RECREATIONAL BASKETBALL:

SATURDAY SKILLS BASKETBALL sessions at StFX (mid Oct, 2024 - mid Feb, 2025)

The initial AMBA registration fee ($140) covers this program.

COMPETITIVE BASKETBALL:

JUNIOR X TEAM try-outs begin in early October, watch our Facebook page for specific times and dates.

To try out, players must have paid the initial AMBA registration fee ($140).  Once team is selected there is an additional team specific fee.

2024-2025

President - Geoff Spencer

Treasurer -  Patrick Withey

Registrar - 

Secretary - Greg Hadley

Programming Coordinator - 

Gear Coordinator - Eric Connolly

Past President - Maria Fraser

Roles include, but are not limited to, the following duties:

President -  

• Connection to Basketball Nova Scotia for updates on rules, policies, and events
• Steward organization's policies and by-laws
• Steward Safe Sport
• Chair regular meetings
• Establish gym bookings for Saturday Skills and weekday practices
• Secure coaches/ host coach orientation meeting
• Multisport contact
• SportHub contact
• Facebook posts
• Access to Gmail 
• Submit year end report at AGM

Past President -

• Provide guidance to Board
• Assist with initiatives, where needed

Treasurer -

• Track general spending/ accounts 
• Receive player registration fees
• Pay bills
• Provide Junior X coaches & managers guidance on team spending and account management process.  Reconcile team accounts at year end, and process player refunds if necessary
• Manage registration as a non-profit organization
• Check Post Office box
• Access to Gmail
• Submit year end report at AGM

Registrar -

• Manage registration process through SportHub
• Submit player information to Basketball Nova Scotia, as required for insurance and eligibility
• Track coach/volunteer screening
• Access to registrar's Gmail
• Submit year end report at AGM

Secretary -

• Record meeting minutes
• Facebook posts

Programming Coordinator -

• Plan and manage various programs, including:
  • Saturday Skills
  • 3on3 spring league
  • Basketball Nova Scotia local initiatives
  • special events
• Hire Student Coordinator for Saturday Skills
• Access to Gmail
• Submit year end report at AGM

Gear Manager -

• manage inventory at storage locker, StFX storage and gear handed out to teams
• manage uniform distribution, return, and condition review
• track uniform deposits
• purchase new uniforms as needed
• lead annual clothing sale (AMBA, not teams specifically)
• year end report at AGM

Team Managers -

• maintain team player/parent information
• set up team communication process
• collect team fees and submit to Treasurer
• collect uniform deposits and submit to Gear Manager
• hand out uniforms, manage spares
• pay team bills/ report on team accounts to Treasurer/ reconcile at year end

To provide basketball players, coaches and parents in Antigonish, an opportunity to learn, play, and develop regardless of age, gender or ability.  To ensure that these opportunities are granted in a safe, fun and progressive manner while encouraging development in the sport of basketball.

Of utmost importance in achieving our mission for our youth members is that we focus on the development of our youth members as individuals and as a team.

AMBA Policy on Playing Up a Division

(Rev.#1:  May 2019 - Updated division titles to U10, U12, U14)

AMBA encourages all players to play with their same age peers, and offers challenging, developmentally appropriate player and skill development at the U10, U12, and U14 divisions.

A player may request to play up a division if they are in the second year at their level (i.e. can request to play U14 if in second year of U12, but not if in first year of U12.)

All available spots on teams will be filled first by age appropriate players.  No player will be denied a spot by a player playing up a division.

AMBA will consider requests for a player to play up a division, based on the following criteria:

• Personal safety of the player. Size and strength are significant factors, and at no time will a player be considered for playing up a division if the AMBA board determines that the player might be at an increased risk for injury.  Decisions based on player safety will be made by the board.  Parent willingness to assume the risk will not be a factor.  The decision of the board will be final.

• AMBA goal of offering team play for all interested players. If an athlete playing up allows AMBA to continue to offer age appropriate teams for both the division the player is in and the division requested, the request will be considered.  If playing up results in a shortage of players for the appropriate division (i.e. a request to leave U14 resulting in too few players at the U12 level) the request will be denied.  If a division has too few players, AMBA may ask a player who meets the safety, skill and interest guidelines to play up a division so that there are enough players to make a team.

• Interest, skill and social development of the player. Requests will only be considered if the board determines that:

1. the player (not the parents or coaches) has an interest in playing up a level
2. the player possesses a skill level that is adequate to allow them to develop and compete
3. the player is able to handle the social/emotional aspect of playing with older players.

The decision will be made at the board level. The board will consider input from the player, parents and coach, but reserves the final decision.

Process for making a request:

• Request to play up a level should be forwarded to the board, either directly or via a coach.
• Request will be discussed at the next board meeting (usually monthly) and the player, parents and coach will be informed of the board decision within 5 days of the meeting.
• Board members with a potential conflict of interest will exempt themselves from the discussion and decision making process by leaving the room.

FORM (to be printed and handed in)   

Request to Play Up a Division

Player Name:

Player’s date of birth:                                                   Current age:

Player’s height:                                                             Players weight:

Request to play:

• U12
• U14
• U16

Did the player play basketball last season?         Yes             No

Which team?

Reason for request to play up a division:

Additional information you wish to have considered:

_________________________________________________________________

Board use only

Date of meeting and discussion:

Request

• Approved
• Denied

Parents/ coach informed of decision on __________________________ by

_________________________________.

AMBA Policy on U14 Over-age Players  (U16 age, but in grade 8)

(Rev.#0:  May 2019 – Policy created and approved by board)

This policy aims to address players who are U16 age but in grade 8, who have been registered with AMBA in previous seasons; herein known as ‘U14 over-age players’.  This policy only applies when AMBA does not have a U16 division team.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure experienced U14 over-age players have a place to play basketball, since AMBA encourages all players to play with their same age peers, and offers challenging, developmentally appropriate player and skill development at the U10, U12, and U14 divisions.

U14 over-age players may try out for the U14 team, and if successful, become part of the team roster. 

If a U14 over-age player attends tryouts, then the following must occur, BEFORE the final team roster is announced:

• The coach must ensure U14 over-age players and their parents are made aware that there is a possibility they may not be eligible to play in all games and tournaments due to their age. For example, over-age players can only play in BNS Provincial tournaments when special permission has been granted from BNS.

• The final team roster must be approved by the AMBA board to ensure a fair representation of players from each birth year, so that future teams are not negatively affected by the participation of the U14 over-age players.

FORM (to be printed and handed in)

Request for U14 Over-age Player

Player Name:

Player’s grade:

Player’s date of birth:                                                   Current age:

Current U14 division eligible birth years:

Did the player play basketball last season?         Yes             No

Which team?

Has the coach made the player aware that they may not be eligible to play in all games and tournaments due to their age?

Has the parent of the player acknowledged understanding of this?

_________________________________________________________________

Board use only

Date of meeting and discussion:

Request

• Approved
• Denied

Parents and coach informed of decision on __________________________ by

_________________________________.