Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The St. Albert Youth Basketball (SLAM) is a community-driven, volunteer-based organization. SLAM is affiliated with the Edmonton Youth Basketball Association (EYBA). We welcome players of all abilities.

The executive roles in SLAM are unpaid, voluntary positions.

St. Albert SLAM is open to young players aged 6 to 17 who either reside in St. Albert or attend a school in St Albert. Additionally, youth from surrounding communities that do not have a local basketball program are also eligible to participate in St. Albert SLAM.

The basketball season typically kicks off with practices commencing in mid to late September, followed by the start of regular games in early October. The season progresses towards the playoffs, which wrap up by the end of February or early March. Teams that qualify will then advance to compete in the ABA Provincials held in March. Your assigned coach will be in contact with respect to your practice schedule sometime in mid-September. For our U7 and U9 divisions, sessions are held on Saturdays, starting the first Saturday of October. They will continue every Saturday, except when the school gym is unavailable due to holidays or school events. The final Saturday session will be in late February or early March.

Due to rising operational costs, we've had to adjust our fees. A significant factor is the occasional need to rent additional gym spaces for practices when our usual facilities are unavailable. This demand has driven up the costs associated with gym rentals, as well as the expense of renting storage for our equipment. Alongside these, the prices for essential items like basketballs, uniforms, and safety gear continue to rise. Additionally, the costs for maintaining adequate insurance and adhering to safety standards are increasing. Inflation plays a critical role, affecting the overall cost of running our basketball program and impacting everything from facility rentals to equipment prices.

Our Commitment
We understand that the recent fee adjustments may prompt concerns, and we deeply value your ongoing support and understanding. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a high-quality basketball program. Our team is actively implementing strategies to manage these cost increases effectively, ensuring the sustainability of our program for the community. We are excited about the upcoming season and sincerely thank you for your continued engagement and participation.

St. Albert SLAM employs the RAMP sports registration system to streamline our zone's registration process. To begin, parents or guardians need to either create a new RAMP account or log into an existing one.

After setting up your account, you can proceed with registering athletes. For those who have registered in the past, rest assured that both your account and athlete profiles will be maintained.

Click here to set up a RAMP account.

Registration Process: To sign up, please complete the forms on our RAMP registration platform. We will announce the start of registration periods on our website and social media platforms, so please stay tuned for updates. Your registration will be confirmed once we have received your payment. Note that our teams tend to fill up quickly, so we encourage you to register promptly once it opens.

Joining a Team and Attending Practices: Team slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Practice times will be sent to you via your head coach prior to the beginning of the season.

Handling the Unexpected: Should a player be unable to participate due to injury, illness, or a family member’s illness after registering but before the season begins, we will issue a full refund minus a $50 service charge. The request for a refund must be received by the President or Registrar prior to the first scheduled game.

Our goal is to ensure the registration process is as seamless as possible and to provide support in case of unexpected events affecting participation.

Team Availability for Late Registrants: Players who sign up after the standard registration period may be added to teams based on the remaining spots, at the coaches' discretion and EYBA deadlines.

Evaluating Late Arrivals: Those who register late will be assessed and, if possible, grouped with others of comparable skill, provided there are several vacancies within an age group.

Completing Registration Requirements: Players must fully complete the sign-up procedure, including birth verification and full payment, to secure their spot on a team. Incomplete registrations will not be processed with EYBA.

Implications of Not Finalizing Registration: If a player takes part in games without completing their registration, it puts the team's status at risk, potentially resulting in forfeited matches and a penalty fee being charged to SLAM.

Practices: Each session lasts about 1.5 hours and takes place between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM from Monday to Friday. We aim to schedule younger players earlier in the evening and older players later, depending on the availability of the coaches. Practices are held weekly in local school gyms throughout St. Albert, with the potential for a second session if extra gym space and coach availability permit. Please note that practices will not occur on days when schools are closed for professional development, statutory holidays, or school events like concerts. Your head coach will provide you with a detailed practice schedule.

Games: The scheduling of games is handled by the Edmonton Youth Basketball Association (EYBA) and is separate from SLAM's internal scheduling. Your coach will update you on the specific times and locations of your games. Game schedules can also be checked on the EYBA website at eyba.ca. Community teams typically play every Saturday, while competitive teams (Tier 1/2) often have their games on weeknights.

Players are grouped into divisions from U7 to U18 based on their birth year. They must participate in the age division corresponding to their age and are not allowed to play in a younger division. However, if a player wants to move up to an older division and there is space available, we may be able to accommodate their request.

ID Camps: Our U13 and U15 divisions require players to attend mandatory evaluation sessions conducted by our committed volunteer coaches. These evaluations aim to place players on teams that best suit their skills. The ID camps also provide an opportunity for players to assess their abilities in comparison to their peers within the same age group.

For additional details, please visit the Registration Information section on our website.

We will announce the specific dates for these evaluations on our website and social media platforms. Please stay tuned for these updates.

U11: Games are typically played in the Saville Community Sports Centre or at a school gym in and/or around the City of Edmonton.

U13/U15/U18: Games are typically played in the Saville Community Sports Centre, the EYBA Centre, Legacy Athletics, Buckets Basketball School or at a school gym in and/or around the City of Edmonton.

Size 5 (27.5 inches) for U7, U9, and U11 Boys and Girls.

Size 6 (28.5 inches) for U13 Boys and Girls, U15 Girls, and U18 Girls.

Size 7 (29.5 inches) for U15 Boys and U18 Boys

Currently, St Albert SLAM does not handle direct registrations for Spring League.
However, SLAM coaches are permitted to form teams independently and can continue to use St Albert school gyms and SLAM jerseys if they opt to do so.

Please be aware that this arrangement may change in future years. We encourage you to regularly visit our website and follow our social media channels for the latest updates.

For further details about the EYBA Spring League, including FAQs, please visit the EYBA website.

At SLAM, our teams are coached by dedicated volunteers, who are often parents of the players. The availability of our teams' hinges on the number of volunteers stepping forward to coach, emphasizing the integral role coaches play in our program.

For additional details, we invite you to explore the coaches' information section on our website.

Each coach is required to submit a criminal record check biennially. As part of the coaching commitment, they will be responsible for:

• Conducting one practice session weekly
• Coaching one game weekly
• Participating in coaching meetings
• Managing the team equipment, including its collection and return

For additional details, we invite you to explore the coaches' information section on our website.

Coaches in the SLAM program are committed to providing equitable playing time for all athletes, in accordance with EYBA participation rules.

The EYBA is dedicated to promoting player development across all areas. To fulfill this goal, it is stipulated that each player should receive reasonable playing time, defined as participating in at least two (2) shifts per half. Exceptions to this rule may occur due to injury, illness, disciplinary measures, disqualification, fatigue, decisions by coaches, managers, or responsible adults, or if the player is in foul trouble.

We are committed to resolving incidents impartially and systematically. Our established process begins with a compulsory 24-hour cooling-off period immediately after any incident occurs. For specific procedures, please consult our bylaws page. 

Your fees contribute to a variety of essential components that enhance your child’s basketball experience, including:

• Registration fees for the Edmonton Youth Basketball Association (EYBA). Learn more at eyba.ca.
• Membership fees for the Alberta Basketball Association (ABA) and Canada Basketball (CB). 
• Team photographs.
• Coaching clinics.
• Team jerseys.
• Equipment necessary for practice and games.
• First aid kits.
• Gym Rentals.
• Storage Facility Rental.
• Insurance.
• Website fees.
• Other administrative costs to maintain program operations.

For those in U7 and U9, the fees are reduced as these levels are part of our house leagues and do not incur EYBA fees. Additionally, the fees for these leagues cover participation in the Jr NBA program, a participation award, a size 5 basketball and jersey that each player gets to keep.

These fees ensure that we can provide a well-rounded and effective basketball program for all our participants.

The Edmonton Youth Basketball Association (EYBA) plays a pivotal role in our basketball operations by providing:

• Facilities and Logistics: EYBA allocates gym spaces, organizes game schedules, and ensures professional refereeing across all age groups.
• Resources and Communication: Through the EYBA website, you can access current game schedules, view results, and receive crucial updates.
• Sportsmanship and Governance: EYBA upholds the spirit of the game with fair play policies and maintains league integrity with a disciplinary system.
• Partnership with Alberta Basketball: EYBA collaborates with Alberta Basketball for coach training, Provincial championships, and furthering player development.

EYBA is dedicated to improving the basketball experience for all players and fostering the sport's growth. Learn more about EYBA at their website: eyba.ca.

New Fee Structure and Exciting Initiatives for 2024-2025 (Membership Year runs annually - September 1st - August 31)

Alberta Basketball and Canada Basketball are committed to providing exceptional basketball programs that encourage growth, development, and enjoyment of the game. All registered participants benefit from a variety of supports designed to nurture a love for basketball.

Starting this year, the registration fees will be itemized differently. Canada Basketball's fee has increased to $9.00 for the 2024-2025 season, and the ABA fee has also seen a modest increase. For better transparency, these fees are now listed separately. This change supports several new initiatives, including:

·      Creating an ABA Coaches Community to enhance coaching development and expand NCCP capacity.
·      Supporting member clubs and organizations with competition and player development initiatives.
·      Increasing recognition of ABA members' achievements.
·      Launching the ABA Blue Whistle Program for new officials this fall.

We are thrilled about the upcoming opportunities in the 2024-2025 membership year, including:

·      The 50th Anniversary Celebration
·      The inaugural ABA Hall of Fame inductions
·      2025 Alberta Summer Games
·      2025 Canada Summer Games
·      2025 Youth Provincials
·      2025 ABA Club Invitational Championship

Join us as we embark on another exciting year of basketball!