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How To Play International Basketball Manager?

Have too many people that want to play on sports team, how to manage?

  • I started a sports team at work and now we have more people who want to play than we have spots on the team. How would you diplomatically handle this? I started a basketball team, with only 10 spots on the roster, to play in a city league. First season was fine, only 10 people wanted to play, but now that word has spread, we have more that want to join. It's a work sponsored team, so no one pays for anything. It mostly consists of mid management and up, with 2 line workers also on the team. We're a mixed bag of skills - some college level, some have never played. I need a diplomatic way to handle the additional people that want to play. I can't say it's managers only, that's just kind of rude. Ideas so far: 1) Have people pay on their own...may or not weed out people. And then everyone expects equal playing time - hard to manage. 2) Have a queue - but then it could be years before a spot opens up. And what if an employee on the team has pressure because their manager is next in the queue and wants to play? 3) We also go at lunch once during the week. Line workers can't make this, only managers can due to working hours. I could make that Wednesday attendance a requirement - but that would be unfair. 4) Split into two teams: Company won't pay for two teams. Please help me out here!

  • Answer:

    Yeah, I think you will just have to do a waiting list. "No room right now, but I'll let you know as soon as a spot opens up." That's how I've handled every team I've ever managed, though admittedly there were no work politics involved. If that truly won't work, second best would be a lottery each season, but I personally would probably hate being on a sports team that changed rosters dramatically every season (or that I had no guarantee of getting back on each season). Cohesion is usually really important for team sports.

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Create two teams, split the money the company provides across the two teams and have everyone pay a share of the outstanding balance. Everyone gets to play.

axismundi

Okay, so you can't have more than 10 on the roster, per league rules. Tryouts seem like a disaster waiting to happen (I'm with you: cutting upper management would really suck for you...you can't expect adults to always act like adults). Your company only pays for one team, so two teams is out. I think the best way to handle this is to have an application period. Whomever wants to play puts his or her name in the hat (or use a random generator). Then you draw from the hat. You make the team list public, tell people they have X amount of days to commit or pull-out of the team, with you drawing additional names as necessary. Make it totally transparent by making sure at least two other people witness your drawings; you don't want anyone accusing you of cheating. Once you've got your 10, you're done!

cooker girl

Do it by lottery. If they miss x practices, they lose their spot and it goes to the next in line.

Ambrosia Voyeur

In the worst-case scenario of your situation (which it sounds like you're not too far from), where people are using the team as a way to politick their way up in the company, and managers are pressuring employees not to play so they can get face time with the CEO, and maybe people aren't playing as hard as they could for fear of showing up the boss... I'd walk the hell away. Your job title isn't City League Basketball Team Coordinator, right? You provide some other service to the company that fills up your time? Then screw it. It's not worth the hassle.

Etrigan

I don't know how to quote yet on MetaFilter..so.... Nanukthedog: I'd love to do this, but the league only allows 10 on the roster and you can't change mid season...I've tried bribing them to allow more, but they won't do it.

MeatFilter

Also, definitely do whatever you can to avoid managers having preference for places on the team, that would be terrible for morale. If you do end up having two teams, consider having the managers (who are, I assume, on much higher salaries than the line employees) pay to subsidize the line workers.

cilantro

1. Is it possible to have a "second string" of players who would fill in when someone is sick or has another commitment? They could still attend practices and attend games out of uniform as supporters, join in drinks or whatever you do after the game. 2. Why not have tryouts and pick the team based on ability?

cilantro

How about splitting into two teams, and hold tryouts for the team where the company pays? The second team pays its own way. Each season you do new tryouts, so as people get better they have the potential of moving up to the 'free' team.

chiefthe

Having participated in my department's softball league a few years ago, I can attest that even with sufficient people signed up there were frequently games where an insufficient number of people actually showed up to the game. Even with beer involved. Don't think that a pool of 20 will always have availabilty. Just schedule 10 to show up per game, and if they can't - let them find an alternate among the extra. If you are all gung ho about winning - tryouts determine slot and you would need to manage replacements.

Nanukthedog

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