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2025 Player/Parent Handbook
SHERBROOKE SUNS CONTACT DETAILS
PRESIDENT – ACTING
Sally Scott
president@sherbrookebasketball.au
SECRETARY
Pamela Ball, 0401 996 046
secretary@sherbrookebasketball.au
JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
junior.rep@sherbrookebasketball.au
DIRECTOR of COACHING – Ian Williams
DOC@sherbrookebasketball.au
FEE CO-ORDINATOR
treasurer@sherbrookebasketball.au
UNIFORMS AND MERCHANDISE
Jemma Collins
uniforms@sherbrookebasketball.au
Welcome to the Sherbrooke SUNS Junior Representative Basketball Program.
Sherbrooke SUNS Basketball allows maximum involvement in each age group, from the under 12’s right through to the Big V Youth League and Senior Divisions. The skills and experience that the players develop in playing for Junior Representative Teams carries them through into the senior program. The links between the junior and senior programs are integral to players understanding their opportunities for progression.
As the Representative Basketball season runs across a ten-month period, a large degree of commitment is required from players, coaches and parents to achieve a successful season. This includes attending ALL training sessions and games.
Sherbrooke SUNS was born out of the need for those playing Sherbrooke Domestic Competition to go to the next level and compete more broadly by representing their own association and playing representative basketball. The Sherbrooke Board of Management feel that it is not enough to simply commit to playing Junior Representative without actively contributing to the domestic association which gives players the representative program opportunity.
From Sherbrooke to You
- Opportunity to play representative basketball at your optimum level
- Quality training and coaching at age appropriate levels
- A warm and inviting environment in which to learn and succeed
- A pathway through to senior representative opportunities
- The promotion of the benefit of team sport in preparing young people with life skills
- Opportunity to develop relationships in the wider basketball community
From You to Sherbrooke
- Try your utmost to reach your full potential
- Show respect to all parties, at all levels
- Fully commit to the betterment of the team as a whole
- Fulfil obligations to assist at Big V games
- Fulfil obligations to participate in domestic competition
- Contribute to the continued development of growth at Sherbrooke Basketball
Sherbrooke SUNS takes the issue of cyber bullying very seriously. Parents should be aware of this and discuss it with their child so there is a clear understanding of expectations. NO SHERBROOKE SUNS TEAM IS PERMITTED TO SET UP A TEAM SOCIAL MEDIA SITE. The Club has an official monitored Facebook page. Team Managers are given assistance to set up a suitable Team App for weekly comms within the team regarding training and games – this is not set up as a social chat group.
Unlike domestic basketball, which is played in two seasons, Representative Basketball is played throughout most of the year in three phases.
Grading Phase 1 November to December
Grading Phase 2 February to March
Championship Phase April to August
Finals September
Under 20s will run: Grading Phase 1 mid March, then Season starts May to finals in August.
The Junior Representative Working Group takes direction from, and reports to, the Sherbrooke Board of Management, and is responsible for implementing necessary procedures to facilitate the operation of the program. Duties such as distributing uniforms, overseeing tryouts, ensuring players are registered, ensuring official paperwork for Coaches and Team Managers is in order, and that all teams have the required equipment and information. The Working Group are all volunteers that are working to provide a great basketball experience for players and their families. Functions performed by the Working Group include:
- Team Manager Co-Ordinator
- VJBL Representative
- Uniform/Merchandise Co-Ordinator
Training sessions are held twice a week throughout the season. Training will be on Sundays and midweek. Training is at Upwey High School stadium. Players need to arrive at training at least 15 minutes before the start time or as otherwise directed by the Coach. If there is a group training on your court when you arrive, do not take to the court until your appointed time.
Sherbrooke understands that some family events or illness can cause missed training sessions, but there are no other valid excuses. For example, sleepovers, parties, etc., are not acceptable reasons for missing training. If you are injured, you are still expected to attend training sessions and games. Please inform your Coach or Team Manager as early as possible, with a valid reason, if you cannot attend a training or game.
Games are played on a home and away basis on a Friday night. Games normally start from 6.40pm through to 9.40pm. Venues will vary depending on grading. Our home courts are Upwey High School. Under 20s competition for the 2025 season will be held on Sunday evenings at various venues within a reasonable geographical area, the U20s competition does not start until 2025.
There is no door entry charge at any venues. The team game day fee covers players and spectators and is a lump sum determined by VJBL. Sherbrooke Basketball has incorporated these fees into our total fee structure so there is no need for further payment to cover game day fees. Sherbrooke Basketball pays all game day fees on behalf of each team. Details in the Fee Section
Contact Details
Please ensure you provide correct contact details to the club. If you change your details (telephone number, email etc) during the season, please go into your PlayHQ account and make the necessary changes in the system. If fees are to be paid by anyone other than the person whose email is registered as the contact point, this information must be provided via email to treasurer@sherbrookebasketball.au
Fees
Total cost of player registration and game day fees for 2025 for all players is $1150.00 inclusive of GST. We offer an early bird fee of $1050 provided the full amount is paid by 1st December 2024. Do not pay your fees until you receive an invoice. The invoice number MUST be the reference on your direct payment record. Once the fees are paid you will have no further costs associated with your child playing representative basketball unless:
you need to purchase a uniform
the team makes finals
the team enters a tournament
Payment of the $1150.00 is broken into two parts being: $750 registration, $400 game day fees:
- $50.00 paid when registering for tryouts
- A minimum total of $600.00 must be paid by 1st December, 2024
- Final Payment of balance of fees by 1st March, 2025 (you can pay small amounts on a regular basis if that helps but you must include the invoice number and meet the deadlines above)
There is a $60.00 discount for the 2nd and subsequent children in the family which comes off the final payment. If fees are not fully paid by 15th March, 2025, players may not be permitted to take the court.
This is the account number to pay into is on the invoice you receive.
Please Note: Uniforms will not be handed out until full payment is received, EFT available at the stadium when Jemma or Pam are present.
Uniform
New player uniform pack is $300.00. Sherbrooke SUNS reversible gold and black singlet, gold shorts, warm up top, black training shorts and reversible training top . A $150 deposit is required at sizing up time for existing players and upon confirmation of entering a team for new players. Our exclusive supplier is iAthletic. The time and place for collection of uniforms will be advised by our uniform co-ordinator. New uniforms will not be issued until they are paid for in full.
For new players to Sherbrooke, loan singlets will be provided until your uniform is delivered. If a loan singlet is provided without loan shorts, plain black basketball shorts must be worn. During grading phases we are permitted to have a mixture of uniform styles within a team provided the colour is correct. The club will monitor this. In this case the Sherbrooke SUNS training shorts are suitable but otherwise shorts must be plain black with no logos or detail.
Sherbrooke SUNS Uniform Policy
Training” Official club reversible training singlet and SUNS training shorts.
Friday night games Gold singlet and Gold shorts, warm up top. If required for warmth, only the club apparel (BLACK tracksuit pants, BLACK hoodie etc.) is to be worn. Under no circumstances are players to arrive at games wearing “street wear” – only Sherbrooke approved uniform and merchandise.
ALWAYS wear the Gold singlet and Gold shorts at all Friday night games unless:
- You are playing against: Knox, Wyndham, or Sherbrooke AND
- You are the first-named team on the fixture, i.e. the ‘home’ team
If BOTH points 1 and 2 are ‘YES’, then you are to wear the reverse side of your singlet = BLACK SINGLET with the GOLD SHORTS (there is no variation acceptable). There will be some teams who never wear the reverse side of their singlet and others who may wear it two or three times in the season. VJBL uniform rules are completely different to other leagues – do not get them confused. Failure to wear the correct colour on game night will incur a fine issued by the League which Sherbrooke then passes on to the offending team for payment.
Compression Wear: Compression garments must be black without any visible commercial logos. Compression garments must be fitted to compress. Loose fitting compression wear is not permitted. If compression garments do not fit the VJBL’s criteria, you will be asked to remove them.
Club Merchandise
Is available through our online shop located on our website www.sherbrookebasketball.asn.au
Game attendance
Teams are expected to play all fixture games. This is not negotiable. If a team is short of players for a game, the Junior Representative Administration Officer must be notified so that a restructure can be organised.
Players are expected to be at games 30 minutes prior to the fixture starting time, or as otherwise directed by the Coach. Players must be in full uniform (singlet, shorts and warm up top) no visible street apparel and only black Sherbrooke merchandise. Attendance at games is compulsory even if you are injured or sick – but not if you are contagious. In the case of illness or injury, players are required to obtain a medical certificate, so that any games missed will still count towards a player’s eligibility for cross over games and finals. Medical certificates must be received by the Sherbrooke SUNS Junior Representative Administration Officer within 7 days of injury. The medical certificates will then be forwarded to VJBL by the Sherbrooke SUNS delegate. Back dated certificates will not be accepted by VJBL.
Technical Fouls – Zero Tolerance at Sherbrooke
VJBL has instigated a penalty process for VJBL players, coaches and spectators who behave badly. Details of these penalties are available on VJBL’s website. In addition to these penalties Sherbrooke SUNS will require anyone who receives a Technical Foul (and yes this is possible for spectators as well as coaches and players) to make a time for a meeting with our Director of Coaching to explain their behaviour. Further sanctions may then be taken by the Club based on recommendations by the DOC. It is in your best interests to proactively seek this consultation as all TFs are recorded by the referees on the game – you will be found!!
Court Time
Court time is at the discretion of the Coach and is decided by several factors. These include: attendance at training, work ethic, skill level and on-court match ups. It is therefore possible that some players will get little or no court time in some games.
Finding the right time to talk to your child’s Coach can be tricky but never attempt to do this straight after a game. At Sunday training there is generally more time for discussion. If you find this option difficult, ask the Team Manager to try and arrange a meeting time for you to speak with the Coach. Do not discuss your concerns with the team manager, as this is not their responsibility. Coaches volunteer their time and expertise for the benefit of your child. Encourage your child to communicate with the coach directly if they have any queries or concerns about their game. This is often a more productive avenue of communication and can serve to develop a healthy and respectful relationship between Coach and Player
If your child has a diagnosed condition which may impact on their ability to participate at the required level it is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to advise the coach and the club.
All players must play 40% of their fixtured games during Grading Phase 2 and championship phase combined to qualify for finals. Exemption is only granted based on documented medical reasons previously supplied within the correct time frame.
Tournaments: Sherbrooke has in the past supported the Dandenong/Eltham tournament (January) and the Nunawading Spectres King’s Birthday weekend tournament (June). Teams pay the cost of entry for these tournaments themselves. It usually costs approximately $450.00 per team with no ancillary expenses.
Permission must first be obtained from the Board of Management, in writing, if a coach wishes to attend another tournaments. If approval is given, all associated costs are the responsibility of the team.
All teams are expected to assist with court duties for the Sherbrooke SUNS Senior Representative Big V games between March and August. Advance notice of your team’s specific date for duty will be given to your Team Manager when the Big V fixture is released. Attendance and participation is compulsory for all teams. If a team cannot fulfil their rostered duty it is up to that team to negotiate a swap with another team. Duties include: floor wiping, fetching and carrying as required, packing up of chairs and equipment.
Team Manager
The Team Manager is the link of communication between the Club and parents/players, and the Coach and parents/players. It is the key role in providing team contact information to each member of the team and to the Club, checking fixtures, ascertaining colour clashes, making scoring rosters, issuing information throughout the season from the Club and completing scoring information prior to the game. Team Managers have nothing to do with player selection, court time or game strategies and you must direct any such queries to the Coach. Parents/players may discuss these aspects with the Coach at an appropriate time BUT NOT on game day.
The role of the Team Manager does not have to be a one-person role but can be shared between two or sometimes three people working co-operatively. Good communication, computer and internet proficiency and score bench knowledge are the main components required. Please note: There is no requirement for the Team Manager to perform first aid, but we would ask that you use common sense if a player is injured or requires help. Each team is provided with a basic first aid kit for players/parents to access through the Team Manager as/if required. The Club will supply each team with one Team Manager’s bag containing, one or two basketballs, a blood shirt and a first aid kit. One of the balls is the game ball and must be provided by the home team for home matches.
In case of a colour clash, the Team Manager needs to notify the Coach and players that they are required to wear their black singlet. (only if you are playing Knox, Wyndham or another Sherbrooke team and only if you are the home team).
All Team Managers are required to have a current ‘Working with Children Check’ card, provide a Member Protection Declaration and supply a copy of each to the Junior Representative Administration Officer. This information is then forwarded to the VJBL by the Sherbrooke SUNS delegate.
Under no circumstances are Team Managers to contact the VJBL directly. If you have any questions, they must be sent to the Junior Representative Administration Officer for the matter to be followed up with the VJBL.
Scorers
Each team is required to provide two (2) competent scorers each week. For home games U16, U18 and U20 teams must provide a shot clock operator as well as a time keeper. It is expected that each player provides a scorer (parent or other adult) on a rostered basis. This means that if you have two or more children playing; either in different teams or the same team you are given a roster per child (not per family). You may need to advise your Team Manager/s of your multiple duties so there are no clashes. If you don’t know how to score, please let your Team Manager know. There is a manual and video on the VJBL website showing how to score. There is normally at least one competent scorer in each team who can teach others. Everyone needs to take their turn at scoring as it is unfair on other parents when people refuse to do so. Please be diligent in this role, as this is a part of your child playing basketball. The Guidelines are as follows.
- The home team (first named team on the fixture) does the timekeeping (buttons).
- The home team does the short clock (U16, 18s, 20s)
- The visiting team (second named team on the fixture) does the computer.
- Ensure you are familiar with the timing rules before the game starts
- If you put the home team score on the left of the scoreboard and the visiting team score on the right of the scoreboard, then the scoreboard will reflect the same image as the computer.
- Scorers are on the same team as the referees – when in doubt about a call, press the buzzer at a stop in the game, and ask for clarification from the referees.
- At no stage do you call out, barrack, berate or express an opinion about the game when you are on the score bench – you are in neutral territory.
- Constantly – that’s CONSTANTLY – communicate with the scorers from the opposition team, verbalise to your colleagues what the referees are calling. At time-outs and quarter breaks, cross check the computer with the scoreboard. If there are errors on the computer, they must be fixed immediately.
- The computer represents the final result of the game (not the scoreboard).
- Do not leave the score bench until the referees have confirmed the game on the computer.
VJBL Resources – direct link
https://www.basketballvictoria.com.au/resources/competition-resources/vjbl
FINALLY – under no circumstances is anyone to contact the VJBL office directly. All enquires must come from the club.