What is Conference Basketball?
Fundamentally, Conference Basketball is a third-tier, development-level basketball competition, based on the formats of pervious Conference Basketball, as maintained by Barrengarry Conference. It follows the rules and bylaws of FIBA as interpreted by Basketball Australia and Basketball NSW. There are Conference specific rules which are simple and not overly technical. In the event that no Conference specific rule exists, then the BNSW Junior Waratah League By-Laws stand in place.
Who is Conference for?
Divisions in U12, U14, U16, and U18 Boys and Girls, Youth and Open Men and Women. Conference, as a development initiative has an eligibility matrix agreed to by the Conference Executive that aims to ensure the integrity of the development nature of the competition. For example, the current Barrengarry Conference excludes Junior Waratah Premiership players playing in their own division (they may play up), Waratah Division 1 Youth and Waratah Division Seniors. It also excludes Metro Junior League Division 1 and 2 players and Basketball ACT Division 1 players, playing in their own age division. Exemptions are considered if the application of the eligibility matrix would prevent a competition from occurring, but not if it was to the detriment of the overall development nature of the competition.
When is Conference played?
Depending on local needs, Conference is played on Sundays, at central venues on different weekends to BNSW events. Ideally though, Rounds are conducted with a gap of no more than four weeks between rounds. School holiday weekends are avoided and history has proved that playing on Easter weekend, ANZAC weekend, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day is fraught with danger.
Where is Conference played?
Hosting associations run a central venue for a round. A round may incorporate multiple age divisions or genders, based on what competition structure looks like. A venue should have a minimum of two full size courts available to be used all day.
How many games do we play, for how long, over what spread of time?
A regular day should see each team play 2-3 games each round. Games are 4 ten minute quarters with a running clock. Games should start by 8:00am and the last game of the day should conclude around 5:00pm. Depending on the number of teams entered, there should be 3 or 4 rounds plus a Gala Day at the start of the season to grade divisions with more than 6 teams and a Finals Day at the end of the season. This enables each team to play each other once or twice.
Why don’t we just play one game a day?
The impetus for Conference is for regional associations to have the opportunity to develop their beginning representative players. This level is the step up from domestic competition. Associations should play locally (with no more than a two-two and a half hour drive to venues). As an entry level representative competition, it is expected that the financial burden on families is limited to day travel. This is reflected in the times of competition operation.
How do we nominate?
Conference AGM appoints a Competitions Director who calls for Expressions of Interest in November to give an indication of the potential for the competition the following year. This is non-binding and indicative only for planning purposes. Nominations are required in December before nomination fees are paid in January/February to guarantee entry.
Who can nominate?
Member associations of Basketball NSW. Only association teams are permitted to play. All players are subject to the Eligibility Matrix as agreed to by the Executive and published each year.
What if we can’t get enough nominations?
Where team nominations are insufficient or standards within an age group are irregular, the combination of age groups may occur.
We have players that want to join after the first round. Can they?
To be eligible to play Rounds 3, 4 and Finals, players need to have been an eligible substitute for at least two games in Rounds 1 and 2. No new players are admitted after Round 2.
Our association is small, we can’t field teams in each age division, can we play our players up or down?
Players need to play in their own age division if the association has a team entered. If no team has been entered, players may play up as long as the home association assesses that they have the maturity, physicality and skill levels to be competitive. Players cannot play down an age division unless an exceptional circumstances exemption has been granted by the Executive. This rarely occurs and usually only impacts girls teams to ensure sufficient teams to make viable competitions.
How does Conference differ from Waratah Junior Leagues?
Timing - Games are run in 65 minute time slots on a running clock for all divisions. Four ten minute quarters are played. Half time is 3 minutes, Quarter time is 1 minute, Time outs are limited to 1 per quarter at 1 minute. There is no extra time except in finals. The clock stops on the whistle and made baskets in the final minute if the score difference is 10 points or less.
Shot Clock - is not used in any division.
Zone Defence - is not permitted in U12s or U14s division.
How much does it cost to participate?
A nomination fee is payable by all teams entering Conference to cover administration and is due before the start of the first Round 1 games. A forfeit fee is payable by all teams entering Conference and is payable before the start of the first Round 1 games. The forfeit fee is returned if the team completes the season without notified or approved forfeit. Game fees are paid to the hosting association by each team on or before the day of competition.
Who gets paid?
Conference administration is run by a volunteer committee who may be offered an honorarium at the AGM for the seasons work completed. This is at the discretion of the Conference AGM. Referees are paid by the hosting association from the game fees collected. Referee Supervisors are paid by the hosting association, again from the game fees collected. Court Controller is not usually offered a payment as this is a volunteer from the hosting association with knowledge and familiarity with how the venue’s equipment operates and the procedures at the venue. Court Hire is paid by the hosting association (if required) from collected game fees. Game day fundraising is undertaken by the hosting association at their discretion if permitted at the venue.
What happens if there are problems on the day?
Conference has a number of structures in place:
Injuries - these are covered by the hosting association as the event is a recognised basketball activity under their own insurance coverage and all players are registered members of BNSW.
Member Protection - consistent with BNSW policies, all team staff and officials who require Working With Children’s Check for BNSW purposes, require them for Conference.
Organisational challenges - Competition Director is responsible for publishing draws, advising association delegates of game times, rules, fees and venues. Although changes can occur at short notice, all care is taken to avoid this. However, the safety of players, staff and officials remains paramount and days can be abandoned if venues are unsafe including because of extreme weather; players, staff, officials or spectators are at risk travelling on the day or other unforeseen events impacting such as a pandemic.
Game disputes - referee supervisor is first point of contact in regard to any refereeing issues. They have access to the referee coordinator who is appointed by the Conference Executive at the AGM each year.
Venue problems - Court Controller/s from the hosting association are responsible for venue issues.
All players, staff and officials are subject to BNSW Codes of Behaviour as per their BNSW membership. All spectators are subject to BNSW Spectator Code of Behaviour. All participants are subject to BNSW judiciary procedures as deemed necessary by Conference Executive, as managed by the hosting association where the infringement has occurred. Exclusion from BSNW events carries over to Conference events.
These FAQs cover the majority of questions that new associations to Barrengarry Conference have raised in the past few years. Barrengarry Conference and has been successfully in operation for decades and regularly reviews rules and operations.