The Traveling Program is the most competitive MBA program. There are girls' and boys' teams at five levels: 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade.  Teams will participate in weekend tournaments throughout the metro area.  Not all players who sign up will make a team.  Traveling teams are designed to challenge the individual players who want to compete at the highest competitive level.  This program helps players develop basketball skills as well as provide an opportunity to implement those skills.  Traveling basketball can be highly competitive with a significant time commitment.  Some of the key traveling program features include:
 

• 1 or more teams at each grade level
• Roster size may vary based on skill level
• 10 weekend tournaments
• 2 weekly practices from early November thru late February/early March
• Mandatory player evaluations (mid September) 

1. Participants must live or attend a public or private school within the geographic boundary of the Mahtomedi School District. 
    
2. Players that live in our district but do not attend our public school may participate on a "school team" for their educational institution as long as the typical game and/or practice schedule is not on the same day.
    
3. Players on an MBA team may not participate on other association teams.
    
4. "Outside Players" (players not living in or attending school within the Mahtomedi School District) may be considered as long as they do not displace a qualified, eligible Mahtomedi player. The inclusion of an “outside player” must be approved in advance by the MBA Board and if applicable, the basketball association where the player would normally participate.
    
5. In the event that another basketball association approaches the MBA board requesting a release of a Mahtomedi eligible player to their association program, the Board, as a general rule, will not release a player if there is a reasonable playing opportunity available to the player within the MBA program. Any exception to the “no release rule” must be brought before the entire Board and voted upon in normal process.

It is expected that evaluations will last two hours. For one hour (lower gym), players will participate in a series of ten timed or counting activities in order to gather quantifiable information on various basketball/athletic skills. This will account for 25% of the overall score.

There also is an hour of the evaluation which takes place in the upper gym in a scrimmage setting where six specific skill areas (scoring, ball control, movement without the ball, defense, rebounding, intangibles) will be accessed.  This subjective component will account for 75% of the overall score.  While we expect to complete the evaluations in one day, please note that some age groups may need to be called back for further evaluation.

Evaluators consist of an outside evaluator, and board members or other qualified volunteers all of whom have considerable basketball playing and coaching experience.  During the evaluation process a number identifies each player rather than names to add additional anonymity.  Results will remain confidential. Evaluation results will be tallied by the board President and shared only with the respective Traveling Director.  For players not making a traveling team, you are welcome to contact the Traveling Director if you would like to identify skill areas that your son/daughter may want to work on.

4TH & 5TH GRADE TRAVELING

All 4th and 5th grade traveling players will be given approximately equal playing time. Actual time will vary game to game and tournament to tournament, but each player should play no less than 40% of the total game minutes in each game and no less than 40% of the total game minutes over the course of the season. Coaches may make reasonable exceptions for illness/injury, foul trouble, documented disciplinary issues, and failure to attend regular practices/games.

6TH - 8TH GRADE TRAVELING

Playing time for middle school traveling players is based on practice/game attendance, attitude, effort, sportsmanship, coachability, situation , and skills. Each player should play no less than 30% of the total game minutes in each game and should play no less than 40% of the total game minutes over the course of the season. Coaches may make reasonable exceptions for illness/injury, foul trouble, documented disciplinary issues, and failure to attend regular practices/games.

Each traveling player is provided with a full uniform (jersey and shorts).  Uniforms under this program must be returned to the MBA at the end of the season.  Parents failing to return either item will be required to reimburse the MBA $100 per item.

PLEASE WASH UNIFORMS IN COLD WATER ONLY.  DO NOT MACHINE DRY. HANG-DRY UNIFORMS ONLY.

Players will be given a warm-up shirt, at no additional cost. Warm-up shirts will be kept by the players.  Teams may elect to purchase other items at their own cost.