Guides

Whitehorse Mustangs is a volunteer run organisation with all Coaches and Team Managers giving up their valuable time to ensure all players have an enjoyable experience. In most cases the coach and/or team manager are also parents from the team and are not only busy, but also make a number of sacrifices to attend training and games. We ask that all parents of players are supportive and appreciative of their child’s Coach and Team Manager by ensuring they follow the club’s expectations below:

COMMUNICATION

Please read your emails and respond promptly to requests for information by the Coach or Team Manager – this is especially important at the start of the season.

Let the Coach and Team Manager know as early as possible if your child cannot attend a training session or a game.

TRAINING

Drop your child off on time for training – if they are late it disrupts the training session for everyone else.

Your child should bring their mouthguard, a water bottle and a basketball to every training.

Ensure at least one adult stays at training to support the coach, or in the case of a junior coach, two adults. This is a health and safety requirement. If there is an injury, the coach cannot deal with an injured child and the rest of the team at the same time.

At the end of training you should come into the basketball stadium and collect your child and ideally take the time to say hello to the Coach and thank them for the session.

GAME DAYS

Arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the game starting to allow the Coach to organise the team.

All parents (except for those who are Coaching) are expected to take a few turns scoring during the season. The Team Manager will set up a roster. If you can’t make the day allocated, it is your responsibility to swap with another parent and let the team manager know.

Parents and team members are welcome to encourage and support the team during the game. However, parents must not coach from the side-line. Often these instructions are contradictory to the coaches – leading to confusion.

Know and abide by the Basketball Victoria Code of Conduct for Parents and Spectators.

Each team must supply a scorer

One person will operate the electronic score sheet on a computer or iPad, while the other manages the electronic scoreboard.

If a dispute arises over these roles:

• The home team scorer will have control of the electronic score sheet.
• The away team representative will manage the electronic scoreboard.

It is essential that both scorers cooperate and focus on accuracy to ensure the smooth running of the game.

Cooperation Between Scorers

The two scorers should support and assist each other at all times to ensure the game runs smoothly.

• The Scoreboard operator can assist by calling out the numbers of players who have scored or fouled.
• The Score Sheet operator can advise the scoreboard operator if the scoreboard is out of sync with the scoresheet.

End-of-Game Scorer Responsibilities

In close games, scorers must not leave the score desk until the Referees have signed off on the final scores.

• There have been cases where the score sheet and scoreboard were out of sync, potentially resulting in a draw or reversal of the final result. The score sheet always takes precedence over the scoreboard.
• Referees may need to clarify a score, which could significantly affect the final outcome of the game.
• Teams may not become aware of a reversal until results are posted on the league websites, which may be too late.

Scorers are Officials of the Game

Scorers are ‘officials’ and must perform their duties with the utmost responsibility. They must not overtly barrack, nor criticise, question, or argue with the Referees or Technical Officials under any circumstances.

Referees and Technical Officials have full authority to request a scorer be replaced if their conduct is inappropriate. If a scorer is asked to leave the score bench, the entire bench of scorers must be replaced. In extreme cases, a Team Technical Foul may be applied against the scorer’s team.

Scorers are expected to act respectful at all times to maintain the integrity of the game.

For further information about scoring or game day roles, please contact Game Day Coordinator, Jack Stewart, at: gameday@whitehorsebasketball.org.au