Program Description
For those players in Grades 4-8 interested in playing more competitive basketball, the HBA provides a Travel program. Each Travel Team is a select team. Players must tryout each year to earn a position on the Team. Players and Parents need to understand the commitment, competition and cost will be far greater than the Recreation program.

Tryout Objective and Information
The objective of the Travel Program Tryouts is to give each player as much opportunity as possible to perform at his or her highest level of ability and give each player a fair, impartial and open chance to compete equally for a position on a Travel Team. All players are put through basic basketball drills (shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding and defense). All players are evaluated on their basketball skills, knowledge, athleticism and attitude. The HBA appoints an Independent Evaluation Team based on their experience and impartiality. The Evaluation Team will run the tryouts and the Hopkinton Basketball Association Board of Directors will take the information and make team selections. Tryouts are held in late September/early October. Times and Locations are posted on this website in early September. There are 2 tryout dates listed for 6th graders-it is helpful if players attend both tryouts.

Number of Teams
The HBA will determine the number of travel teams per grade based on demographics. Teams sizes will vary with a minimum of 10 players on each team.

Selection of Coaches and League Placement
The HBA and Evaluation Committee will actively solicit coaches for travel programs. Interested candidates will fill out a Travel Coaches Application. A Travel Coach Selection Committee will identify and interview potential coaches. The HBA will select a coach for each team shortly after the conclusion of tryouts. Selected coaches will be required to attend a kick-off meeting and coaches clinic. The HBA will also place each team into an appropriate league for competetive play. Team placement into leagues is done at the discretion of the HBA.

Selection of Players
Player selection will be based on skill level and game ability of player (as shown in tryouts) and input from prior year's coach and other qualified evaluators when a player’s ability appears to be near or borderline between two levels of a team.

Season Length
The travel season begins in October with weekly practices. Games begin with the The Hopkinton Tap Off Tournament on November 16th-18th. Teams generally play 15-20 league games per season, most on Sundays between 9am-5pm, with the season ending in early March. Besides the league schedule teams also participate in various tournaments throughout the season. Tournament participation is at the coaches’ discretion.

Cost of Participating
The cost of participating in the Hopkinton Travel Program will vary by team (depending on the number of tournaments in which the team participates). The standard fee includes league related expenses. Uniforms must be purchased seperately. The coaches, assistants, league officers are volunteers and are not paid. Each player must pay this fee before the travel season begins. The HBA will coordinate the teams finances based on gym time, uniforms, league fees, referee fees and tournament fees. If you are in financial hardship and need assistance with these fees, please approach a HBA board member.