WABL FAQ
Recent FAQs
The Western Australian Basketball League (WABL) is WA’s premier junior basketball competition catering for players in the following age groups: U12, U14, U16, U18, U20, and WABL Championship.
While Hills Raiders Basketball Association coordinates the local domestic competition played over a winter and summer season, Basketball WA coordinates the next level of representative basketball, which is the WABL.
The WABL Raiders representative season goes for a year, starting with the State Championships tournament in November/December and finishing at the end of the WABL season in September.
Unlike the domestic competition, the WABL age groups are determined by calendar year, so, for example, Under 14 players are those that turn either 12 or 13 during the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December.
WABL Raiders enters teams into the State Championships tournament that is run over a weekend in November or early December. Since it marks the beginning of the WABL season, the age groups for this tournament are U11, U13, U15, etc. (keeping age groups together during the following WABL season when the age groups are U12, U14, U16, etc.).
The State Championships are a fun weekend carnival, in which a number of Country Associations (e.g., Albany and Geraldton) play with metropolitan clubs like WABL Raiders, Lakeside & Perth. Playing in this tournament is a good opportunity for players to experience basketball at a representative level.
This is the winter competition that involves 13 Basketball Associations from both the metropolitan and country regions, extending from Joondalup to the Southwest (Bunbury).
Teams are graded during a grading tournament in February/March, which determines which one of 5 divisions the team will play in. The divisions are: Championship Division, Division 2, Division 3, Division 4, and Division 5. WABL Raiders normally have multiple teams within the same age/gender groups. Sometimes they end up in the same division as each other, sometimes not – depending on the results of the grading tournament.
Games are played on Sundays over an 18-week “Home and Away” Season, where every team plays each other twice, plus three weeks of finals. These “Away” games involve travelling to other stadiums or recreation centres.
The season generally commences on the last weekend of April, with finals finishing at the end of September.
Parents are expected to score at games and are rostered on by Team Managers. Generally, parents will only be required to score one game per season; however, this depends on the length of the season, where some families may do it twice.
An iPad is used, as is done at junior competition games, so most families will already be familiar with this.
Usually, the visiting team uses the iPad, and the “home” team is responsible fortiming games – stopping the clock each time the referee blows their whistle or restarting the clock when games resume. A game could last about an hour and 30 minutes, much longer than a domestic game.
The WABL introduced pre-season grading in 2014. This was done to help separate teams into the appropriate divisions to ensure players of the same ability were matched up against each other throughout the season.
There are a total of 15 venues that will host matches throughout the course of any given home and away season in the WABL. This means that players and families from WABL Raiders-based teams will need to travel to other venues for away fixtures. The following list of venues host WABL fixtures during the home and away season:
- Wally Hagan Basketball Stadium, Hamilton Hill
- Herb Graham Recreation Centre, Mirrabooka
- Morley Sport and Recreation Centre, Morley
- Ray Owen Sports Centre, Lesmurdie
- Mundaring Arena, Mundaring
- HBF Arena, Joondalup
- Lakeside Recreation Centre, North Lake
- Kennedy Baptist College, Murdoch
- Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Mandurah
- Bendat Basketball Centre, Floreat
- Leisurelife Centre, East Victoria Park
- Mike Barnett Sports Complex, Rockingham
- Eaton Recreation Centre, Eaton
- Warwick Stadium, Warwick
- Willetton Basketball Stadium, Willetton
WABL Raiders teams for the WABL season are selected through a tryout process. Each season, the trials are opened up to any eligible player (must be registered domestically for the following Summer Season) and selections are made. In the event there are more players trying out than positions, then unfortunately, some players will not be successful.
Selection in a WABL Raiders team will be for the following WABL season. Once selected, all WABL teams will compete in the State Championships.
- WABL playing shorts for games (compulsory).
- WABL Raiders socks x 1 pair.
- WABL Raiders reversible singlet for training (compulsory).
- WABL Raiders warm-up top with surname on the back (compulsory).
- WABL Raiders backpack (optional).
- WABL Raiders hoodie (optional).
For WABL Raiders teams, the year generally goes like this:
- October/November: WABL Trials
- November/December: State Championships tournament over a weekend (2 days)
- January/February: Final WABL team selections are completed
- February/March: WABL grading tournament to determine which division each team will compete in during the subsequent season
- April-September: 18-week home and away WABL season, including 3 weeks of finals
Most finals fixtures will be played at Bendat Basketball Centre in Floreat.
Secondary venues may be required for the first two weeks of finals, though if
this is the case, players, teams, and families will be notified when the venue is
confirmed.
Players must attend all weekly training sessions (minimum 90 minutes) and all Sunday WABL games during the 16-week season, plus finals. Training continues through pre-season and grading tournaments from February to March.
Representing Hills Raiders in WABL is a competitive opportunity. Players must respect their place and show professionalism, knowing others were not selected.
Athletes are expected to attend sessions even if injured (if safe). Absences due to illness must be communicated promptly. Medical clearance is required after significant injuries like concussions.
Players must inform their coach or team manager early if unavailable for a session. Last-minute notices are only acceptable in emergencies.
Athletes must follow the Raiders Code of Conduct. Poor behaviour at training may result in removal and further disciplinary steps.
Players must wear the official Raiders training singlet and bring their basketball and water bottle to every session.
Athletes must respect venues, equipment, coaches, referees, teammates, and opposition teams.
All Hills Raiders WABL Players:
- Must play in HRBA domestic competition (unless formally exempt).
- All players must remain financial with both Domestic and WABL teams.
- Participation in HRBA-sanctioned training only (for insurance coverage).
Uphold Basketball WA’s policies including:
- Zero Tolerance Policy
- Social Media Policy
- Inclusion Policy
- Member Protection & Privacy Policies
Coaching can be a rewarding and fun experience for basketball enthusiasts. Basketball WA conduct a number of State and Nationally accredited coaching courses during the year designed to increase the number of qualified coaches delivering and teaching the game to our participants but also to help individual coaches progress in their own personal development and qualifications.
There are several levels of Coaching Accreditation with all requiring a Working with Children Check. Below is a quick summary of each of the courses delivered and endorsed by Basketball WA. Please refer to the Coach Education link above for more information.
This is the introductory level course which is designed to cover General Principles of Coaching while encompassing basketball specific fundamentals and exploring the role of the coach. Candidates must be at least be turning 13 years of age in the year of the course enrolled and no specific basketball background is required. Club coaches, parents, teachers and secondary students with an interest in sports coaching are ideally suited for this course.
Need to kick start your accreditation records? The link below will take you to the FREE online Community Coach level course. Online Community Coach course then select the Community Coaching Course (WA). Then just complete the course at your convenience in the comfort of your own home.
Once you have completed the course, register your coach accreditation with your club.
Basketball Australia, in conjunction with Basketball WA, are pleased to be able to offer the Community Coach Accreditation as the first step in your coaching journey. Suitable for first time coaches, newcomers to the sport, or experienced coaches wishing to begin their official accreditation journey, this course is a great introduction into coaching the sport we love. The course is FREE, outside of giving some of your time to complete the modules.
To complete the course, you will need to follow the link below, click on the Community Coaching Course (WA) link and follow the prompts from there. Totally available 24/7 and able to be completed in your own time, this is a great resource and step in your coaching accreditation process.
This is a Nationally Accredited course from Basketball Australia in conjunction with Basketball Western Australia. The cost of the course is $100 and once accredited, you hold your accreditation for 24 months. At the end of the 24 month period there is a short, online, updated Club Coach module required to be completed to reaccredit. You will receive an email notifying you of your upcoming expiry and giving the link to the reaccreditation course. Once completed you are accredited for a further 2 years.
Candidates need to have completed the Community Coach Course and maintained coaching for at least 12 months before applying for this course. The course takes one (1) day (8 hours approx.) to complete and involves both oncourt and off-court components in its content. The courses are hosted by our Associations, and presented by BWA presenters, at various times throughout the year.
This is an advanced two (2) day (16 hour approx.) course that is designed to elevate a coach’s understanding to the standard of the athletes they are coaching. Typically, coaches who are looking to be involved in State teams, various State leagues (SBL, ABA) would benefit from completing this course. There are certain prerequisites in choosing to apply for this level of accreditation. Please contact Basketball WA for more information on enrolling for the Association Coach course.
All fixtures are accessible to everyone at any time. To access your team’s information, please visit PlayHQ and MYHoops. app.
Team gradings will be conducted during the first three rounds of the competition. If you have any concerns about your team’s current division placement, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Please ensure that you share the weekly schedule with your players as early as possible, allowing them and their families to plan for game times.
Our games are scored using an electronic system on an iPad. If you’re unfamiliar with the scoring system or need a refresher, you can watch a brief four-minute instructional video on how to use the system here.
We recommend creating a weekly roster to ensure a fair distribution of volunteer efforts among parents and players. If you encounter any difficulties, the referees and fellow team members are there to assist you
In cases where you have insufficient players or some of your team members are absent, you can use substitutes if needed. Please communicate with your team to inform you in advance of any planned absences and as soon as possible in case of illness.
Must be registered with the Hills Raiders Basketball Association for insurance purposes and should belong to the same age category or younger. Please ensure there are no conflicts with player numbers for the game, and additional uniform singlets can be provided if necessary.
The team uniform is provided by your Club and typically includes a singlet and shorts. In some age groups, members may need to purchase the uniform for continued use if size changes are not required.
If you encounter sizing issues, please contact your Club Uniform Coordinators through the Club’s email to make alternative arrangements.
- Player tops must be always tucked in for all players.
- Undergarments, such as skins under shorts or singlets under tops, must be black, white, or the dominant colour of the playing top.
- Nails must be clipped.
- No jewellery, including earrings and watches.
- Hair must be tied back if it extends below the shoulders.
- Mouthguards are optional but encouraged.
We recommend using a simple communication method for your team, free apps like Heju are user-friendly and email, text messages, or messenger group chats, help keep everyone informed about player absences, substitutes, game day changes, and fixtures.
If you need assistance, please reach out to your Club.
As the Team Manager, you’re responsible for collecting weekly fees on game day. These fees cover essential costs like court hire, referees, and other team-related expenses. To simplify the process, we use the TeamPay app for all payments.
To ensure everything runs smoothly, both you and the team coach should have the ability to process payments. When setting up TeamPay, please register both yourself and your child (if applicable). This ensures access can be granted easily if needed in the future.
Once your payment setup is complete, make sure to include both your name and your child’s name in the profile. A Team Code will be provided by your Team Manager. Use this code to allocate payments correctly for the current season.
⚠️ Important: Please avoid setting up a PIN for payment authorization. If you’re unavailable on game day, having a PIN could delay or prevent team payments—and potentially, participation.
Need help getting started? Check out our step-by-step guide in this [TeamPay Setup PDF].
If you continue experiencing issues with payments, don’t hesitate to contact Hills Raiders Basketball Association (HRBA) for further support.
If you wish to present end-of-season awards, such as Most Valuable Player or the Coaches Award, please inform your Club. They can provide you with a voting outline and voting slips for your team’s convenience.
All coaches and team managers must possess a current Working With Children card. If you don’t have one, please email your Club, and they will provide you with the necessary forms. Your Club subsidises the cost of the WWC card.
Proof of your valid WWC card should be presented to HRBA at the beginning of the season and carried with you to your games for verification.
Thank you for your dedication and commitment to our association. We look forward to a successful season ahead.