Basketball Pre-season Meeting Minutes

Attendees
Allen Gallup, Bert Church
Brian Utley, Chestermere
Dave Morris, Bow Valley
Doug Wilde, Bert Church
Howie Long, Chestermere
Jacquie Mirtle, RVSD
Kathleen Elliott, Cochrane
Ken Der, Bert Church
Ken Melton, George McDougall
Mike Sera, Bert Church
Nancy Dutchik, Cochrane
Rhonda Bartel, Cochrane
Ryan Haggarty, George McDougall
Sam Wilson, Springbank
Sandy Green, Cochrane
Shane Hansen, Beiseker
Stephen Stovka, Beiseker
Steve MacLean, George McDougall

Commissioner/Statistician
Thanks to Mike Sera for acting as commissioner and statistician again this season.

RVSA Handbook
Six basketball motions went to Parameters last spring:
a. Motion passed that junior varsity boys play the first five games of the season man-to-man defence and the second half zone/multiple defence.
b. Motion passed that we permanently abolish the three-technical rule.
c. Motion passed that the girls and boys switch playing days for the next two seasons. 2006-07 girls play on Tuesdays and boys play on Wednesdays (2007-08, boys will play on Tuesdays and girls on Wednesdays)
d. Motion passed that for the 2006-07 seaons, JV teams always play first at 6:00 and varsity teams always play second at 7:45.
e. Motion passed that we move the meeting and banquet back one week.
f. Motion eventually defeated that Beiseker senior basketball teams play in the junior basketball league.

Update: Because of the nature of the JV schedule, the first motion is not applicable. Junior Varsity boys are to play the first game of a home-and-home series man-to-man defence. The second game in the series may be played zone/multiple defence.

Schedule
Schedules were circulated and comments were made. Minor changes were made to accommodate individual schools. JV game times were not changed.

Some ideas for next season's schedule are to:
a. Play Mondays and Wednesdays with the JVs playing together and the seniors playing together.
b. Attempt to get the senior schedule up to 10 games.
c. Try to accommodate rivalries and big games.
d. Look at reformatting the JV schedule instead of the Varsity schedule.

Divisional Championships
This year's host is Bert Church. Schedules were circulated and changes made to quarter final dates and venues. Quarter finals for both JV and Varsity are played at the home of higher seeded team. JVs will also play their semi finals at the home of the higher seeded team. Varsity semi finals will be played at Bert Church. Updated schedules are posted on the web. The order of games for Divisional Championship games is: JV Girls, JV Boys, Varsity Girls, Varsity Boys.

Coaches raised the issue of charging spectators. JM thought there was nothing in the RVSA Handbook saying schools couldn't charge. Update: The RVSA Handbook (High School Policies) states that:
"Any monies collected at the gate remain property of the host school."

The group also discussed raising the profile of our Divisional Championships by making it an event that includes player introductions and attention to other details.

Zone Championships
2A, 3A, and 4A Zone dates and hosts are posted on the web under each schedule.

Provincial Championships
2A, 3A, and 4A Provincial dates and hosts are posted on the web under each schedule.

Officials
Reviewed the increase in fees charged by officials. The $42 CBOA fee includes an increase in travel rates. Coaches questioned why Rocky View is always levied a blanket surcharge for travel even though some officials are in the area. Action: JM to ask John Weiland from the CBOA about this.

League Fees
Fees were adjusted to reflect changes in schedules and the small increase to officiating fees.
Varsity Girls $450
Varsity Boys $450
JV Girls $600
JV Boys $600

Team Declaration/Rosters
Deadlines:
JV - Dec. 15
Varsity - Dec. 15

Scoring and Results
Email no later than 9:00 am the following day to both Mike Sera (michaelsera@hotmail.com) and Jacquie Mirtle. Fax to Mike Sera at 948-7496.

Code of Conduct
Action: Athletes, parents and coaches must sign Code of Conduct forms before the first league game or they are not eligible to participate. Principals are to send their declarations to the sports coordinator prior to the first league game.

Awards
The group discussed, at length, basketball awards and the process for choosing recipients. This discussion was a continuation of an email discussion started in the spring. Most of the discussion centered around league all-stars. There are essentially two ideals that our league is trying to balance: the desire to recognize players from each school while awarding outstanding players with true all-star status.

Coaches decided on the following for this year:
a. Teams are to identify their Most Valuable Player. One player from each team will recieve a Team MVP Award.
b. Those players are then put on a ballot, from which the league MVP is selected.
c. Varsity teams will choose a girl and a boy for league Rookies of Year.
b. The Heart Award is to be renamed the Coach's Award. Each team chooses one recipient.
c. Ten league all-stars will be chosen by coaches at the post-season meeting. There is no formula for how All-Star Awards are distributed throughout the league. It is possible (probable) that a Team MVP Award recipient will also be named an All-Star. It is also possible that a team will not have an all-star. The goal is to recognize the 10 best players in the league.

Action: Because we're adding one award (Team MVP), JM will run this by principals.

Banquet
The banquet is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3 at Bert Church.

Post-season Meeting
Tuesday, March 20
4:30
Education Centre, Airdrie

NCCP Coaching Clinic
JM explained the RVSA Bursary Fund and how we would like to use the money to either encourage Rocky View coaches to register for a clinic Basketball Alberta is looking at putting on before Christmas or have Basketball Alberta come in and do a clinic exclusively for Rocky View coaches. Coaches present indicated at least nine people at their schools would be interested in a Level II clinic. Action: JM to gauge interest from Rocky View middle schools and circulate information about a clinic.