FABL cannot predict exactly what night and time each specific child will participate until later in our process.
but.....
We can provide you with our best guess, based on past seasons,
of where each division participates and the nights we have traditionally been allowed.
Read on for an explanation of the process and a link to our resource
Unlike a YMCA program, who can offer a specific night and time to a small, limited specific group in one location, we have to divide a much larger number of players (1300+-) across several facilities, who permit use on varying nights, and can also cancel those times for other school or county related activities.
Our scheduling process has several factors:
Factor 1
Determine the grade of the children involved, as it relates to the height of the basket.
FABL uses a step-up approach as the players develop. For example, our youngest players, K-2, use a basket height of 8', and a smaller floor, to make some aspects of the game easier to perform. With that, we have to consider which facilities can accommdate those needs. Not all schools permit the raising and lowering of baskets, and the middle schools and Senior Center have larger floors. Thus, the elementary schools are the first line for the youngest players. Our Grades 3&4 step-up to 9' baskets and a slightly larger floor, and finally grades 5 and up are on the official 10' basket. Ideally, Elementary grades use Elementary Schools and Middle School grades use the middle schools.
Factor 2
What nights are we approved for use at each facility.
The Rec & Parks department has a county required process they must file when requesting facility use. FABL submits what we woule 'like' to have, based on our needs. The county and respective schools respond with what they will allow us to use. It is different per school, and takes into account all programs that are requesting facilities during a given season.
Factor 3
How many players are expected in each division.
We then have to look at how many teams can be created within the time approved for each facility. We carry up to 10 per team in grades 3 an up, and up to 11 in grades K-2, simply to allow for more participation. We prefer to keep divisions within the same facility whenever possible, to allow for easier coordination when schools close, or bad weather cancels events.
Factor 4
Teams need to be formed
Teams created either randomly(K-2) or via evaluations(3-12). We won't know what specific team a player is on until this step is complete.
Factor 5
Assigning practice nights and times.
Practice Nights...
Coaches have to work together with a Commissioner to determine what night and time are best for each of them. The schedule is based on the Coaches availability, as they are the leader of each team. They are volunteers who have other committments, jobs, family, etc, so we work together to arrive at options that help everyone. Sometimes this means rotating schedules throughout the season, to avoid the same team being late each time, some times that means a team might HAVE to be late each night because of a volunteers availability. We can't drive the schedule around 1300 specific parent requests.
Practice Times...
The best answer here is.. we use what we get to the best of our ability based on the other factors listed above.
As with the specific nights each school allows, they also determine the block of time we are permitted to use. Normally the range falls between 5pm and 930pm depending on the facility. FABL makes every effort to have kids home at reasonable times because of their schooling.
For example, Kindergarten is only on Sunday, early afternoon, and Grades 1&2 normally holding only 5:30 or 6:30 weekday evening time slots, with an occasional 7:30 slot, depending on the school and the number of team in a division. When we run into a situation where a 7:30 time exists for our youngest, the teams try a rotation, that allows maybe each team to only have 1 late session per season.
As they step-up to grade 3&4 it is possible that there is an 830 time slot occasionally, but this is not generally the case.
Advancing to grades 5&6, it is probable to see a practice from 8pm-9pm. This isn't ideal in some cases, but it would limit the number of players who could participate if we chose to simply not use the time that was available.
Grades 7&8 and above will have practices that run from 8:30-9:30 on weeknights.
Click on the title below to access the associated document:
Our menu item labeled 'Division Descriptions' shares expected days/times as well as other relevant information.
