Mission

Our mission is to help young athletes to play basketball at a competitive level. This is accomplished by providing a foundation in the many individual skills required to be a strong basketball player. Equally important, our coaches teach their players to use these skills effectively as a team.

Our goal is to develop teams that can compete at a local and regional level. Most importantly, players at every level consistently demonstrate continued improvement over time.

Of utmost importance in achieving our mission for our youth members is that we focus on the development of our youth members as individuals and as a team.

The Saskatoon Slam Basketball program emphasizes three core principles - teamwork, character development, and personal fitness - to achieve the mission.

Our program aims to teach young women and men the importance of teamwork by learning to meet, develop relationships, and work with new people in their lives to achieve excellence on the court - something that will be important throughout life. Character development occurs through good sportsmanship and ambassadorship in representing their club to the community, and in local, regional and national competitions. Personal fitness both physical and mental is developed through the medium of competitive youth basketball requiring maintaining a healthy lifestyle along with physical and mental fitness through practices and competitions and maintaining academic perfomance. (Players who do not maintain all passing grades in school, may be asked to take time off to focus on their academics depending on the individual player and family situation.)

Parents have a significant role to play in the Saskatoon Slam Basketball organization. We encourage open communication between parents and coaches, to help ensure that concerns about their child are appropriately addressed. 

Values

Slam Fair Play Principal. 

LTAD

NCCP

Philosophy

Slam First/Basketball First

We want to reiterate that Slam basketball is a Slam first/basketball first program. This means, that we believe and encourage you to participate in other activities. However if you have a conflict it is our expectation that you will be at Slam basketball first and foremost and the other activity, including other basketball clubs, will be secondary. If you are unable to make this commitment this year, please let us know because we have many other players interested in participating. 

    Also if you are asked to participate with another team, Slam or another organization, you must request permission from your respective coach regardless of when this occurs ie. during or out of the Slam season. This is requested so that harmony is maintained with in your respective peer group/team and is a standard coaching/player courtesy well established in basketball and other sports.

Slam Fair Play Principals

AS A PLAYER I WILL:

Play by the rules and in the spirit of the game.
Control my temper - fighting and "mouthing off" can spoil the activity for everybody.
Respect my opponents.
Do my best to be a true team player.
Remember that winning isn't everything - that having fun, improving skills, making friends and doing my best are as important.
Acknowledge all good plays/performances - those of my team and of my opponents.
Participate because I want to, not just because my parents or coaches want me to.
Remember that coaches and officials are there to help me and I will show them respect.

AS A PARENT I WILL:

Remember that my child plays sport for his or her enjoyment, not for mine.
Encourage my child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence.
Teach my child that doing one's best is as important as winning, so that my child will never feel defeated by the outcome of a game/event.
Make my child feel like a winner every time by offering praise for competing fairly and trying hard.
Never ridicule or yell at my child for making a mistake or losing a competition.
Remember that children learn best by example. I will applaud good player's performances by both my child's team and their opponents.
Not force my child to participate in sports.
Never question the official's judgment.
Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from children's sporting activities.
Respect and show appreciation for the trained volunteer coaches who give their time to provide sport activities for my child, understanding that I have a responsibility to be a part of my child's development.
Supervise all of my children that attend the game that I am watching.
I will be on my best behavior at all times and will not use profane language or harass players, coaches, referees, league administrators or volunteers.

AS A COACH I WILL:

Ensure that all athletes get fair playing time, instruction, and support.
Be reasonable when scheduling games and practices, remembering that young athletes have other interests and obligations.
Teach my athletes to play fairly and to respect the rules, officials and opponents.
Not ridicule or yell at my athletes for making mistakes or for performing poorly. I will remember that children play to have fun and must be encouraged to have confidence in themselves.
Make sure that equipment and facilities are safe and match the athletes' ages and abilities.
Remember that children need a coach they can respect. I will be generous with praise and set a good example.
Obtain proper training and continue to upgrade my coaching skills.
Work in partnership with parents and players.
I will treat other coaches, players and referees with respect and yelling at participants will not be condoned.