City of Lakes Girls Basketball Association

City of Lakes
Girls Basketball Association

COL is a volunteer, non-profit club that has been providing girls at the 5th through 8th grade levels with the opportunity to play fundamentally sound traveling basketball since 1987.  

The Association (click for brochure) relies on parent and community volunteers to serve as board members, fundraisers, coaches and team managers. 

An eligible player either lives or attends school in the City of Minneapolis.  A candidate from outside the Minneapolis area may be approved to play under certain circumstances including qualifying under Minnesota Youth Athletic Service (MYAS) guidelines. 

The Association has an Affiliates Program to help support specific basketball needs in the community that fall outside our core mission.  In 2007-08 we sponsored a 7th Grade Boys Team through our Affiliates Program. 

Traveling Basketball

Cost & Registration

An annual Player Participation Fee covers the cost of playing a 20-25 game schedule. The fee for the 2008-09 winter season is $175.  Each team can decide to play more games but the team will be responsible for the additional cost. 

Our policy is that financial circumstances should not prevent a player from playing. If a family has difficulty with the financial commitment, arrangements can be made including scholarship assistance.  All financial arrangements are kept in the strictest confidence. 

The purchase of a COL sweatshirt, sweatpants and/or traveling bag is a separate and optional cost.

Registration (click for form) and payment of the participation fee must be completed or arrangements made before a player receives a uniform and is allowed to compete in a scheduled game. There is not a required uniform deposit, however players are responsible for the cost of replacing a lost or damaged uniform.  

Placement Philospohy

Our placement philosophy is to balance the benefits that come with players "staying and playing together" with the need to group players by skill level to help them prepare for high school ball.

This past season COL alumnae played varsity minutes at Southwest, South, Roosevelt, Washburn, Benilde-St. Margaret, and DeLaSalle High Schools.

Our goal is to place every potential player on a team but depending on the number of participants, the number of coaches available, and individual player ability, not every potential player may be placed on a team.

A free open TRYOUT (click for flyer) is held to provide a fair opportunity for each potential player to be placed on a traveling team.  The session is a safe, structured environment to assess players in three areas:

Basic Skills 
shooting (lay-ups, free-throws, spot), dribbling, passing, rebounding, ball handling, pivots

Athletic Ability/Effort 
speed, footwork, quickness, jumping, hustle, attention

Team Concepts
defensive position, help, running the floor, blocking-out, moving without the ball, cutting, setting picks, communication

A player who misses the TRYOUT may be placed on a team after an evaluation session(s).