Girls Basketball

Mission

Vision

Values

Head Varsity Coach: Bart Johnson

Varsity Assistant: Selina Mello

Junior Varsity: Robert Lowery

9th Grade: Paige Condie

• Be a great student in school.

• Prioritize basketball during the season above everything except family, faith, health, and schoolwork.

• Attend all team events - schedule around practices.

• Players must report any absence to the coach prior to the absence.

• Arrive early and be ready to go before practice starts. Adhere to the adage, “If you’re five minutes early, you’re already ten minutes late.”

• Respect all people and places we encounter.

• Do not unduly take attention away from the team, including behavior and appearance. Remember that we represent Spring Lake Park High School.

• Work extremely hard, listen, and enjoy the camaraderie of your teammates.

• Members of the team will ride the bus home unless special arrangements have been made with the coaching staff.

• Team members will keep reasonable hours on school nights and nights before an early practice.

• Dress appropriately for winter weather during the cold months of the basketball season.

• Pre-game attire will be determined by the captains.

• Be a positive cheerleader for our team.
• If problems arise, please follow this sequence:
  • Player talks to the captains.
  • Player talks to the coach.
  • Parent talks to the coach.
• Parents are strongly encouraged to sit together during games.

The goal of the varsity team is to compete at the highest level against the best players from other schools. We want to win. This means we will play the best players in the program during the varsity games. 

The goal of the junior varsity team is to develop players to be ready to play on the varsity next year or even during the current season. We want to win at the JV level while giving players opportunities to grow into varsity-level players.

We always want to win the right way and use the pursuit of excellence as the framework for what we do and why we play the game. If we lose, we learn from it and move forward in a positive manner.

Here are some basic attributes of varsity team membership:

• The best players will make up the varsity and junior varsity (JV) roster.

• The practice roster will include a maximum of 20 players. 

• A maximum of 18 players can be placed on the section roster for playoffs.

• There will be six tryout sessions for junior and senior players wanting to make the team. Players from lower grades may try out for the varsity and JV teams if they are invited by the coaching staff.

• Players who make the team accept a spot with the understanding that they will need to accept their roles on the team as either starters, substitutes, or practice players on the JV and varsity. These roles may change throughout the season.

• If numbers exceed 20 players for tryouts, players may be cut from the team.

• If players do not make the team, they will be notified at the end of tryouts and will have the opportunity to discuss it with the coach.

The existence of a B-Squad team will be determined based on whether the high school has a sufficient number of participants to field full varsity, junior varsity, and 9th-grade teams. The goal of the B-Squad team is to develop players to be ready to play on the varsity next year or in two years. We want to win at the B-Squad level while giving players opportunities to grow into JV and varsity-level players. 

If there are more than 12 players trying out for the B-Squad, the coaches will determine the final number of players who make the team. This will be no more than 12 players. If players do not make the team, they will be notified at the end of tryouts and will have the opportunity to discuss it with the coach.

The goal of the 9th Grade team is to develop players to be ready to play on the varsity in two or three years. We want to win at the 9th grade level while giving players opportunities to grow into JV and varsity-level players. 

If there are enough players to field a 9A and a 9B team, we may keep 20 players with 10 on each team. If there are fewer than 20 players, we will have one 9th grade team with no more than 12 players.

Tryouts for 9th grade will be held the week before the varsity season starts and will consist of four practices. Coaches will determine the members of the team or teams following the fourth practice. If players do not make the team, they will be notified at the end of the fourth practice and will have the opportunity to discuss it with the coach.

As previously referenced, players are encouraged to talk to the captains and the coaches about any questions they may have about the team and their roles and responsibilities on the team.

Following the problem-solving chain listed in the Parent & Family Expectation section, parents may set up a meeting with the coaching staff by sending an email or leaving a voicemail on the school’s messaging system. If parents cannot reach the coach through these channels, please contact the high school athletic office at 763-600-5149.

Coaches will not be available to communicate with parents on game days unless it is to report an absence or in the case of an emergency.

Varsity players who are in good standing at the end of the season and have played in at least 11 varsity halves will earn a letter.