1) training times are generally sorted on court/coach availability, age group of players, eg you wouldn't have a group of U10s training at 8pm, squad or individual team training and the likely attendance of a whole team.

2) have you done any research on the availability of suitable basketball training courts in your area and their cost?

3) if the existence of Div 1 is your issue perhaps you need to investigate a social club

most clubs apply the same rules to a Div 1 team as to a Div 2/3/4/5/6 etc etc, but there are always those disgruntled parents who are convinced that Div 1 teams are treated differently, do they get a better coach? of course they do, because coaches have usually worked hard over a number years working their way up to coach better and better teams!

and further to the above, lets talk bout 'entitlements'

you are entitled for you and your child/ren to be part of a community organisation run by volunteers so that your child/ren can learn social skills and learn to be a part of a team while having fun, I do hope you are not a member of my club buddy otherwise I would be asking you to put up or shut up and I tend to agree with poster number 2 - walk away

I think most of these posts might be written by those who have had a great or fair run and maybe even 1/2. But for many many 3 and below players who trial and ARE ACCEPTED BY THE CLUB...so they should be shown respect and by the way they pay the same amount no matter which division and yes most clubs do fit multiple teams on 1 court while 1 team gets a full court. It is natural that to an onlooking parent that they would question it. Any reasonable person would. And when on the higher divisions courts as I have seen 3 coaches are giving attention to that team versus 1 coach for 3 teams worth of players and your money is the same of course you are going to raise it. Stop hating on people who raise reasonable questions.. There is no questions clubs are concentrating on the top teams and that is understandable but at least charge more or reduse fees for those who are getting less value for their dollar and see the inequity. The court costs are the issue not the volunteer coaches. Your child might be paying $5 a week of fees towards court cost but line up with 30 kids to layup while Jo superstar is paying $5 to layup with 8. Who is getting better value.

it's a free world

avoid the angst and join a social team

alternatively stay and offer to help Coach

the true haters are those taking pot shots at the sport we love , riding on it's coat-tails and being part of the solution

Cat - you assume too much about people. Perhaps I am a coach and despite that see the inequity and am advocating for the players. Perhaps I run a social program and perhaps I do assist with lots of things. Do not discount others concerns. I know what I am talking about from both sides of the fence.

Post 913 I speak from both ends of the spectrum - I have a child in Div 5 AND a child in Div 1/2, guess what? I pay the same fees for both, Post 923 is correct, I have noticed the difference in the level of commitment from a Div1 to a Div5 player, I understand this is a generalization and some Div 4/5/6 players are as committed as the next, mine included, but Div 1 parents and players are often more committed and proactive to training and the team as a whole whereas often players in my lower division just don't show and have an expectation that the club will do this and the club will do that but the cost of the court hire doesn't change regardless of what Division is training and with that lack of commitment is the realisation that it is better to have multiple lower divisions on one court so at least the training is relevant and possible rather than a training for 1 or 2 players that bother to turn up. I believe clubs do respect the players and have an expectation of commitment to the team, perhaps it is the reverse, parents and players do not respect the club and the team they have committed to play for?

what state for FFs?

The Sixers get paid to play basketball and get their own stadium and everything. Is that unfair too?
Division 1 players have more commitment, more expectations, more responsibilities and they are more reliable. Do they get preferential treatment? Absolutely they do. And I can't see a valid reason why they shouldn't.
You're probably one of those people that uses up all his sickies every year, comes in and does his job half arsed, and does the bare minimum, while your co-worker shows up every day, does extra training, has more responsibilities, goes above what is asked of them, and earns more money for it, so you whinge to whoever will listen that it's not fair that he does earn more.
We live in a world where you are judged on your skills. What you can bring to the table. If someone brings more or better skills than you, they will (or should) be rewarded accordingly. We don't live in a communist country, it's not meant to be even for all. Probably a good life lesson for your kids.

Original poster, ignore these morons who are actually the Haters and elitists that do not reflect the views of many parents who feel the same. There are cheaper clubs you may be able to find out there and your child may have the opportunity to move up or you may find you have more value for your boy. SOmetimes one club will not suit you. Especially if it has these morons on here at them who have no respect for all children and love them selves more than anything else. Not everyone in hoops nor playing hoops is like these boys

and of course you are volunteering your time on whatever committee or sub committee is available to make things better and more equal for these kids you feel sorry for?

why bitch and moan and stay in a situation you believe to be so unfair?

can you not decide, take action, exercise your free will?

MOVE

to generalise by saying all Clubs do this is a myth

to stay is sheer stupidity

and we're the morons?

1)get the left over training times after the div 1 teams have had their fill.

2)large lower squads get shoved on one court - whilst smaller div 1 squad gets better number per court ratio.

wont take much more for us to walk.

head coach couldn't care less about anything other than div 1 team.

Dear OP (-), above are your issues, I am trying to understand them to help you out here...

1) Is it that you are unhappy that there is less training time left over or do you want to swap the training times because your time isn't as suitable?

2) I presume that there are fewer of the Div 1 players, is this what you mean, or is there a combined amount of lower division players? I don't know how many courts your stadium has, just trying to comprehend your problem with court distribution...

3) Have you spoken to the head coach, is he/she coaching the Div 1 team and if so maybe it just appears the Div 1 players get more attention? More detail about the actual issue would help...

hey cat, usually I enjoy reading your posts and agree with your opinion however in this instance I feel you are encouraging the "club hopper' attitude, surely it is better to develop club loyalty and ask these parents with such strong opinions to perhaps get on board and do the work behind the scenes and find out their club is about more than just their own team or their own child (although sorry the evil part of me can't help but hope this parent moves to a club other than mine, lol)

At my club our U14 and U16 lower division boys teams have the best venue for their midweek trainings. The U12 lower division teams train at maybe the best venue even though it is a little further away.

Both are 2 court venues with a max of 2 teams per court, and sometimes 3 teams over 2 courts.

perhaps I'm living in a bubble

every team in every division with their own Coach and court to themselves at my Club

hence the broad brush of critisism doesn't apply to all

and as many posters have already recommended if your Club is doing the wrong thing take action to correct it, either talking to them directly with your concerns or volunteering to be in the position to make those decisions

an anon wants me to name my Club whilst remaining silent about their origins?

yeah right!

consider yourself an expert on every Club by discounting my statement

gotta love the anon brigade all sharing the same ISP

Cat, lots of clubs used to do that...

But has proven to be very inefficient financially, plus having only 8 or 9 players too a court means you are unable to play any 5 on 5 at training.

I would think most clubs would be looking at having more players in a session. ie 2 teams of 8 with 2 coaches on a court.

Some times clubs do 3 teams with 6 rings on a single court and manage quite well depending on the coach and their creativity.

I certainly haven't seen EVERY team scattered over every neighbouring stadium ( due to home court raking in the $$ with Korfball etc)

There may well be alignments between teams to share resources and Coaches in some instances

I resent the original posters complaints of Clubs 'ignoring' lower grades and crowding their training space