PYAA Travel Basketball Information
PYAA Travel Basketball is devoted to providing an opportunity to those students (residing in the Pickerington Local School District)
seriously committed to playing basketball in an organized and supervised environment. Sporting attitudes expected from coaches,
players and player’s parents/legal guardians are team spirit, team cooperation, determination, fair play, pride and respect for
opponents, referees and teammates.
Travel Tryout Information
You must complete our Travel Basketball Sign Up and Consent Form. This form grants permission for your child to attend our
tryout sessions.
Travel League fees of $295.00 include PYAA participation fees, league participation fees, tournament fees, shooting shirts and
practice jerseys. Uniforms are also provided but must be returned at the end of the season. Uniforms are not to be worn outside of
games. The only exception would be a PYAA night at a high school basketball game.
Players will be notified of their selection within 1 week after the final tryout session. Results will be posted on the pyaa.org website by
player number. In addition, all players who are selected will be contacted soon after by their coach. Players not selected will receive a
letter from PYAA. All players selected for a travel team must also register online at pyaa.org. Click on the “register here icon”
and follow the prompts. This will allow you to pay the $295 fee online. The online registration and payment of the fee must be
done prior to the first practice session at the end October. Players not selected can register online for the PYAA Rec program.
Travel Basketball Participant Expectations
To participate in the PYAA travel program, there are several items that we require of players and parents to help ensure a successful
season. They include:
Practices normally begin in late October and end in late February, averaging two per week, one and half hour per practice,
generally scheduled on weekdays in the evenings. Practices are extremely important to developing a player’s and team’s
total basketball skills, so attendance is a must! Parents/legal guardians are welcome to attend. We would prefer siblings be
left at home. If you plan to attend, please do not coach or otherwise be disruptive during the practice session. If the Head
Coach determines your presence is becoming a deterrent to your child’s or the team’s development, you can be asked to
leave. If you refuse, each offense may result in a one game suspension for your child. The Head Coach’s discretion will
prevail in these matters.
Our PYAA tournament is a required event for all PYAA travel teams. This tournament is critical to the program and the
main fundraiser to offset our travel fees. All player families are expected to work their assigned shifts to support the
running of the tournament. If families are not willing to work the tournament, a $50 fee will be assessed and need paid
prior to their child’s continued participation on the team.
Parent Conduct is an increasingly important issue in youth sports. We request that parents act in an appropriate manner to
coaches, players, referees and other fans. Allow the coaches to coach, players to play, and be there to positively support the
team. If situations arise that are deemed inappropriate as defined by the PYAA By-Laws, parents can be subject to removal
and suspension from travel basketball activities.
Travel Basketball Program Information
Travel Team Evaluation & Selection - Each year, tryouts are conducted for interested players. The tryout evaluation and player
selection processes are supervised by the Travel Director(s), who determine(s) the process itself in consultation with the PYAA
Basketball Board.
At no time during the evaluation or player selection processes will a parent/legal guardian of a player participating be allowed
in the gym. However, the same parent/legal guardian may be asked to help evaluate players in another gym. Tentatively approved
head coaches may attend the evaluation sessions, as observers only, and may be asked to participate in the player team selection
process.
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PYAA Travel Basketball Information
Travel Team Formation - The number and structure of travel teams is determined annually. Our intent is to sponsor 1-3 travel teams
for each grade 3rd-6th, for both Boys & Girls. This decision will be based upon the quality and quantity of players available. The
structure of the teams will also be determined by the leagues to which the teams are assigned and the availability of players and
coaches who will participate in that league. The final decision will be made after tryouts begin through a recommendation from the
Travel Director(s), and majority approval of the Basketball Board, if needed.
Team structures options include:
1. COMPETITIVE team(s) consisting of all/most of the top rated players and/or:
2. MODERATE team(s) consisting of mostly the next rated players following a COMPETITIVE team selection and/or:
3. BLENDED teams(s), with due consideration given in maintaining equal talent among each team.
 Note that as the players are selected for any of the team structures, due consideration is also given to ensuring a proper
mix of post players and guards.
Games begin late November and can continue into March, averaging two to three games per week (generally on the weekends). Away
games do require some travel to locations around Central Ohio. Teams can play in up to four tournaments, one of which is the
required PYAA sponsored tournament. Locations of games and tournaments are generally in the central Ohio area. Games are played
and officiated under the rules and regulations as followed by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Travel Team Coaches - Head and Assistant Coaches are selected from interested parent and non-parent volunteers subject to the
approval of the PYAA Basketball Board. Coaches are required to display exemplary conduct as a teacher, instructor and role model
for his/her players at all times. Good sportsmanship, team play and the teaching of fundamental basketball skills are paramount and
must command a higher value than winning. All Coaches are subject to PYAA Background Check Process and must complete
Concussion Training.
It is our intent to encourage maximum participation of all players. Therefore, every player is required to play at least twenty-five
percent (25%) of each game they attend, including all tournament games. Any player who is absent from two consecutive practices
may result in limited to no playing time for the next scheduled game. This reduction in playing time can only occur with the
concurrence of the Director of Travel and after notifying the player’s parents/legal guardians.
Game clock operators are needed for all HOME games. Game scorebook keeper is also needed for ALL games.
PYAA asks that all people involved in the basketball program maintain a positive attitude, especially in your home! Good
sportsmanship starts with your example! Be enthusiastic but avoid coaching (or yelling instructions) from the stands or sidelines.
Coaches generally do what they think is best for their team - not necessarily what you think may be best for your child. If
you need to discuss personnel/personal issues with the Head Coach (such as where your child is playing, playing time, etc.), by all
means do so. But, out of courtesy to the coach, please wait 1 day (the ‘24 hour rule’) after a contest prior to initiating a conversation.
A note from the Travel League Directors - There are approximately 1,200 participants in our recreation and travel basketball
programs. We have hundreds of coaches and administrators, all volunteer, who spend countless hours doing their best. Even if these
people were paid and thoroughly trained, mistakes are made and disputes often arise.
History has proven that most travel related disputes concern game playing time. Certainly this is an important issue, but a player’s
success should be measured by the amount of progress made with his or her fundamental basketball skills, not by the amount of
playing time received. One important way travel attempts to accomplish this is with increased practice time held on a full court versus
what is available from our recreation program.
In summary, we do try to monitor the actions of every PYAA coach and a big part of that is feed back from parents, referees a nd
others with firsthand knowledge. Therefore, at any time should you have any questions, concerns or issues relative to our PYAA
Travel program, please contact:
Henry Lee
Boys’ Travel Directors
henrykamuelale@yahoo.com
614.531.5738
Tim Dorman
Girls’ Travel Director
tdorman23@yahoo.com
614.563.2743
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