Competitive basketball. Built on community, teamwork and sportsmanship.
About the HBA
The Hopkinton Basketball Association (HBA) is a volunteer-run, nonprofit that organizes travel basketball teams for Hopkinton boys and girls in grades 4–8. Teams compete in the Metrowest Basketball League, the region’s top competitive league.
How We’re Organized
- Board of Directors – Oversees the program, meets regularly, and votes on organizational matters.
- Annual Meeting – Open to the public each June. Interested in attending? Email us or connect with a board member (see Contact page).
Tryouts & Teams
- Timing: Tryouts are held each year in September.
- Process: Independent evaluators score players on multiple skills. Data is combined with returning coaches’ evaluations to determine a rating for each player.
- Team Structure:
- Grades 4–5: Typically 2–3 balanced teams per grade/gender, very few if any cuts.
- Grades 6–8: Typically teams divided by ability, more likely there could be a few cuts, depending on turnout.
- Note: Not every player is guaranteed a spot. Players who are not selected are encouraged to join the Parks & Rec in-town league (which has no cuts) and can try out again for an HBA team the following season.
Commitment & Schedule
- Practices: 1 team practice and 1 skills practice per week starting in November.
- Games:
- Hopkinton Tap-Off Tournament: This preseason tournament is held the weekend before Thanksgiving.
- League Play: Early December through early/mid-March (end date depends on how far teams advance in playoffs).
- Most league games are on Sundays.
- Player Commitment: Travel basketball is expected to be the player's extracurricular priority. Families with frequent travel (e.g., ski trips) or other time-intensive activities should carefully consider before signing up.
Expectations
- Sportsmanship First: Players, parents and fans must show respect toward opponents, coaches, officials and each other.
- Parent Guidelines: Coaching from the stands is prohibited. Violations may result in disciplinary action, including suspension or removal from games.
- See our Parent Expectations page for details.
How much does it cost to participate?
The fee for the 2025-26 winter season is $250. In addition to the league fee, you also will need to purchase a uniform (approximately $80 total) if your child is a new player or a returning player who has outgrown theirs.
What does that fee cover?
While the HBA is a nonprofit organization that relies on volunteers, we have numerous substantial costs, the biggest of which is gym rental. There also are league fees, referee fees, insurance, equipment, etc. Also keep in mind that our season is much longer than most other sports in town, lasting over four months from the first practice to the close of the season.
Do you offer financial assistance?
If you require financial support in order for your child to participate, we will work with you and try to make it possible. We may ask for supporting material (such as tax returns) to validate your request. Email the HBA for more information.
What else does my child need for the season?
Every player is expected to have their own basketball, which they should bring to every practice. Girls Grade 4 teams use a 27.5 ball. All other girls teams use a size 28.5 ball. Boys in Grades 4-6 also use a size 28.5 ball. Boys Grades 7 and 8 use a 29.5 ball (full size). Put your child's name on their basketball before bringing it anywhere. Every player also should bring a water bottle with their name on it to every practice and game.
Are there any requirements of parents?
Coaches will be looking for volunteers to run the scoreclock at home games and keep a scorebook at all games. Also, please check out our Parent Expectations page so you understand our policy on improper parent/fan conduct, including sideline coaching.
My child would like to play, but we have other activities. Is it OK if we skip some practices and games?
No, it's not OK. If you sign up your child for an HBA team, you are expected to make this team your extracurricular priority for the winter. If you cannot do so, please do not sign up your child. In most grades, kids are being cut. It's not fair for someone to accept a spot and then not take the commitment seriously. It's also not fair to the rest of the team that your child doesn't know the team's plays well enough because they haven't been at practice. To that end, we have the following policy: If your child misses more than two games and/or three practices for reasons other than illness, injury, emergencies or other commitments pre-approved by the coach, the HBA reserves the right to take away playing time — or in drastic cases remove your child from the program at any point in the season without a refund. You will receive warning if you are not adhering to our policy. The HBA board will consider each case individually, and the decision of the board is final.
When does the season start and end, and when and where are the games?
Practices typically begin the first week in November. The Hopkinton Tap-Off Tournament, which kicks off the season for all our teams, is the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. Metrowest League games are Sundays, starting the first weekend in December, and they could be anytime — early morning through evening. There are no league games during winter break, but there are games both weekends of February vacation. Then every team makes the Metrowest playoffs in early March. Playoff games could be any day of the week. Team schedules will be announced by the league in late November. All dates are subject to change at any time. Each team gets 11-12 league games, with half in Hopkinton and half away. Away games could be anywhere -- from neighboring towns to locations an hour away. The schedule is set by the league, and the HBA does not have a say in where away games are scheduled or what time they take place.
When we will have practices?
Your child will have one weekly team practice plus one weekly skills practice. The practice schedule is determined in early October. Most teams practice on Saturday mornings or early afternoons (prior to Parks & Rec in-town games), while some have a weeknight practice. Coaches cannot accommodate requests from players/parents to avoid certain nights. The skills practice is not mandatory (unlike the team practice) but is strongly encouraged, especially early in the season. A coach might schedule an occasional extra team practice, especially in November when there is more gym availability.
Are there rules about playing time?
Coaches are instructed that for regular-season games (for 10-player teams) no player should play less than 40 percent or more than 60 percent of regulation time. There are exceptions to this, for reasons such as injury, foul trouble, behavioral issues or missed practice time. For the Metrowest League playoffs, we lower the minimum to 25 percent of regulation time to give our coaches more leeway against other towns that might not have similar restrictions.