General Information: The IBA Competitive Basketball program is more intense and competitive and is designed to give the top players in our community an opportunity to compare their basketball skills with other communities’ top players in eight or more weekend tournaments and possibly also a weekly league schedule. Players are selected through tryout.
Traveling Basketball requires significant player, parent and financial commitment. Traveling Teams practice two nights per week with as many as five tournament and/or league games per weekend. Tournaments are located throughout the metro area and may include out-of-town tournaments. Dates, times and locations of tournaments are determined by the Board and coaches. Parents need to be prepared to drive and stay for their players’ games. Practices begin in October and continue through early March. Practice times are assigned by the Scheduling Director in September in cooperation with coaches.
Eligibility: IBA Competitive Teams are comprised of players from the Irondale High School (IHS) attendance area for each grade level 4 - 8. Players must have their primary residence in the Irondale High School attendance area or be open enrolled in an Irondale feeder school. Those who wish to play IBA Competitive basketball who do not live in the IHS area must try-out for only one team, Irondale or their high school, NOT BOTH. No exceptions!
Registration and Fees: Players must pre-register online at www.irondalebasketball.org for their grade level’s Competitive Program. Players must provide a completed registration form, including all signatures, the Medical Information Form, the signed Code of Conduct form AND the appropriate fee at the time of registration.
The registration fee for the Competitive Program is $650. Players that do not make a competitive team and still play on an instructional team will receive the registration difference.
Some competitive teams MAY also attend an out of town tournament, which involves transportation, food and lodging expenses.
Mandatory Tryouts: TRYOUT DATE IS September 9. All former IBA players and all players registered at that time will be informed by email. ATTENDANCE AT TRYOUT SESSION OR SESSIONS IS MANDATORY. Please refer any questions regarding attendance to the Competitive Directors. Players should arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled try-out session. Players interested in trying out for the Competitive program will do so at their own grade level. Players may not “play up” or “play down”.
Gym shoes must be worn at tryouts. Only IBA Board members, the evaluators, and the players will be allowed in the gymnasium during the tryout sessions. At least three evaluators will be present at each session. Evaluators rate players on basic skills, form, court presence, teamwork and attitude. Scores from the evaluators are averaged and players are ranked by scores. The first seven players are placed on the team. The remaining team slots are determined through the consensus of the evaluators and the coach of the team. If the evaluators determine that there are enough players that demonstrate quality skills, a second team will be formed. The decisions of the evaluators are final.
All Competitive team parents are expected to assist at the tournament as timekeepers, scorekeepers, or in admissions and concessions. Proceeds help offset some of our equipment and uniform expenses.
Boys Competitive Director
Girls Competitive Director