Sorry table didn't post like it showed in entry box and im not computer expert

No problem. Good improvement for Keilor and Camberwell. Frankston, Dandenong and Nunawading going in the other direction.

Melb has only 1 VC team in boys programme. Who is running that shop?

Dandy has dropped off significantly, although sometimes best to compare every second year due to top agers / bottom agers

Sandy have developed a really strong programme and brand

Camberwell huge longer-term benefactors of the demise of Magic

Shocked at Melbourne this year! Wow

Casey seems to actually have 10 teams in VC not 9, I think you may have missed one. Looks like they have all teams = 8, then both their 16 & 18 Boys 2s teams = 10

Camberwell impressive with 9, definitely a beneficiary of Hawthorns fall off.

Can only assume the likes of Pakenham & Wyndham will slowly continue to increase their numbers over the coming years with the housing continuing to grow in those areas

Actually not shocked re Melb, given the quality of players they have lost to other clubs for a number of years.

Ooops, apologies to casey!!!!

Brilliant effort by Camberwell. Whilst they have benefited from Hawthorn's fall, this wasn't a sure thing. Alot of the players have chosen Camberwell as opposed to other neighbouring associations like Waverley and Bulleen. They've run a good program for some time now and have been able to take advantage of the opportunity when it presented.

Wow, Keilor with the rare double in U14 and U16 boys with two teams qualifying for VC.

Kilsyth ...

1 x U12 Boys
1 x U12 Girls
1 x U14 Boys
2 x U14 Girls
1 x U16 Boys
1 x U16 Girls
1 x U18 Boys
2 x U18 Girls
1 x U20 Boys
1 x U20 Girls

By my count that is 12 VC Teams not 10.

Presumably you aren't counting U20s ... but those teams are part of VJBL until BV changes things.

As time progresses and as more kids come into the sport the U20s will grow.

U20s has always been a complete waste of time/resourses and I don't see that changing

Yep under 20 is in VJBL, and yep it is not as good a standard as under 18 (comparatively). Some associations will definitely include under 20 in their number of VC teams, to fatten the numbers up. Much rather have under 12-18 in VC than under 20, because they are the future of the club.

Most clubs treat U20s as seniors and not juniors.

VJBL published numbers and they included u20.

It's a pity they done publish boys and girls numbers separately. That would be helpful to see where the strength of a program is (I know I can work it out, but still).

@Footloose, if it is a waste of time or resources, then why are so many associations fielding U20 teams in both the boys and girls? One would think it would be better to scrap all the U20 programs and use the resources for Youth League programs.

@Manders, I've watched a lot of U18 and U20 basketball over the past couple of years. The standards are not that different between the best teams when comparing the best teams in each group. The standards of the lesser teams in U20s is clearly superior to that in U18s. This suggests that weaker players mostly drop out of the sport once they no longer qualify for U18s.

@LC While U20s is in VJBL, it is a junior league. Many players in U20s are 17yo and 18yo. And there are even 16yos playing U20s.

Personally, I think BV should scrap U20s and introduce a Third Division in Youth League. This would make the transition from VJBL to higher levels a lot smoother for players. And associations could be more focused on how they manage that transition. U20s is a bit of an outlier

U20 womens comp has 18 teams in total. U20 mens has 60 teams in total. Compared to around 90 teams in 18's for the womens, 300 in 18's for the men.

boys are still developing at this stage, hence more teams, but girls are generally fully developed, so U20's becomes a recreation space, any talented U20 girls are already playing YL or seniors at this point.

So yes, resources might be better allocated elsewhere, plus it would free up some court space/officials on a Friday night.

Womens 90 teams to 18 teams.
Mens 300 teams to 60 teams.

If we assume 9 players per team ...

Womens 810 players to 162 players
Mens 2700 players to 540 players

A similar drop off in percentage terms assuming the drop out rates are the same and assuming a similar proportion of players move along the path way to higher levels - Youth League, US College etc.

So really not that different when you consider the differences in participation rates over the journey from U12s.

And is it really the case that girls are no longer developing after U18s. Remember, girls in U18s are 15yo to 17yo. In U20, they are 16yo to 19yo. The sport is rapidly changing with regards to skill sets and player development because the game itself is changing strategically.

Look at US College ball in the Women. Caitlin Clark is the hottest property in the sport at the moment. Her game is built around hitting 3 Pointers. She is only 183cm tall.

The Men's game is a completely different beast. But rates of participation seem to be growing faster in the women's game. The problem is with the rates of retention. The women seem to drop off more quickly because the current pathways are so rigid

Your statement that U20s becomes a recreation space is interesting. I've been watching quite a few U20s games this season. Many of the players don't seem to be treating it like recreation to me. Their coaching teams, even less so. Perhaps things are changing?

Does BV and BA turn its back on 50% of the population and leave it to other sports like Aussie Rules and Soccer to pickup to low hanging fruit?

That's leaving a lot of money on the table. Or rather, handing it over to someone else.

Melbourne U18 Girls off to a flyer vs Nunawading in their VC Grand final.
34 - 11 at half time. They'll be hard to beat from here.

Should be a cracking game to follow, U18 boys, Knox vs Dandenong.


Remaining grand finals to play next Friday:

Boys:
U12 Sandringham vs Frankston
U14 Casey vs Knox
U16 Nunawading vs Whittlesea
U20 Kilsyth vs Sandringham

Girls:
U12 Keilor vs Dandenong
U14 Kilsyth vs Bulleen
U16 Sandringham vs Casey
U20 Altona vs McKinnon


Whats your tips?

No idea re tips, but I love that there are so many clubs involved. So much better than having a comp dominated by just two or three clubs.

Melbourne U18 girls put on a typically dominant display, offensively and defensively.

Knox U18 boys will be very disappointed. The team to beat all season but didn't appear to want it enough in the grand final. Sewell was massive and had no counter on Knox.