UPDATED INFORMATION FOR 2023-2024 SEASON
Overview - PYAA Travel Basketball is devoted to providing an opportunity for youth of Pickerington to play basketball against other teams within the region at a higher level of competition than found in the Recreational program. Sporting attitudes expected from coaches, players and parents/legal guardians are team spirit, cooperation, determination, fair play, pride and respect for opponents, referees and teammates. Games typically follow Ohio High School Athletic Association game rules. Although competitive, the primary focus is on fundamental development and preparation for Middle and High School Basketball.
Tryouts - Tryouts will be held in September and all participants must attend tryouts to be evaluated. Not all participants are guaranteed to make a team. The tryout evaluations and player selection processes are supervised by PYAA Travel Program Directors and members of the PYAA Basketball Board. PYAA conducts “closed” tryouts, meaning parents are not allowed inside the gym during tryouts without specific pre-approval from a Travel Director or an Executive Board Member.
*** 2023-2024 Tryouts have completed and all athletes have been notified ***
PYAA Thanksgiving Travel Tournament - The PYAA Thanksgiving Travel Tournament takes place Friday, November 24th thru Sunday, November 26th. *** Please see the Travel Tournament page ***
Eligibility – Boys and Girls in Grades 3 thru 6 residing in the Pickerington Local School District who meet our age requirements.
Schedule / Locations - Practices begin late October (generally two per week on week nights), and games late November extending thru February with an average of two games per week (generally on Sat/Sun afternoons) with breaks for the holidays. Away games are at Central Ohio / 270 area schools with most games within a 45-minute drive. Games consist of tournament play (up to 4 tournaments) and non-tournament formats. Teams typically average between 25-35 games in total for a season. Home games and practices are held in Pickerington school gyms. Practice and game attendance is important and a commitment to regular attendance is required.
Fees - Travel fees for 2023/2024 season will be $360. Fees will be due by Friday, October 6th for players selected for their Travel Team.
Registration - Travel does not have open registration. Players who make a team and accept a roster position will be invited to register and must pay the travel fee prior to their first practice.
Parent Volunteer Requirement - Our hosted PYAA tournament is a required event for all PYAA travel teams and requires help from you to make it happen. This tournament is critical to the program and the main reason we are able to keep our participation fees low. With that said, we require all player families to dedicate a small amount of time to help us staff the concessions and gate during the tournament. We schedule 1 shift per player family (usually 1-2hrs), and your slot will not overlap your game times. Often, older siblings can help fill this void. If you are unwilling to commit this small amount of time to helping with the tournament, your spot on the team could be offered to another player. Additionally, game clock operators and scorekeepers will also be needed and parents or older siblings are encouraged to volunteer.
Teams / Rosters - Typically, we sponsor between 1 and 3 travel teams per grade level. The number of teams is determined by the number and skill level of players evaluated as well as availability of qualified coaches. Team recommendations are created by each Travel Director, with input from coaches and evaluators, along with an expected team competitiveness rating (Level 1, 2 or 3) and submitted to the Basketball President for board approval.
Coaches - All PYAA coaches undergo a Background Check and Concussion Training certification prior to coaching our youth teams. Interested in being a Travel Coach? Please fill out the following form and we will be in touch soon!
Playing Time – Coaches are required to play all kids a minimum of 25% in every game including tournaments. This means there is no guarantee all players will play equally throughout the season. This rule is intended to strike a balance between assuring all kids get opportunities on the floor and providing incentive for kids to compete in practice similar to what they will encounter in a competitive high school environment. Outside of the 25% minimum, playing time remains at the discretion of your coach.
PYAA Travel Team Code of Conduct.pdf
Questions? - Please contact a Travel Director. Girls travel basketball - Kasey Anklam. Boys travel basketball - Stanley Burdine.