Summer Season Registrations

Our hard working Fixtures Officers, Sue and Alison, have reported that there are 926 teams entered for the coming summer season, a record.  This is remarkable and represents an increase from last summer of 91 teams.  Vice President, David Hickman, who has difficulty remembering how long he has been involved with the EDJBA, believes this is by far and away the highest number of teams ever entered in the competition. Both boys and girls entries have increased with the girls by 47 teams and the boys 44.

We thank everyone for this significant milestone in the association’s history and look forward to an exciting summer of basketball.

Grading

At the recent AGM and also in a letter from Ivanhoe President Tim Butler, the issue of grading and the discrepancy in the scores of a number of games was raised with a view that the Executive Committee work towards a grading system that as near as possible means teams of the same standard are pitted against each other.

As part of the examination of the grading system David Hickman has undertaken a study of the winter season just passed and out of that study it has been decided to draw up a set of guidelines for people involved in this difficult exercise.  Once the guidelines are complete then all grading people will be advised on the system to follow and from that it is hoped we end up with a system that allows for competitive games of basketball for everyone.

I stress that during the past winter season David’s study showed that in excess of 95% of all teams were graded correctly ensuring competitive games.  While the aim is to ensure all teams are graded to ensure they play in a competition that is even this is a very difficult position to achieve.  However the aim of everyone involved is to attempt to get the best outcome for everyone.

David has given much time and thought to his study and from it, it can be gleaned that considering the number of teams and the number of grades the final result is reasonably good.  However as David states we need to be doing more to understand the complexity of the competition and developing ways to try and ensure that every game is a competitive one.

I am sure that David would welcome comments on grading that are constructive to enhance his study.  Please direct them to myself roncarlton@optusnet.com.au or to Megan Rouse.  Both of us will pass your comments on to David.

Ron Carlton

President.