From time to time, junior players may ask or be asked to play in an age group higher than their Designated Age Group as defined in the Brisbane Basketball (BBI) Junior Competition Rules.  This may be temporary or permanent because of:

• a team request due to:
  • a need to increase team numbers; or
  • a need to improve the competitiveness or skill level of the team.
• a player request to develop their skills at a higher level.

When a player does play in a Higher Age Group, the following policies will apply in the following circumstances.

A player may act as a temporary fill in player in any team in any Higher Age Group where there are less than six regular and registered permanent players from that team available for a game.  This can be arranged between the coaches concerned without reference to the North Brisbane Basketball Management Committee.  Coaches need to be conscious of complying with Rule 3.8 of the BBI Junior Competition Rules regarding players playing in different divisions in the same Age Group.  These rules can be found by clicking here.

Once a player plays 2 games in a Temporary Role for a team, they will be considered to be applying for a permanent role in the team and the provisions relating to Permanent Roles must be applied before playing their third game. This correlates with Rule 3.8 of the BBI Junior Competition Rules.
 

The North Brisbane Basketball Management Committee recognises that there may be some circumstances where the interests of playing a player in an Age Group higher than their Designated Age Group may conflict with other interests including those of the player, parents, coaches and the players in each team and Age Group. Each of these interests may, on occasions, be different and thus the dominant interest (that of the Club) needs to be considered. In the interests of all parties, a player may only fill a permanent role in a team in a Higher Age Group after obtaining the approval of the North Brisbane Basketball Management Committee.

In assessing whether to grant this approval and any conditions for the approval, the Management Committee will consider the following:

• the Club's Duty of Care;
• submissions from both coaches outlining the reasons for the request;
• the effect of the decision on each of the individual teams (as a whole);
• the effect of the decision on individual players in either team or Age Group; and
• any other appropriate representations.

In assessing the effect of the decision, the Management Committee will consider, inter alia but not limited to, the folllowing:

• the opportunity afforded other players in any team within the Designated Age Group for skills development and the roles they can fill;
• player(s) displaced from the team by the Lower Age Player (if any);
• the opportunities the Lower Age Player has for skills development; and
• applicable court time of all players in the Higher Age Group team.