Athletes will warm up as a group and will then be assessed through a range of skill aspects and be asked to compete in various playing situations. The selection process recognises that some elements may be new or unfamiliar to some players. There are scrimmages, games, and final squad trainings to allow the coaches to establish if each player is the correct fit for each team.

Players are asked to arrive prepared to concentrate hard and give their full effort and attention to the coaches.

Parents are not permitted to approach or engage with coaches during tryout sessions. There will be Melbourne Tigers executives and volunteers helping coordinate the tryouts, and they will be happy to answer most questions.

We understand that parents are often worried about the outcomes of the tryouts. However, coaches and athletes need to be provided space to focus all their energies on the actual tryout process and for the club to properly evaluate every athlete and make informed assessments.

Following the conclusion of the last tryout, athletes who have been selected for a team will be sent a formal offer via email. This email will confirm which team each player has been selected for, and parents are required to either accept or decline the offer within a reasonably short time frame.

Please remember that the process to select players for teams will be carefully considered, and selections are made in the best interests of the club and the players. Some disappointments are inevitable once the final teams have been announced, and the club has a formal feedback process. Upon accepting your child’s offer, you have the option of formally request in writing via email, feedback on your player’s selection.

Most teams will have 10 players, but these selections are not permanent until after the first round of grading (in mid-December). This is to allow for long-term injuries and the unlikely event of a player withdrawing or being unable to sustain performance on the selected team.

Each team trains twice per week (minimum) – on Sunday at MSAC followed by a midweek session, typically on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening. These mid-week sessions are usually at a range of stadiums that include but are not limited to Albert Park College, Port Melbourne Secondary College, South Melbourne Primary School, Caulfield Grammar, Oakleigh Grammar, Elsternwick Primary School (Brighton), Prahan High School, South Melbourne Primary School, Wesley College, Maribynong Secondary College and Sacre Coeur (Glen Iris). Actual session times and venues will be organized by the Directors of Coaching and the Club Administration Manager.

Players who miss training sessions, without legitimate reasons, may consequently have their court time restricted. We encourage injured athletes to continue to attend training and ensure they keep up with the plans, plays, and strategies that coaches introduce to the team.

The Club does not oppose athletes concurrently competing in other sports but knows how difficult it is to juggle time commitments. We expect a Melbourne Tigers athlete to always prioritize representative basketball over other sports they may participate in. If this is not clearly demonstrated, court time in games will most likely be reduced, and team selections may be affected.

Games are played on Friday evenings and generally alternate between our home court at MSAC and away venues. There may be extensive travel required on Friday evenings to away stadiums.

The younger age groups tend to have games scheduled earlier (6:30pm – 8:50pm), while U16-U20 game times are more likely to be scheduled in the later time slots (8:30pm – 10:40pm).

While the VJBL tries to limit travel distances for all teams, it is not unusual for games on Friday evenings to be held at venues as diverse as Frankston, Dandenong, Knox, Nunawading, Lilydale, Diamond Valley, Darebin, Sunbury, Werribee, Geelong, or even Ballarat and Latrobe Valley. Fill up your petrol tank and look forward to the opportunity for long conversations with your player!

The commitment to play representative basketball is significant, and a place in any Tigers’ team is highly valued. The Club expects players to be available for every game but does understand that illness, injury, or critical school or family commitments may sometimes prohibit this.

We acknowledge that some Victorian schools run camps during the basketball season, which can impact player attendance at training and games. The coach and team manager must be informed of these commitments at the earliest opportunity.

Representative basketball is different from domestic basketball, where even court time is often the aim. Accordingly, equal court time for all representative players is not guaranteed. Rather, players earn their court time by their attitude, progress, attendance at training, and potential to contribute to the overall team’s success. It is important to remember that 95% of the time, players will not have the ball to score. Instead, they will have a role to execute on the court, or they will be on the bench. Their performance without the ball is as important as their scoring opportunities. All of this is considered by coaches when rotating players on and off the court. Coach feedback on court time and areas for improvement can be sought via the Team Manager.

The Melbourne Tigers requires compulsory participation in two tournaments throughout the season that form an integral part of the program.

• Eltham/Dandenong Tournament (EDT) – Australia Day weekend, January
• National Junior Classic (NJC) – King’s Birthday weekend, June (qualifying teams only)
• Nunawading or Ballarat – King’s Birthday weekend, June (for all other teams)

Participation in other tournaments during the season is at the discretion of the coach and team. However, approval of the respective Director of Coaching is required to ensure that these additional commitments are not unreasonable or excessive given the age and development status of the team. Melbourne Tigers’ players will not be disadvantaged in respect to their regular league participation should they be unavailable to attend any of these additional tournaments.

For the U14 & U18 age group, the first team (U14.1/U18.1) may qualify for the Under 14 or Under 18 Australian Club Championships, which are held during the September school holidays. The host venue is rotated throughout the Australian states. Tournament costs are additional and may be approximately $3,000 – $5,000 depending on the location of the tournament. Fundraising is essential for teams selected in U14 & U18 Australian Championships.

Annual Membership Fees

The fees for 2024-25 are $1,050 per player. These are subject to change and will be advised prior to tryouts. The fees are paid via PlayHQ with an option for 4 instalments if paid via PayPal. 

Registration Fees cover:
• Midweek & Sunday training court hire
• VJBL team registrations
• Preseason team sheet fees
• End of Season Presentation Day
• Coaching development
• Association Administration
• First Aid Equipment

Please note that Associations fees vary across Victoria, the main component of fees is made up in court hire for trainings and Melbourne Tigers value training time considerably for our players to get the most out of the season and therefore offer an increase in training hours compared to some other Associations.

Team Kitty

For venue scoresheet, approx. $600 per player per season.

Tournament Fees

Most teams enter one or two tournaments. Entry varies from tournament to tournament but can be $400 per team. Additional costs are incurred should the tournament require travel interstate.

Uniform

Usually $150- $250 for the initial kit with extra items available for purchase but not compulsory.

It is important that new members to the club are aware that we rely on a range of revenue streams to make the program’s budget balance. Membership fees are important, but we also generate revenue from sponsorship and fundraising. All members of our club are expected to support and participate in relevant fundraising activities as they help keep our membership fees as low as possible.

The Club has an inclusive culture and does its best to accommodate athletes with disabilities and special needs. This could range from common issues like asthma and allergies through to athletes who have physical, behavioural, developmental, and sensory disabilities. Experience has shown that successfully providing tailored assistance is best delivered with open communication so that adjustments can be sought or provided to accommodate such needs.

Parents are encouraged to provide the club with any information that can support your player in a timely way. Confidentiality is assured.