Let me guess you have a second year child sitting in Div 3 and believe they are "pushed out" due to this policy?!?!

If you look at strong clubs Australia wide there is a high proportion of them which adopt a similar policy of sorts. What they are seeking is a continued level of success year in and year out - they want to avoid the feast or famine cycle. This is best achieved with first year players training regularly with Div 1/2 players so the step up the following year is not too great

I know my son came up through that structure though not stated as an official policy. Some years he was in the third team but has, with hard work, gone on to play 10 years at the NBL1 level

Short term thinking if you don't have at least 5-6 bottom age kids in your top squad.

50/50 is the definition of pandering and uneducated

Let's make it 55/45 then. What a comment pandering to the uneducated

Pandering to whom?

Sounds like a recipie for promoting mediocrity

Recipie...

These kids are one year apart and while there can be a physical gap depending on development for a bit,in the long run it makes no difference to career basketballers. The cream will always rise...
By basically selecting on-going div 1 and 2 teams due to age, there is a great risk of pigeon holing a late developer into div 3 from a young age even if they are a definate div 2 with potential for div 1 standard.
Should be on talent alone.

Which club are you talking about

No these kids can be 1 year and 364 days apart actually.

That's recipe mate. Looks like mediocre schooling to me.

Wow I see your point. Those three clubs are amongst the poorest performing clubs in the state. They obviously have it very wrong!

None of those 3 clubs do this.

North has for many many years except for recently a general rule of ensuring enough first year players playing primarily in Div 2 with one or two in Div 1. The first years in Div 1 will only be there if they are good enough to hold a spot. This was done to ensure there was not the situation of first years stepping up from Div 3 or lower to make up a Div 1 team.

I experienced this when my kids were there though I haven't been around for 4 or 5 years. I think this approach is more common than what people think at other clubs - it seems that the issue is that the club has come out and stated formally this approach which from my perspective is good in that parents can better understand the process.

All clubs consider a balance for continuation. Any club running a 50/50 split is asking for trouble.

Nearly all clubs do this. It might not be a 50/50 split but a significant amount of first years in div 2.

For the parents who have a child in division 3, who can't crack div 1 but won't make div 2 because they are a second year - relax. I have seen plenty of guys who have become NBL1 Players or even pros come from division 3 as late developers. In the long term the cream rises to the top. Let your child's journey unfold and don't get caught up on the number.

It appears to be some confusion here - are we saying they total of the Div1 and 2 squads should have approximately equal numbers of first and second years or are we saying that each team should be made up 50/50 of each age group. If people are thinking the latter then that is a major issue and compromise on performance. If the former then I believe many clubs Australia wide have similar approaches.

If you are good enough you play...if not take up another sport or go practice!

Truth there was never a limit in Div 1 of only top age players. Don't be ridiculous.

All kids should get medals and bring a winner is bad.....so lets no have losers and make teams even and fair because equal outcomes is what we all want!