The Basketball WA State Championships is a series of carnivals that run over four weekends from the end of November through to mid-December. 

Every Perth-based and country-based basketball association (club) is invited to enter up to five teams in each of the following age groups, girls and boys.

• U11 (players born in 2011/2012/2013)
• U13 (players born in 2009/2010)
• U15 (players born in 2007/2008)
• U17 (players born in 2005/2006)
• U19 (players born in 2003/2004)

As noted, State Champs is held over four weekends.

The ‘State Titles’ weekend (Friday 10 to Sunday 12 December) features the top (Division 1) U11, U13, U15, U17 and U19 girls and boys team from every club.

All other teams compete over the following ‘State Champs’ weekends:

• U13 and U15 Boys (Division 2 and 3) - Friday 19 to Sunday 21 November
• U11, U13, U15, U17, U19 Girls (Division 2 and 3) - Friday 26 to Sunday 28 November
• U11, U17 and U19 Boys (Division 2 and 3) - Friday 3 to Sunday 5 December

* Friday games are played after school hours (so there is no need for players to take the day off school)

To participate in State Champs, a player needs to gain selection in one of their club’s State Champs teams. Every club will conduct selection trials for their State Champs teams. These selection trials are usually held early in Term 4.

Keep reading to find out how your child can gain selection in a PERTH REDBACKS State Champs team.

Every club will be different.

For PERTH REDBACKS ...

Players are required to attend up to three trials sessions over the course of:

• Friday 15/Saturday 16/Sunday 17 October 2021
• Sunday 24 October 2021

State Champs training will then be held for 2 hours, every Sunday leading into your State Champs competition weekend starting on Sunday 31 October.

State Champs competition will take the form of 4-5 carnival games (more if your team makes finals) over an entire weekend (those weekends are detailed above).

All players will be required to pay the following:

• Trial fee - $30
• State Champs fee (if selected) - ~$110
• Uniform items (if selected and don’t already have these) - Red playing shorts: $55, Training singlet, $30.

The WA Basketball League (WABL) is WA's representative junior basketball competition. Basketball associations (clubs) from Perth, the Hills, Rockingham, Mandurah and Bunbury field teams in this competition.

Each club is invited to enter up to four teams (10 players per team) in each of the following age categories, boys and girls:

• U12 (players born in 2011/2012/2013)
• U14 (players born in 2009/2010)
• U16 (players born in 2007/2008)
• U18 (players born in 2005/2006)
• U20 (boys only - players born in 2003/2004)

(Note: U11 players at State Champs are U12 for WABL, U13 players at State Champs are U14 for WABL ... and so on)

Most age groups have four divisions: 

• Championship Division
• Division 2
• Division 3
• Division 4

Each division has 10 teams in it except for Division 4 which can have more.

All WABL teams participate in a grading tournament in February/March to determine the division their team will play in for the coming season.

The WABL season then starts at the end of April and runs for 18 weeks (with a one week break during the July school holidays). The top six teams in each division qualify for finals. WABL finals run for three weeks at the conclusion of the regular season.

The WABL regular season usually finishes around the end of August and finals usually finish in late-September.

To participate in WABL, a player needs to gain selection in one of their club’s WABL teams. Every club conducts selection trials for their WABL teams. Every club operates differently with regard to how and when they conduct their WABL trials.

More information about PERTH REDBACKS WABL trials is below.

WABL trials will take place on 30 January 2022.

The WABL pre-season then starts in the first week of February with two sessions a week, one mid-week and one on Sunday. All players are expected to attend all training sessions without exception.

The WABL grading tournaments are then held at the end of February/early March. The grading tournaments for most age groups are held on two days over consecutive weekends. (i.e. Saturday on weekend 1, Sunday on weekend 2.)

At the completion of the WABL grading tournaments, all teams continue to train twice a week until the end of Term 1.

After that point, training goes to once a week, on an afternoon/evening during the week.

The WABL regular season starts on the final Sunday of the Term 1 school holidays. One game per week is played every Sunday for 18 weeks (with a one week break during the July school holidays).

WABL finals then run for three weeks after the regular season concludes.

Bottom line: the time commitment for WABL is significant

WABL is a representative competition where players are selected over others. If selected in a WABL team, players are expected to honour that selection and prioritise their WABL commitments over their commitment to other sports. Players are expected to attend every training session and every game, even if injured.

All WABL players are required to pay the following:

• Trial Fee - $30
• Pre-season Fee - ~$138
• Season Fee - ~$440
• Game Fee - $10 per game (the WABL regular season has 18 games)
• Uniform items: 

• • For games – Redbacks red WABL playing shorts ($55).
  • For training – Redbacks black training shorts ($50) and Redbacks reversible training singlet ($30).
  • If your child wishes to wear a jumper or warmup top while warming up for a WABL game, it must be a Perth Redbacks hoodie ($50) or warm-up top ($60)

Some clubs use State Champs as a fun tournament and an opportunity for players to get a taste of representative basketball competition.

Some clubs use State Champs as the start of their WABL team selection process.

Some clubs finalise their WABL teams for the following season prior to State Champs, and enter those team as their State Champs teams.

In 2021, Perth Redbacks will be using State Champs as the start of our WABL team selection process.

• Players selected in our U11 State Champs teams (born 2011, 2012, 2013) will receive an invitation to trial for our U12 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U13 State Champs teams (born 2009, 2010) will receive an invitation to trial for our U14 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U15 State Champs teams (born 2007, 2008) will receive an invitation to trial for our U16 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U17 State Champs teams (born 2005, 2006) will receive an invitation to trial for our U18 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U19 State Champs men's teams (born 2003, 2004) will receive an invitation to trial for our U20 Men's WABL teams.

In the past Perth Redbacks has accommodated players who only wish to compete in State Champs but not WABL.

Unfortunately, in 2021 we are not able to do so.

We ask that you please do not nominate your child for selection in a 2021 Perth Redbacks State Champs team if you are not also intending to nominate for WABL selection in 2022.

Our 2021 State Champs trials will be open trials. Any player can register for, and attend these trials so long as they are born in the following years:

• 2011/2012/2013 (U11 age group)
• 2009/2010 (U13 age group)
• 2007/2008 (U15 age group)
• 2005/2006 (U17 age group)
• 2003/2004 (U19 age group)

IMPORTANT EXCEPTION TO THE ABOVE

If a player played WABL for Redbacks in 2021 AND ...

did not play in our 2021 Winter Domestic AND ...

have not registered to play in our 2021/2022 Summer Domestic season ...

they will not be eligible to trial for a 2021 Perth Redbacks State Champs or 2022 WABL team*.

* Some exemption situations apply, mostly for U19 State Champs players. If you are not sure whether your child has an exemption, please check with Kelly.

You should wear basketball shorts, a dark/light reversible basketball top and appropriate footwear for playing basketball.

You should bring a drink bottle and a basketball.

Basketballs come in different sizes. The right sizes for each age group are:

Boys

• U12 - Size 5
• U14 - Size 6
• U16 and above - Size 7

Girls

• U12 - Size 5
• U14 and above - Size 6

We will use our 2021 State Champs trials to select up to 5 teams of 8 players (40 playing spots total) in each age group/gender division plus up to 4 reserves/train ons.

Please note: There will be significant competition for spots in our U13, U15 and U17 boys teams. We are expecting over 120 players to register for trials in each of those age divisions in our boys’ program.

Our 2022 WABL trials will be closed trials. Only invited players can attend these trials.

All players who achieve selection as a player or reserve in a Perth Redbacks State Champs team will receive an invitation to these trials.

All other invitations will be via application and/or at our discretion.

As noted above:

• Players selected in our U11 State Champs teams (born 2011, 2012, 2013) will receive an invitation to trial for our U12 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U13 State Champs teams (born 2009, 2010) will receive an invitation to trial for our U14 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U15 State Champs teams (born 2007, 2008) will receive an invitation to trial for our U16 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U17 State Champs teams (born 2005, 2006) will receive an invitation to trial for our U18 WABL teams.
• Players selected in our U19 State Champs men's teams (born 2003, 2004) will receive an invitation to trial for our U20 Men's WABL teams.

ADDITIONALLY

For U12 Boys, U14 Boys, U16 Boys, U18 Boys, U14 Girls and U16 Girls (the age groups where we expect to field our full allocation of 4 WABL teams in 2022 and where we expect trial numbers to exceed the number of playing spots we have on offer), the following will apply:

• All players who are selected into the equivalent Redbacks State Champs Team 1, 2, 3 or 4 will be guaranteed a WABL spot with Redbacks in 2022. (Final team placement will be decided at our WABL trials.)
• We offer this guarantee to reduce anxiety and uncertainty for as many players as we can leading into WABL trials.
• Players selected into a Redbacks State Champs Team 5 are a very good chance to achieve selection in a 2022 Redbacks WABL team. But we are unable to offer those players a guarantee as we need to keep a certain number of WABL spots ‘open’ for various reasons.

For all other age groups (U12 Girls, U18 Women, U20 Men), we will do our best to find a 2022 WABL playing spot for all trialists, but cannot offer guarantees at this stage as our ability to do this will be dictated by final trial numbers, coach availability and other factors. 

Caveats and restrictions

• If a player achieves a guarantee on their WABL spot with us but then trials with another club for 2022 WABL, they are welcome to continue to trial with us, but will relinquish that guarantee. 
• If a player achieves a guarantee on their WABL spot with us, but they act in a manner contrary to our Player Code of Conduct, their guarantee will be voided.
• If a player played WABL for Redbacks in 2021 AND did not play in our 2021 Winter Domestic AND has not registered to play in our 2021/2022 Summer Domestic season, they will not be eligible to trial for a 2021 Perth Redbacks State Champs or 2022 WABL team*. 
• If a player who is new to Perth Redbacks gains selection in a 2022 WABL team, they are required to play in either or both of our 2022 Winter Domestic and 2022/23 Summer Domestic competitions*.

* Some exemption situations apply for U18 and U20 players.

All players are expected to abide by our players’ code of conduct.

Players are expected to attend all scheduled training sessions unless unwell. Injured players are still expected to attend training.

All parents are expected to abide by our parents and spectators’ codes of conduct and our zero-tolerance behaviour policy.

Parents will be expected to volunteer for scoring duties during State Champs and the WABL season. (Training can be provided prior to the start of the season.) Every team will require a parent to volunteer as team manager.

Please read this section carefully as there are three trial scenarios at play and you must carefully note which one applies to your child.

SCENARIO 1

• Applies to: All 2021 Perth Redbacks WABL players
• Those players need to attend: Both Trial 1 and Trial 2 for their age groups as per the dates below.

SCENARIO 2

• Applies to: Those who did not play WABL for Perth Redbacks in 2021 AND are in the following age groups: U11 Girls, U13 Girls, U15 Girls, U17 Girls, U11 Boys, U19 Men
• Those players need to attend: Both Trial 1 and Trial 2 for their age groups as per the dates below.

SCENARIO 3

• Applies to: Those who did not play WABL for Perth Redbacks in 2021 AND are in the following age groups: U13 Boys, U15 Boys, U17 Boys
• Those players need to attend: Trial 0 and will only continue on to Trial 1 and 2 if invited to do so.

Trial dates, times and venues

Friday 15 October - Belmont Oasis

Saturday 16 October - Loftus Recreation Centre

Sunday 17 October - Leisurelife Centre Vic Park

Sunday 17 October - Belmont Oasis

Sunday 24 October - Leisurelife Centre Vic Park

Sunday 24 October - Belmont Oasis

• U11 = players born in 2011/2012/2013
• U13 = players born in 2009/2010
• U15 = players born in 2007/2008
• U17 = players born in 2005/2006
• U19 = players born in 2003/2004

If you have any questions about Perth Redbacks State Champs trials and selections, please direct them to kelly@perthredbacks.asn.au but please ensure you have read all the information above before emailing Kelly.