The HBA seeks to put in place coaches who will provide a positive learning environment, with the goal of making the season enjoyable for everyone involved. HBA leadership will provide support to its coaches in an effort to achieve this goal, and in turn coaches are expected to contribute to the overall success of the program. This means that in addition to a coach's own practices and games, there is an additional commitment from coaches to assist with the management of the program, such as supervising gyms during other teams' games (generally one additional game per weekend).
Following are the primary expectations for anyone who would like to serve as a volunteer head or assistant coach for an HBA team:
1. Promptly complete all training as mandated by the HBA, including coaching instruction and concussion awareness.
2. Establish an overall positive atmosphere with the team, communicating appropriately with players and parents, and leading players through age-appropriate practices while setting realistic expectations for improvement.
3. Behave in a professional manner, representing the HBA with class by showing good sportsmanship and encouraging players to do the same, especially in interactions with referees and opposing players and coaches.
4. Cooperate and communicate with HBA leadership and be available to help with the HBA's management of the program, especially when it comes to supervising gyms during the Tap-Off Tournament and Metrowest regular season and postseason.
Before anyone can be accepted as a volunteer, they first must fill out four forms and return them to the HBA with a copy of their driver's license (for CORI verification). All applicants -- including returning coaches -- must fill out the CORI application, as the state requires a new form each year. Only new applicants must fill out the coaching application, volunteer/SafeKids waivers and abuse policy acknowledgment.
Forms can be scanned and emailed to info@hopkintonbasketball.org, or the paperwork can be mailed to: HBA, P.O. Box 336, Hopkinton, MA 01748.
Form 1: CORI application (ALL applicants, including returning coaches)
Form 2: HBA volunteer waiver/SafeKids form (new applicants only)
Form 3: HBA coaching application (new applicants only)
Form 4: HBA abuse policy (new applicants only)
After you read the abuse prevention policy, you must fill out the acknowledgment here (or send in a copy of the last page of the PDF).
For more information on the brief concussion awareness course all coaches are required to complete, click here.
NOTE: These forms are for the HBA travel basketball program only. If you are interested in coaching rec (in-town) basketball, these forms are not applicable. Per state law, the HBA and Rec cannot share CORIs because they are separate organizations. Likewise, if you submitted a CORI form to the Hopkinton Public Schools (to volunteer in your child's class), you still need to fill out a separate CORI for the HBA.