months) Currently it is 2 months.

2/ People go away during January and some dont come back until just before school starts. These people will not be contactable and may decide not to continue or begin playing. This wont be known until after the first trainings. This was the main cause of teams being pulled out.

3/ Not being able to play incountry tournaments. Which usually run during term 4. Or playing out of age which is exactly what people are complaining about.

4/ Being 3 months behind in development for Natioanls Championships compared to other states. Vic country actually play odd age groups 13's, 15's, 17's and you will find that tey will be going back to the normal due to the problems it is causing those teams playing in Melbourne and Nationals.

5/ Having to select our U/20 State team when players are still in U/18 competition. You wont actually see players, playing against other people they are competiting for a position.

6/ Playing finals during Year 12,11 and 10 exams as well as during schoolies week and the Nationals Schools Basketball Championships.

So Baggy and other, do you want more associated problems. Becasue I'm sure that somebody who has been around for as long as you would understand the implications that the smaller club are having on the competiton.

How about this. How about those clubs that want to play October to September. Forestville, Sturt, Norwood, South and Southern play in their own competition during this period and the other clubs play when little Johnny feels like he can play against smaller players. Even though we will be playing against the exact same people.

Some valid points there "Been around for a while."

Too bad you finished off with a sarcastic remark obviously aimed to be seen as your last word on the matter!!!!!

NEVER!!!!

Willing to concede that perhaps didn't consider all aspects though

Yeah Spinner, we will really be on equal terms with the other states in a calender year.....

Victoria Metro (- the premier state for basketball so surely the one we should be comparing to) has begun preparations for it's grading season already. They started their "Spring Phase" (or called something similar) Oct. 7, and their grading season in Nov (after 5 or 6 Spring Phase games) ie comparable to our "summer" season in timing. Thus beginning their qualification for (hopefully) VC (winter season) starting in March.

This is fairly comparable to how we are NOW. By moving to calender year, we will be starting 3 months behind - and yet are expected to be competitive at U14 Nats, Classics (where we have just gotten our best results for many years) and Nationals despite spotting Vic Metro 3 months head start? Good luck....

And no-ones forgetting Sturt at 14 Nats - do you honestly think they would have beaten Dandenong (or even Melbourne) if they gave them 3 months head start? Perhaps try asking their coach.

Been around for a While,
Fair enough, all people want to know are the facts and experiences. If that is the experience then I can appreciate the issues you have raised and if your experience tells you it doesn't work then I can accept that. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next twelve motnhs with numbers assuming things have changed.

Anon,

Age cut off's cant change as they are determined by FIBA. So everybody will still be playing in the same teams thatthey have been and against the same players they always have.

Spinner,

That wasn't sarcasm. Just pointing out how wrong you are. I think that by allowing those clubs that want to play calander year to do so would be great for the competition. Let the 150 teas try and make a competition while the other 250 go about producing the best players in this State.