Just let them play where they want.

I quite agree!
It would be good to see more input from the city teams into the country areas. There are a lot of good players in the country that would improve with some city influence.

Even if there is not a zoning area, then it would be good to have a "country showcase" where country kids can come and try out in front of the district club scouts. From there, the scouts can approach the parents.

Being a country dad, my lad plays in our local competition and gets 2/3rds of the points each week, is double tagged each game and represents the local country district team.

He should be playing in the city comp. however, the city clubs have their tryouts all on the same day at the same time!!!

central women's aba team could use a few of these talented country players.

You woud think that they wouldn't hold their tryouts all on the same just in case someone doesn't quite know what team they want to play at yet. Being in Mt. Gambier i do know people who have connections with a couple of Metro teams but it would be nice every now and then that a few teams send out a few people to have a look around and see what they can find. That "country show case" thing that Country Dad went on about is a good idea.

If you are a real country resident (sorry, Mt Barker, despite what BA may rule its a freakin outer suburb of Adelaide)then the 1st question you need to answer is "am I going to bring my child 120kms plus every week and stay for the weekend training?"

If the answer is "yes" then come on down.

If the answer is "sometimes" or "only for games and the occasional training" then please stay put.

I have seen both sides at our club and the parents that only turn up for games and the occasional training are doing the club, their child and the childs teammates a disservice. The talented country kids whose parents are prepared to bring their kids down for the hard yards reap the rewards.

No way in the world would I expect a country kid to attend mid week trainings; however they must attend most weekend trainings.

Everyone deserves the same opportunities; however it does work both ways.

Country kids who are serious about their basketball will make that journey on the weekend, not during the week as they play in their local league, but the city clubs need to be out there looking.....
You can't just roll up to the DNSP in an area and look at those kids, not all country kids do DNSP because of other commitments. That's the lazy way!
Remember that the country kid who plays for city trains with their local country club, plays with their country club, trains with their country district team, plays carnivals with their country district team and then plays and trains with their city team.
These kids are not your average city player who is dropped off by mummy after school for an hour's baby sitting (aka training)

So we should zone city players aswell. . .
Oh wait, then someone will say that that isn't fair and that they should be able to choose thier own club, so why should country players be any different, they live even further away and have to travel even further.

What if a Port Lincoln player gets zoned to Centrals but has an uncle etc living at Noarlunga who they can stay with?

Zoning on a metro level would be a bad idea, zoning on a country level would be ten times worse.

Yeah lets zone all the country kids to clubs like Southern , Central and Eastern. Watch them not learn a thing, hate basketball and not come down after a while. They are travelling long distances so they should have the choice who they play for.

(#180460 | Grrr!) Eastern's entire player base is Country!

180453 - just stirring you guys up looking for a nibble!!

The answer may not be a zone, but giving the city clubs an opportunity to get a level playing field as far as attracting country kids, kids being able to select clubs, and making it all work for the kids - who are the focus of all this.

Oh why bother with this post.........
District coaches and scouts were at both champs....
If a kid is good enough and the parents are willing to take the kid to Adelaide, then clubs will make an offer to suit....

Kids and parents will go where the best development and playing time are.
I spose this will start a fight Metro Vs Country!

And No .... Norwood dont have Port Pirie sewn up!!!!
Who are you Country Dad?

PPDO, I am closer than you think . . .

Zoning is a dud of an idea for the very point that VC fan made. Also a northern based country u16 child that was zoned to certain club at the moment would be rewarding that club for sitting on their hands for the last 3 seasons, stuffing up the u16's programing.

People will always have a go at the clubs that say they work their buts off in country areas, but the fact is if they didnt work their butts off they would not attract the country kids.

Some clubs are also lucky enough to have talented country kids walk in off the streets. Success breeds success. You get out of the sport what you put into it.

Country Dad. It is everybodys right to have the opportunity to play at district level, and in most cases the best do; however please do not perpetuate the myth that the less distance you travel, the lazier you are because that is wrong.

Country or Metro? It just dosnt matter, its the family that wants to succeed whose kid will play div 1 at district level. Playing div1 no matter if you are country or metro is a family commitment.

Can you please stop posting. We all know who you are! You have an axe to grind and I fear you'll continue to grind it until there's nothing left. Basically most of the zoning, country kids, SASI /State / elite level snipes are you, your style is easy to pick. Just stop now, your views on all these subjects are constantly refuted, you have minimal support. PLEASE LEAVE HOOPS SA ALONE!

523: As a parent who has been there done that and tried at a lower level club with a talented kid, I am telling you the culture at the lower level clubs is the problem. There needs to be attitude change at the team/grade level with the kids and their families. Plan a valid way out of your 'tall poppy syndrome' culture. Teach the children and families about how to plan for success - respect good players and appreciate their efforts - because if the team doesn't another club/team will. Zoning will not work. Families will leave clubs and the sport if the culture is negative. Clubs need to build a positive culture that will lead to success. Stop blaming the top clubs, learn from them. That's what the business world does.

P.S. netball is a highly successful sport in Australia with hugh participation rates. Guess what, in Adelaide (don't know about the rest of Aus) - NO ZONING!

Country Dad,

If you are close, then you know me....
Give me a ring on my mobile and we will see what we can work out.

(#180523) A really easy way around this "closed boys networking club" is for your club to get up off its hands, get out there and start networking your own club.

What; so all the country areas are networked, so you just through your hands up and pray that BA will have a change of policy and help your club out of a tight spot? You can wait for the "tide to turn" but by your club not doing anything that tide will never turn.

If buisness worked with the same attitude you seem to have then all the companies that were around 50-100 years ago would have the monopoly on the worlds finances. This isnt the case is it?

If someone or some club has a better product, you match it or come up with a better or cheaper product that does the same thing.

One of the best posts I've read this week o' slow one.

Of course, we all know it won't happen. It's far easier to complain about those that do the work.

(#180561) I am not sure if you ment "networked" in your second sentance or zoned.

If you ment networked, then networking is not the big nasty you think it may be. Networking is all about fostering relationships and future contacts that can be used to help smooth the way for the future; networking does not have to be restricted to one club, as all clubs should have the opportunity to foster relationships in country areas that may help in identifiying talent.

If you ment zoned, then yes I agree.

Point well taken on the financial positon and organisation of some country associations; however the real point is the direction in which the kids flow to clubs. It is almost exclusivly country to city, not the other way around.

I am surprised noone has looked at recruiting from Mildura u14s since both teams won their respective age groups. I noticed u14 g from mt Gambier are playing yet they did not make finals.