Combined Representative Teams Coming
North Canterbury Basketball and Canterbury Basketball are pleased to announce their impending collaboration to form combined A and B National teams for qualification in the U15, U17, U19 and U23 age groups effectively immediately, and in anticipation of the 2017 representative calendar.
The intention of this collaborative partnership is two-fold: to enable the best players from the Metropolitan and North Canterbury regions to attend the National age group events, as well as to strengthen the competitive nature of the teams. By combining the use of resources, including the use of the Canterbury Basketball Academy administration, both Association’s aim to widen the player pathways within the regions.
In the lead-up to Nationals, each Association will enter teams into a selection tournament independently. From this, a selection panel, made up of regional coaches Caleb Harrison, Lori McDaniel and Jules Schwalger-Smith, will select the 20 best players to form A and B teams in order to represent the wider Metro and North Canterbury regions as a new concept currently referred to as ‘Canterbury Combined’, although a more formalised team name has yet to be decided.
Those Association players who are not selected for the ‘Canterbury Combined’ National teams, will be eligible to participate in remaining tournament opportunities with their respective Associations, such as the Mainland tournament. Therefore, the collaboration will only apply at the National tier level. As the Under 13 age group has a Regional Premiership structure, the combined format will not apply to this age group.
Combined Summer Development League
In the build up to the 2017 National representative season, the Associations have agreed to utilise the Summer Development League currently run by the Canterbury Basketball Academy as preparation for the representative window. For 8 weeks prior to Christmas, and 8 weeks in term 1, 2017, players can enrol in the skills-based programme to refine their skills, and learn team-play as preparation for the upcoming season.
Participation in this SDL does not guarantee players a spot in the Canterbury Combined team, but can certainly better prepare a player for the pending representative trials in 2017. Open trials, organised by each Association, will be held in advance of the 2017 National campaign, with dates to be confirmed before the end of the year.
Caroline Whittaker, Operations Manager of North Canterbury Basketball, says “this collaborative partnership is a step forward in the direction of achieving the aims, not only of the respective organisations, but of Basketball New Zealand, in sending the most deserving, talented players, to attend a National event.”
Paul Duggan, CEO of Canterbury Basketball, concurs, saying “this is an important step which will result in many positive outcomes for basketball within Canterbury. This collaboration will enable the players to access the best resources from both organisations, while keeping the regional identities alive within a strong competitive framework.”
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For more information, contact:
Paul Duggan
CEO, Canterbury Basketball
ceo@canterburybasketball.co.nz
021 520 598
Caroline Whittaker
Operations Manager, North Canterbury Basketball
027 222 0943
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