FAQs

1. There is mention of there being "Rec" and "Rep" basketball teams, what is the difference?
BMBA provides the opportunity for players of all skill levels to participate in the wonderful game of basketball.   Although we do recognize that there are many different skill sets amongst the players, our objective is to try to insure that each player is able to be sufficiently challenged while also having fun in a supportive setting. If we achieve our goal of properly assessing players and placing them in the correct environment, the outcome for all parties involved (players, parents, coaches etc.) is much more satisfying.

"Rec" teams are for players who enjoy the great game of basketball in a setting with a commitment of one practice per week and have one game per week in the league on the weekend. REC teams sometimes play in tournaments or exhibition games in addition to the regular weekly league games.

"REP" teams are for players who also enjoy basketball but want to compete at a higher level of play. REP teams practice commitment consists of two practices per week and one game in the league on the weekend.  Players on REP teams must pay an additional $100 (2023-24 season) for the extra practice time.  REP teams usually travel as well for exhibition games and tournaments and as such have a bigger time and financial commitment associated with them.

2. My child has other activities during the week. Can you tell me what night his/her basketball practice will be on so I can ensure there won’t be conflicts?
During the registration period (throughout August and early September), information as to which night your child will be practicing is not available (except for the Tots program). This information only becomes available once registration closes, evaluations are held, and coaches and teams are assembled (normally in late September or early October). If your child has a specific unavoidable conflict on a certain night, please let the Divisional Coordinators know during the Classification process and this will be taken into account during the team selection process. Although it often works out, we cannot guarantee with certainty that conflicts will be avoided, due to limited gym availability and the need to accommodate the commitments of our volunteer coaches.

3. When will my child’s weekly game occur?
Metro Basketball Association (MBA) league games occur on Saturday for U10 boys and girls; U12 boys and girls and on, Sunday for U14 boys and girls, U16-18 girls, U16 boys and U18 boys. Games can occur anytime in the morning or afternoon. These games are scheduled by the MBA based on gym availability and referee schedules.

4. What does the registration fee cover?
Your registration fee covers all the costs of running your child’s basketball team from September until the end of the regular season in March, including:  gym rental fees for one practice a week (REP players pay an extra fee for their second practice after teams are sorted); team registration in the Metro Basketball Association (which includes gym time, referees, scorekeepers and league playoffs); team registration in the annual Bedford Classic tournament; team equipment; player and volunteer insurance; player registration with Basketball Nova Scotia and Canada basketball.

5. Are there any other costs over and above the registration fee?
Costs not included in the registration fees include extra tournament fees and Nova Scotia Provincial Championship tournament fees. These fees must be covered by your team and range from $200-$500 per team per tournament. The team cost of the annual Bedford Classic tournament is part of the registration fees. The registration fee also does not cover a second weekly practice time, extra gym rentals and exhibition or rescheduled games.

6. Do I also need to purchase a uniform and a ball?
No. Uniforms are provided and are given to the players at the beginning of the season. IF the uniform is destroyed or is not returned, there will be a cost of $100 collected to cover the replacement of the uniform.  The coach is given all practice and game balls for the players to use.

7. When can I expect practices and games to begin?
After player classifications sessions and  team selection are complete, teams are assembled and you can expect practices to begin shortly thereafter. Typically, practices start late September or early October and the first MBA game happens on the last Saturday of October each year.

8. How long does the season last?
The season runs to early February with play-offs beginning shortly thereafter.  MBA playoffs are over by late-February or early-March. However, after the MBA playoffs are complete, many teams will continue to practice into April if their team will be entering Basketball Nova Scotia’s Provincial tournament or the Junior Mini Jamboree.  Also the Bedford Classic is hosted by all teams in the club and is a large tournament that has been ongoing for over 30 years minus the time off due to covid restrictions.

9. My child has never played basketball before and I’m concerned he/she will end up on a team with "seasoned veterans" and never touch the ball. Is this possible?
It is the goal of the Team Classification Process to place players on teams with other players of similar skill level - we have found this to provide the best opportunity for players to learn and develop and have a fun time.  There will be a range in skill on a team but BMBA encourages coaches to have all players participate and learn in both practices and games.

10. Can you inform me of any existing subsidy programs that provide registration financial assistance?
There are opportunities available to assist families with the financial costs of participating in youth basketball.  If you require assistance, please contact the BMBA Registrar (bmbaregistrar@gmail.com).  You request will be kept in confidence between the Registrar and the Treasurer.  KidSport Nova Scotia program provides up to $300/year/child. HRM also runs a program called HRM Kids (Healthy Recreation Motivates Kids).

11. How does team alignment occur within the League? We got beat by 40 points last week.
The Metro Basketball Association is responsible for aligning all the teams within the league. The first 3 weeks of league play are used for seeding purposes. The league's objectives are to give every team a chance to compete in 50% of their games. There will be top teams and there will be bottom teams in each division. Some teams may win all their games and some teams may lose all their games, but all should have a chance to compete in half of their games. IF it is extremely obvious that a team has been misplaced the league may review the alignments. As such changes in alignment can affect many other teams, as well as schedules and standings, realignment will only be entertained if truly warranted.  All alignment issues are the responsibility of the league and Bedford Minor Basketball has no control over the standings or divisional breakdowns.

12. How can I ensure my son/daughter gets fair playing time?
BMBA considers itself a "fair play" organization and as such we have a BMBA Playing Time Policy.

13. Why do we have to practice outside of Bedford?
We need over 80 hours a week of practice time with a club our size. We can’t get enough gym space in the following Bedford gyms - Bedford Hammonds Plains Community Centre, Basinview School, Bedford South, Englewood, Rocky Lake and Bedford Educational Centre. Last year only 50% of our required practice time was able to be scheduled in those gyms. If we want our players to continue to get better and learn the game, we need to schedule practices outside the available gyms in Bedford.

!4.  Why do we have to travel outside of Bedford for our games?
All games are scheduled by the league and are not controlled by Bedford Minor Basketball.  There are 22 clubs involved in the league representing all areas of the HRM.  Only certain gyms in the HRM have net heights that are good for the U10 divisional games and some of the older, faster moving games need larger gym spaces whenever possible.  This will cause players to play their game throughout the HRM area.  All locations and times are done by the league.