The Woodstock Feeder Basketball Association is designed for young men who aspire to one day play basketball for either the Woodstock Blue Streaks or the Woodstock North Thunder. We believe that they need to begin working toward that goal now. Winning today is a secondary goal. Teaching our players fundamental basketball and putting them in a position to succeed in the future is our primary goal.

Read the bio of our skills trainer Steve Preston

ROSTER & TEAM SELECTION

The WFBA will run 8 teams this winter—5th through 8th grade teams on both the North and South sides of town. Any player who signs up for feeder basketball will be allowed to play. If our numbers are high, we will run multiple teams at one grade level. If our numbers are low, we will adjust rosters; movement will ideally be vertical rather than horizontal (i.e., we will combine 7th and 8th graders from the same side of town rather than combining 7th graders from the North and South teams).

Please note that Feeder Basketball is not for recreational players. The program is designed for serious basketball players that aspire to compete at the varsity level someday.

COACHING STAFF

Woodstock Feeder Basketball is very proud of the coaching staff it has assembled. If you or someone you know is interested in one of the available coaching positions, please see a WFBA board member ASAP.

Involvement with the WFBA carries with it the implicit agreement that you will treat your son’s coaches with respect. We expect it of our parents in the same way that we expect it of our players.

PRACTICE & GAME SCHEDULE

SKILLS SESSIONS: Combined 5/6th and 7/8th skills sessions will be led by professional trainer Steve Preston (see www.woodstockhoops.com for Coach Preston’s bio). They will begin Saturday, November 5th and run Wednesdays and Saturdays through Winter Break.

TEAM PRACTICES: 5th and 6th grade teams will meet with their coaches for practice once a week beginning the week of November 6th and twice a week after Winter Break. 7th and 8th grade teams will begin practices at the conclusion of the middle school season. Coaches are responsible for communicating their practice schedules to their players.

GAMES/TOURNAMENTS: Our game schedule will begin after Winter Break. Teams will play against other local teams throughout January and February. Each team will also participate in a minimum of two tournaments, including our inaugural WFBA Groundhog Day Tournament (February 4-5).

One important distinction between “travel” basketball and “feeder” basketball is the increased emphasis on skill development through practice. While we understand the importance of our game schedule, the WFBA feels very strongly that the groundwork for success at the high school level will be laid during practices while your son is involved in feeder basketball.

PLAYING TIME

Every player will have the opportunity to play in every game. However, beyond that restriction, all decisions regarding playing time are up to our coaches. There should be no expectation that every player will receive equal playing time. Decisions will be made based on practice performance, game performance, understanding of our systems, work ethic at home, and various other basketball-related factors. As in life, there are no guarantees, but players can stack the odds in their favor by working hard in practice and games, learning the fundamentals and systems that their coaches are teaching, and putting in the additional effort at home.

COST

The cost of participation during the 2011-12 season is $275/player. This cost covers gym rental, tournament fees, officials, uniforms, insurance, and skills development sessions. A $50 deposit is due along with the registration form. The balance is due at uniform distribution (date TBA). No player will participate in a game until his fee is paid in full.

REGISTRATION

Parents who attend our October 20th meeting will have the opportunity to turn in their registrations and deposits that night. All other registrations should be mailed to Greg Ammirati at 1005 Dakota Dr., Woodstock, IL, 60098.

BOARD

The WFBA Board is made up of volunteers who have a strong interest in D200 boys basketball. Please contact them if you have any questions or concerns.