Good for:

- providing kids more opportunities to play sport

- providing clubs with additional revenue to support senior teams

- providing coaches (including parents) the opportunity to contribute / improve their skills

Bad for:

- diluting the value of being a "rep" player

- logistics and timetabling

- resulting in late time slots for games

I have an off topic question - how much playing time has been lost since March / April 2020 when the pandemic struck ? I'm not from Vic - seem to recall VJBL started playing again earlier 2021 but shut down again.

back to topic - I think it's good to have several divisions - as long as the infrastructure is there to support it. Coaches, stadiums, refs, good team numbers

#801 - basically got all of grading plus about half the season away. No tournaments at Easter or mid year. So, about half a year's bball lost.

Bad. It's supposed to be representative basketball. But actually just a top level domestic comp. Needs to be a limit of teams per club per age group, and a limit of clubs.

I remember watching U14 nationals 20 years ago, kids today wouldn’t have even made 3rd teams back then. Back then there were 12 teams in VC and Met 1, 2 and 3, then east. Today we have 20 teams in VC, which gets split in 2 so the strong teams can play each other and the weaker teams fight for a medal. We then have Div 1 to god knows. Some clubs have 12-14 teams in an age group but after team 5-6 we end up with parents coaching. 20 years ago it was rare to have a parent coach at any of the large clubs.

The same goes with BigV too many clubs. BigV should be for your juniors to play senior basketball, instead it’s how well you can recruit and if you can find a decent import looking to play for peanuts.

Why does anyone care if there are lots of kids playing bball. If they want to play, let them. Doesn't impact top teams - they will always be the top teams.

We care because if you want to play go play domestic, its not rep ball anymore its who can afford to play plays

Big V should have more teams and I have mentioned before create a real economic structure for semi pro ball, so kids can make a dime like they do in AFL in local comps

Yeah, but it's graded so who cares - if kids want to play them fine.

Nah, the grading sorts that out to a large degree. I think all you do by restricting numbers is excluding kids at the lower end. No point in that, unless you have a resources issue.

Having first become involved in VJBL back in 96 it has definitely made an impact having too many teams. Especially at the top level. Quality coaches is one.

That also doesn't affect the top teams who get the best coaches. Just means you need one for lower grades, but if someone is willing to do it then fine.

Some clubs have perhaps taken this too far - Melb Tigers boys for instance had 7 u14 team (although best team was only in VJBL 2) and 9 u16 teams. That's a lot of players and coaches, which no doubt is good for the coffers but does take up resources. There are other clubs who are similar, so just an example. It’s just using VJBL as domestic basketball, to support a senior programme.