2017-2018 1
PACERS BASKETBALL WELCOME The purpose of this handbook is to provide athletes and parents with a general guide on the management of Pacers Championship teams. If you have further specific questions, please raise these matters with your Coach or Team Manager. CONTACT DETAILS: Championship President: Theresa Waara Email: pacers.presi@gmail.com Championship Vice President: Greg Wilson Email: pacers.vicepres@gmail.com Director of Coaching: Shannon Bodley Email: pacers.doc@gmail.com Coaching Co-ordinator: Damon Lowery Email: pacers.coachco@gmail.com Under 12-14 Coaching Advisor: Dom Sbaligia Email: pacers.cc1214@gmail.com Under 16-18 Coaching Advisor: Scott Ryan Email: pacers.cc1618@gmail.com WCBA Office/Admin: Pam Dahlstrom Phone: 9404 1999 Email: pam.dahlstrom@wcba.org.au 2
MISSION STATEMENT Each person involved with the Whittlesea Pacers Championship program will strive to be the best they can be in all areas of basketball and life. As a team, we will push ourselves daily to be better people and better basketball players in that order. Our program motto is: PATHS Positivity, Accountability, Togetherness, Hard work and Selflessness GUIDING PRINCIPLE If we are to accomplish our Mission on the floor, we must follow the 5 guiding principles below: Fundamentals We will strive to play the game of basketball fundamentally. Good teams do all the little things well. We will dedicate ourselves each day to work hard at mastering the basics. Attitude Whittlesea Pacers coaches, players, managers, etc will have a positive, pro-active, humble attitude. Sportsmanship and fun on the court and with our teammates are our top priority. Our attitude will reflect the hard work we have put in. Intensity In science, intensity measures the level of strength. Whittlesea Pacers will be strong on the floor both physically and mentally. Teamwork Everybody must work together and trust each other for us to be successful. No one will win a game on their own, it takes a team effort. We will strive to have a unity with our teammates that will be unequaled anywhere. Hustle The difference between good and great teams comes up in hustle plays. Offensive rebounds, deflections, charges taken, and diving on the floor are just some of the plays that will make us great. 3
COACHES Whittlesea Pacers supports coaches so they may focus on the teams preparation through training, conditioning and team management. A coach may be informed and must comply with any instructions that Whittlesea Pacers deems necessary. Coaches must meet the standards of the Code of Conduct. ASSISTANT COACHES Assistant coaches are required to support the coach and team with all areas of the Pacers program and must meet the standards of the Code of Conduct. TEAM MANAGERS The Team Managers are responsible for managing the players for all off-court activities, and liaising between coaches, parents and players. PLAYERS Whittlesea Pacers Players will demonstrate the utmost respect to Team Managers, Coaches and Club Officials. All players are expected to meet the Code of Conduct standards, as well as rules that are specific to their team. Players must abide by Coaches and Managers directions. Players are expected to: Attend all trainings, and games. If you cannot make a session you must advise the coach in advance. Arrive for training on time, and be ready to train at the commencement of training Respect your team mates, coaches, manager, parents, and officials, opponents and the game. You are an ambassador for Pacers. Follow the coaches instructions and challenges to develop your game and support the team. Accept new team strategies, team mates, training methods and try new playing positions with enthusiasm Adhere to the Players Code of Conduct Play by the Rules 4
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Coaches will develop players throughout the season and parents must understand that players develop at different rates and stages throughout a season.. We will be evaluating all aspects of our players in relation to our Mission and Guiding Principles. We will also use this criteria to determine playing-time during the year. Coaches will also be evaluating the players on-court performance. Some (not all) of the things below we will be looking for: Fundamentals: Shooting Ability to shoot the ball with good form, on balance and with good leg lift Demonstrate good shot selection Passing Ability to complete all types of passes (chest, bounce, etc) on time & on target Ability to pass on the move and create optimum passing angle Dribbling Ability to dribble with both hands with eyes up Ability to stop and start while dribbling under control Ability to dribble under pressure without losing control Defence: Willingness to work hard at all times on defensive end Understanding of correct positioning Can maintain great defensive stance Shows defensive intelligence in individual and team defensive responsibilities Rebounding Ability to box out and control rebound Willingness to hustle for every rebound/loose ball 5
Basketball IQ Understanding the game of basketball and making the right plays at the right times. Attitude Coachability Sportsmanship Positivity Encouragement of teammates Desire Competitive Fire Dedication Poise Responsible Accountable Intensity Strength Speed Conditioning (desire to condition) Focus Quickness, especially laterally Jumping ability Teamwork Communication Offensive teamwork Defensive Teamwork Hustle Deflections Rebounding (desire, motor) Charges taken Hustle plays (diving on the floor for loose balls) 6
PLAYING TIME Coaches will be constantly evaluating athletes on the teams to determine playing time. As the Pacers Coaching Staff, our job is to make sure that evaluate the players and make decisions based on: 1) What is best for the whole program. 2) What is best for the individual team. 3) What is best for the individual player. Playing time decisions are always difficult for coaches. We will be open to discuss, with both the athlete and their parents, the decisions that are made in regards to playing time. If the player or their parents would like to talk to the coach about playing time, we will provide an opportunity to have those conversations. Please see below for Parent/Coach Meeting Rules and Expectations. TEAM RULES AND EXPECTATIONS Players must remember that playing for the Whittlesea Pacers Basketball Program is a privilege, not a right. Each team member is representing himself, his teammates, coaches and the program at all times. With the responsibility of being part of the Whittlesea Pacers, there are expectations that each -athlete must meet. We hope that all players will be respectful and meet the program s expectations. If the player does not, the coach will enforce consequences, which can be extra conditioning, missing playing time or meeting with the Director of Coaching. If the expectations are still not being met, the Director of Coaching can suspend or remove the player from the team. 1. Be good representatives of Whittlesea Pacers at all times a. Players will be respectful to all fellow players at Whittlesea Pacers. b. Players will be respectful of others property. 2. Attend, and be on time to all trainings and games a. Players are expected to contact coaches ahead of time if they will be late, or cannot attend a training or game. b. Being on time to training means having your training gear on, shoes on and on the the floor at the start of training, unless otherwise designated by the coach. 7
3. Players will be good sports on the playing floor a. Whittlesea Pacers will be expected to show all players (teammates and opposing), managers, referees, coaches and spectators with respect. b. Players are expected to listen respectfully to ALL coaches in the program. Each coach is here to help all the players, not just the ones on their team. c. Technical fouls are not acceptable by any player. It is the coaches job to talk to the referees. d. If sportsmanship becomes an issue, the player must meet with the head coach to discuss the future with the team. 4. Communication is important to the success of the team a. Whittlesea Pacers will communicate on and off the floor in a respectful way to coaches, players, parents, teachers, referees, etc. b. We will work to communicate on the floor at all times in order to make our teammates better. c. As a Pacer player, we will refrain from using any stereotypical derogatory terminology Each coach will meet with all the members of his team to help determine other rules/expectations and the consequences for them on their own teams that are not outlined above. At any time, if the coaching staff feels that the actions by players are blatantly disrespectful, they can decide to skip to higher consequences. Again, the coaching staff is open to talk to any player or parent about the decisions made about the player. PARENTS Can support players by: Getting your child to training prepared and on time. Paying fees promptly Encouraging your child to accept responsibility for their performance Providing good nutrition in your child s diet Respecting opposition players, parents, officials, and coaches Being positive and adhering to the parents Code of Conduct. Parenting and coaching are both challenging responsibilities. Understanding the roles of each, and following the proper channels of communication, will enable parents and coaches and team managers to work effectively together. 8
PARENT MEETING RULES AND EXPECTATIONS We encourage the players to interact with their coaches if they are having issues with team rules/ expectations, their playing time or their role on the team. This is a great life lesson and as former players, we have had to have those tough conversations ourselves. However, the coaches in the Whittlesea Pacers Basketball Program are open to have conversations with parents about their childs role on the team, playing time, etc. We will not have meetings about other players or offensive/ defensive strategies. If you are interested in having a meeting with the coaches, there are a few rules/ expectations: 1. The Coaching Staff will not discuss playing time or player s roles on a game day/night. Before the game, coaches should be focused on the game and bringing out the best of our players. After the game, the coaches will not have had enough time to process the game or review the game tape to talk about individual players. 2. These meetings will not happen over the phone. We much prefer to talk to parents face to face. 3. When a parent wants to have a conversation, the entire coaching staff will have the right to be at the meeting. All the coaches will be working with your child. We want to make sure the conversation is had with everyone that is working with them. 4. The Director of Coaching or Coaching Co-ordinator will only become involved if coach and parent have not come to a solution. If you have an issue or concern please follow the appropriate chain of command: 1. Head Coach 2. Age Group Coaching Advisors 3. Coaching Co-ordinator 4. Director of Coaching 5. President 9
VIDEO / PHOTOGRAPHY For information refer to VJBL website - Video/Photography Policy. Available at http://vjbl.com.au/policies/ MOBILE PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA Mobile phones must be turned off at training sessions. Mobile phones and use of social media can be very distracting in the team environment and may not allow players to become integrated within the team. Use of mobile phones throughout the season will be limited at the discretion of the coaches and team manager. Social Media is a large part of today s way of life. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be used in a negative way. Whilst we appreciate and acknowledge our players, parents and members right to contribute content on social networking sites, we also know that inappropriate behaviour on such sites has the potential to tarnish the reputation of our Association and players etc. With this in mind, Whittlesea Pacers is in full compliance with the VJBL rules and regulations concerning Social Media. All members must refrain from posting, sending, forwarding or using in any way, any inappropriate material that may cause insult, offence, intimidation or humiliation to any of our players, parents, members or associates within the basketball community. This includes the encouragement of inappropriate material such as liking, re-tweeting, re-posting and general promotion of unacceptable behaviour, photos or comments. Posting on all blogs or forums is also included within this policy. All members of Whittlesea Pacers are expected to comply with this policy at all times. Any breach of this policy will be treated as a serious matter and will result in disciplinary action which could result in the suspension or termination of membership. 10