Mankato Basketball Association strives to provide the youth in the Mankato area with the opportunity to participate in basketball. The program is designed to build youths basketball skills, team participation and have fun doing so. Some of you may wonder what is all involved with “traveling” basketball? The amount of travel and destinations is based on each teams coaches? Hopefully this will provide you with some helpful information.

What is included in the registration fee?

With your registration fee players will be given team jerseys’ (home and away) and team shorts. Each team coach will have an equipment of balls and first aid kit. Players do not need to provide their own ball, some choose to, but it is the players responsibility to keep track of their own ball at practices and games. Registration fees also cover the cost of weekly practices and games. At times teams may enter more tournaments and with parents approval will request additional money to cover the extra tournament. This is more common in the older age groups. Coaches are responsible for registering their teams into tournaments.

Registration fees for grades 4 and 5 cover the costs of Sunday league. Registrations for grades 6-8 cover the costs of the Big 9 league. Read more about the leagues below.

Where do the teams travel?

Grades 4 and 5 will typically play in tournaments in the Mankato surrounding area, some cities include: New Ulm, Waseca, Faribault and New Richland. Some 5th grade teams have played in Southern Metro tournaments, some cities include Lakeville, Shakopee, Prior Lake and Farmington. There are two Mankato tournaments that each Mankato team will participate in. The Holiday Tournament in December open to Boys and Girls all grades, February Tournament open to Boy all grades and the March Tournament open to Girls all grades. Tournaments vary from a two-day format or a one-day format but the majority of the tournaments guarantee 3 games of play. Hotel weekends are not required and parents are responsible for the transportation of their child to and from games and practices. Car-pooling is always a hit and teams organize different arrangements, as they need to.

Grade 6, 7 and 8 will play in more metro area tournaments and also will participate in tournaments in Southern Minnesota, some cities include: Lakeville, Burnsville, Bloomington, Rochester and Eden Prairie. The majority of the tournaments are a two-day format with 3 game guarantees. These grades also participate in the Mankato Tournaments. As stated above, Hotel weekends are not required and parents are responsible for the transportation of their child to and from games and practices. Car-pooling is always a hit and teams organize different arrangements, as they need to.

What is Sunday League?

Sunday league is open for grades 4 and 5 both boys and girls. Sunday league is organized by MBA and is set up to provide more opportunities for the younger kids to get in games. League runs for about 5 or 6 Sunday’s starting one in December and the others through January and February but not every Sunday. Based on team participation and sign up the Sunday’s are scheduled between the coaches. Teams that have participated in the past have been Mankato West, Mankato East, Loyola, New Ulm, New Richland, Blue Earth and St. Peter.

What is the Big 9 League?

The Big 9 league is for grades 6, 7 and 8 boys and girls. The league consists of the Big 9 teams and there are 3 organized one-day tournaments through out the season. The locations of the tournaments are Mankato, Rochester and a 3rd participating city (Albert Lea,, Owatonna, etc.). This league gives the teams an opportunity to play other teams that they will be facing during the school season.

How many games will the teams play?

Most tournaments are a 3 game guarantee with the potential to play more. Each grade level will have different tournament schedules. Sunday leagues will consist of two games per Sunday and on occasion there has been three games played. Tournaments start as early as November and go through mid-March.

When are practices - how often are practices - Where are practices?

Grades 4 – 6 will typically have two practices per week for 1 ½. Grade 7 – 8 will have one practice per week during the school ball season and prior to or after that has been completed they may add another one. During the coaches meetings the practices times are selected. Grades 4 and 5 will have the earlier time slots and then they work through the grades. Practice nights vary on location and availability; teams will not have the same night each week (i.e. every Tuesday).

Practices are held at the Mankato Public Schools. We have used all of the schools in the past years and will continue to use the various elementary, middle and high schools based on availability, including Eagle Lake. On occasion practices have been held at the Mankato Armory as well. All coaches will provide the teams with practices schedules for the first half the season with times and locations and then again in January for the second half of the season. If there are any changes to the posted schedules, coaches will contact all team members.