We would like to provide an update regarding the 2026/27 Collingwood Basketball Association Representative (CBA) Tryout Schedule.
Following feedback received from families, coaches and members of our basketball community, as well as further discussion and review by the CBA Board, a number of updates have been made to the original tryout schedule.
These changes are now effective immediately and are attached via this email, uploaded on our website, and via our social media channels.
Link to Register & Tryout Dates can be found here > CLICK HERE
Importantly, no further tryout dates will be added beyond those outlined in the updated schedule. This is necessary to maintain a clear and consistent process and to ensure coaches and staff have sufficient time to assess players and make timely decisions regarding team formation.
These changes have been made with the aim of ensuring the tryout process is as organised, fair, and accessible as possible for all athletes and families.
In making the adjustments, we have considered a range of factors, including but not limited to:
- Feedback received following the release of the initial schedule
- The availability of athletes and families across different age groups
- The overall flow and administration of the tryout process
- Ensuring the schedule aligns with the Association’s broader objectives
The updated schedule is therefore a result of both community feedback and consideration by the CBA Board. We understand that changes to a published schedule can sometimes create inconvenience, and we appreciate everyone’s flexibility and understanding. However, we believe these updates will ultimately provide a better experience for athletes, families, and coaches throughout the tryout period.
Please ensure that you refer to the updated schedule, rather than any previously circulated version, when planning your attendance.
QUESTIONS:
Since the release of the tryout dates, we have had a number similar questions put forward by members of our community. Below are some of these answers to our most common questions.
PLAYERS UNABLE TO ATTEND
At CBA, during our tryout period, we will also ensure that players who are unable to attend a scheduled tryout due to genuine availability issues are not automatically excluded from consideration. Further, if your child/s can only commit to 1 out of the 2 sessions, they will still be considered for selection.
Players who have previously participated in the Collingwood Representative Program will continue to be considered for selection, provided they register for the CBA Tryout portal through PlayHQ.
This registration requirement is important as it allows the Association to maintain an accurate record of players wishing to be considered, manage communication effectively and ensure all relevant player information is available to our coaching and administration teams.
WHO ARE TRYOUTS OPEN TO?
The 2026/2027 VJBL Representative Tryouts are open to:
- Current Collingwood Representative Players
- Current Collingwood Representative players who are looking to continue in the Representative Program are encouraged to participate in the tryout process.
- Collingwood Junior EDJBA Domestic Players
- Collingwood Junior Domestic players currently playing in the EDJBA who are looking to take the next step into Representative basketball are welcome to trial and have never played Representative basketball
- Collingwood Basketball Program Participants
- Players participating in Collingwood Basketball programs who have not previously played Representative basketball and are interested in developing their skills at a higher level.
- Players from Outside Collingwood Basketball Association
- Players from outside the Collingwood Basketball Association who are interested in joining our Representative Program are welcome to trial. However, players currently registered with another Association must have a valid Permission to Trial (PTT) from their current Association prior to participating in trials. This ensures the tryout process is conducted appropriately and in accordance with the relevant Basketball Victoria requirements.
SELECTION PROCESS
Previous Representative experience is not required to participate in trials. Our Representative Program caters for players across a range of abilities and experience levels, and we encourage players who are ready for a new challenge to put themselves forward.
However, participation in trials does not guarantee selection to a Representative team.
Not all players who attend trials will be selected. Player selection and team placement will be determined by the coaching and selection panel based on a range of factors. This ensures the process remains fair and consistent for all players and allows the coaching and selection panel to assess the player’s group for the upcoming season.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE & CLOSING STATEMENT
At CBA, our overall objective is to establish and maintain a Representative tryout process that provides clarity, fairness, accessibility and certainty for athletes and families, while also ensuring the Association can manage the process in a structured, efficient and sustainable manner.
We recognise that the Representative tryout period can be an important and, at times, uncertain period for athletes and families. As such, we are committed to providing a process that is clearly communicated, consistently applied, and designed to give all eligible athletes a genuine opportunity to demonstrate their ability and be considered for selection.
We genuinely appreciate the constructive feedback and input that has been provided throughout the process. Our priority is to deliver a Representative Program that is transparent, well organised, appropriately structured and focused on athlete development and opportunity. This includes ensuring that tryout information is communicated clearly, scheduling is practical and accessible, and that selection of decisions are made through a consistent and considered process.
At the same time, the process needs to work effectively for the Association. With a significant number of athletes, age groups, coaches, venues and sessions to coordinate, it is important that the tryout structure provides sufficient certainty for families while allowing CBA to manage court availability, staffing, registrations and selection requirements appropriately.
Ultimately, our aim is to establish a Representative tryout process that provides confidence to our basketball community, confidence that athletes will be given an appropriate opportunity, confidence that the process will be conducted fairly and consistently, and confidence that CBA is committed to continually improving the Representative Program.
We thank everyone who has contributed to the process to date and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our basketball community to deliver a strong and positive Representative Program for the 2026/27 season.