Q. Can my kids play on a team with their friends?
A. The short answer is no. Exceptions will only be made for siblings and for parents of players that are willing to Coach together (with the limit of 2 coaches per team). We will consider special requests for compassionate reasons, but we cannot guarantee it will be granted. Team formation is always in the discretion of the league with an eye to competitive balance.

Q. I've never played before, will I make a team?
A. Absolutely! Every player registered will be placed on a team.  

Q. Do I need to live in St.Albert to register for SAYBL?
A. No. Remember, all games and practices are located in St.Albert. 

Q. Which division will I be in?
A. The cut off date is September 30, 2025. The age you are on that date will determine your division. U11: ages 8-10, U14: ages 11-13 and U17: ages 14-16.  

Q. How do you create teams?
A. We start the season with an ID Camp where each player is assessed. Players are equally distributed across the league so that any team on any Saturday has the ability to win. 

Q. What if I can't make the ID Camp?
A. The ID Camp is held over 2 weekends, Saturday October 18th & 25th. If you are unable to to attend one of these dates please let us know before October 10th.

Q. What level of commitment is required?
A. 1 practice-midweek, and 1 game on Saturday. If you are unable to practice or  play the majority of the season please speak to one of the SAYBL Team so we can assess whether this league is right for you. If a player does not show up then it could greatly affect team morale and the ability for the team to compete each week.

Q. Can I create my own team?
A. No. This will prevent the ability to manage the parity of teams. With 3 age groups in 1 division we balance all the teams with an equal distribution of ages, skills and height. 

Q. How many players in a team?
A. Team numbers are dictated by the amount or players registered.  A division requires a minimum of 4 teams and a maximum of 10 teams. 

Q. Is it important to have the right size ball?
A. YES! We cannot stress enough that using the correct size ball is extremely important. It will speed up a players development where the emphasis is on technique more than strength. Click here to discover the correct size ball for you.

Q. How does the league work?
A. The SAYBL Board and SAYBL Team Members are all volunteers. We all see the SAYBL Community League as a great opportunity for kids to try their hand at basketball without too much pressure. You’ll find more emphasis on team work, team building and fundamentals than winning. In our eyes, if you’re having fun then you’re winning.

Q. Why are there no score boards for U11 and U14?
A. The philosophy of not keeping score for youth sports allows the children to focus on playing the sport, rather than the outcome of the game.

Q. What  level of  volunteering is expected of me?
A. Each week we required 2 parents per team to help facilitate the games. A parent of each team will take 1 half of the game to monitor the door and 1 parent of each team to work the score table (one scores the other times the game).  We expect every parent to contribute a couple of times throughout the season. Some coaches will provide a schedule so that the jobs are evenly distributed. If this interests you, feel free to approach the coach who will be excited to hear from you.

Q. Can we prop the door open to let people into the school?
A. No. One of the conditions of use: "group is responsible for door supervision while their participants are coming into or leaving the school; all doors must remain locked. Do not prop open any doors!"