“Keep Joy in the Game. Keep Girls in Sport.”
Carnarvon Basketball is based in Victoria, BC. We are the largest girls-only basketball club on Vancouver Island. In 2024-25 we have over 150 players registered in our programs.
We provide equal support to all the girls in our club: from the socially-motivated kids who just want to have fun playing with their friends, to the highly-competitive kids who are seeking challenge and enrichment.
Carnarvon’s mission is to instill confidence, leadership, team skills and life skills in a relentlessly positive and empowering environment.
Carnarvon Basketball offers a variety of programming for girls in Grades 3-12.
- Community league (Victoria Night League) basketball teams for U11, U13, U15, and U18 (Fall/Winter only)
- “Carnarvon Selects” competitive travel teams for U12, U13 and U14 (Fall/Winter, and Spring)
- Individual Skill Development Sessions for U11 and U13/15 (Fall/Winter, and Spring)
Click here for Fall/Winter 2024/25 Registration
Want to purchase Carnarvon swag (hoodies, shirts, toques, backpacks)? Or do you need white tshirts or black shorts to supplement uniforms?
Click here for the Carnarvon Online Store, only open until Sep 15.
Please make your order asap!
Victoria Night League (www.vicbball.com) is a community basketball league with 1500+ players from many different clubs, including Carnarvon Basketball. Night league consists of one game and one practice per week on weeknights from September – February. U11 games are 4v4 and U13+ games are 5v5.
Practices are at local elementary schools and are almost always on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings.
Games are at local high schools and middle schools and are almost always on Thursday or Friday evenings.
Younger players are usually scheduled games and practices from 6-7 or 7-8 pm. Older players usually play from 7-8 or 8-9 pm. Occasionally U15s will be scheduled games from 9-10 pm.
Whether the teams are recreational or highly competitive, Night League tiers and re-tiers teams throughout the season so each can play other teams at a similar skill-level and have a great time.
U11 (Gr 3-5) – Carnarvon teams are based loosely on friend groupings and returning teams (or partial teams) in order to get our youngest players participating in the game. There are no Assessments for the U11 Division. Friend requests can be made at the time of registration and during the team formation process.
U13/15 (Gr 6-7, Gr 8-9) – Carnarvon teams are determined by Assessments. Assessments are NOT “tryouts”. Unlike tryouts, no player will be left without a team to play on. While friend requests may still be considered at U13+, only friends with similar skill-development, aggressiveness, and athleticism will be placed on the same team. U13 & U15 divisions have 5+ tiers and placing a highly-skilled, ultra-competitive player on a low-tier team does not support the long-term athletic development of the competitive player. Equally, placing a lower-skilled player on a highly competitive team could lead to injury and frustration for all players on that team.
Assessments are held on two weekends in mid-September.
U18 (Gr 10-12) – Carnarvon teams are based entirely on friend groupings. Please note this program is provisional based on numbers. If you're interested in participating, please contact the club directly.
Carnarvon Assessments take place over two weekends in mid-September each year, only for U13 and U15 players. U11 and U18 players do not take part in Assessments.
Assessments help us determine basketball experience, athleticism, and competitiveness, as well as identifying which players are more motivated by competition and which are more motivated by social connections with friends. Each season we do our best to fill all our night league teams with players of similar ages, experience, athleticism and motivations. We keep friends together whenever possible within this framework.
Our goal is for every player in the club to have a fantastic experience in night league and be excited to return to play again next season.
At Assessments we also look for players who would benefit from a more intense and competitive basketball experience. Approximately 30 players in Grades 6-8 are invited to participate in our “Selects” program. Selects players still play night league with their Carnarvon club team, but also participate in extra Selects practices on weekends and occasionally travel to the mainland for tournaments against high-level competition.
All U13/15 players must attend at least 2 of the 4 assessment sessions to ensure appropriate team placement. Players are welcome to attend all Assessment sessions for their age group. Players with competitive aspirations should attend ALL Assessment sessions. If you are a competitive player and you cannot attend all 4 Assessment sessions, please email Technical Director Rob Wighton at rob.wighton@gmail.com.
Waitlisted players are welcome to attend Assessments, but we cannot guarantee a spot on a team.
Bring your own basketball and a large water bottle to Assessments. Basketball shoes are strongly recommended. Long hair must be tied back and no jewelry can be worn while playing (including earrings, studs, watches, friendship bracelets, etc). Please remove these at home, so they don’t get misplaced.
Assessments for Fall/Winter 2024/25 will take place at Lansdowne Middle School (north campus). Dates and times are:
2013s
Sat Sep 7 & Sun Sep 8: 10 am - noon
Sat Sep 14 & Sun Sep 15: 2 pm - 4 pm
2012s
Sat Sep 7 & Sun Sep 8: noon - 2 pm
Sat Sep 14 & Sun Sep 15: 10 am - noon
2011s
Sat Sep 7 & Sun Sep 8: 2 pm - 3 pm
Sat Sep 14 & Sun Sep 15: noon - 1 pm
2010s
Sat Sep 7 & Sun Sep 8: 3 pm - 4 pm
Sat Sep 14 & Sun Sep 15: 1 pm - 2 pm
The Carnarvon Selects program is intended to provide more advanced individual and team skill instruction in a challenging and competitive environment. Our priorities remain focused on keeping joy in the game and personal player development, but our teams also compete fiercely with other high-level club teams at tournaments on the mainland.
In the Fall/Winter season, our Selects teams practice and play on weekends. Players also have their regular club night league team practices and games during weeknights.
In the Spring season, our Selects teams practice on Wednesday nights, and attend weekend tournaments on the mainland.
We have three Selects teams: Black (mostly Gr 8s), Red (mostly Gr 7s), and White (Gr 6s).
Head coach for all three teams is Technical Director Rob Wighton, assisted by other Carnarvon coaches. Rob has over 30 years experience coaching youth basketball with boys and girls ages 7-17, in both school and club environments.
For more information about Selects, please contact Rob at rob.wighton@gmail.com.
Club Skill Development sessions are once per week 60-minute fundamental skills training.
In the Fall/Winter season, Club Skills is free for all players in the club as part of their night league registration. Players also have the option of just participating in Skills for a $50 registration fee.
In the Spring season, Club Skills has a registration fee of $115 for 13 hours of instruction.
At Carnarvon we are determined to offer skill development to all the players in our club. For competitively-motivated players, we offer more challenge and contests. For more socially-motivated players, we keep the sessions fun, lively and busy.
U11 Club Skill Development gives our youngest and/or newest players the opportunity to learn the game, develop skills and gain confidence. Coach Rob prioritizes fun with lots of group games and activities.
U13/15 Club Skill Development is for any members of the club not playing in the Selects program. Coach Rob tailors these sessions to the needs of the players attending. Sometimes we are very fun-focused, and at other times we are more competition-focused.
Selects players have their own separate skill development sessions, but are welcome to attend Club Skills as well if they wish the extra practice.
In the Fall/Winter season of play, Club Skills are offered on weekends, usually Sundays. U13/15 Club Skills are from 11-noon, and U11 Club Skills are from noon-1.
In the Spring season of play, Club Skills are offered on Tuesday nights. U11 Club Skills is from 6-7 pm, and U13/15 Club Skills from 7-8 pm.
For Night League:
A partial refund (less $25) will be given if email notification of withdrawal is provided before September 1.
A 50% refund will be given if email notification of withdrawal is provided before September 6.
No refunds will be given after September 6, except for medical reasons or practice-night scheduling conflicts. For medical reasons, a doctor’s note must be provided.
For Skill Development:
A full refund (less $25) will be given if email notification of withdrawal is provided 48 hours before the time of the first session.
No refunds will be given after that deadline, except for medical reasons. A doctor’s note must be provided.
For Selects:
A full refund (less $25) will be given if email notification of withdrawal is provided 48 hours before the time of the first session. After that deadline, refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
No refunds or exchanges on Carnarvon Basketball Spirit Wear/ Fan Apparel at any time.
Carnarvon Basketball is for girls only. For registration opportunities for boys, please see the night league website (www.vicbball.com) for a list of the many boys-only clubs in the city.
Carnarvon will consider inclusion of trans, non-binary, or gender-diverse individuals in our programs on a case-by-case basis. We will consider safety, competitive fairness, and inclusivity in our decision.
Carnarvon Ball Club is a parent-run, community-based, non-profit organization. We are not a company – we are simply a group of busy parents who volunteer to provide sports opportunities for our kids. Here is the list of positions that keep the basketball club running:
- Vice President for Basketball, Carnarvon Ball Club – Paul Kulpas
- Club Founder, Member-at-Large – Lisa Rogers
- Technical Director – Rob Wighton
- Registrar – Chanda Pacholuk
- Equipment Coordinator – Britta Bentz
- Uniform Coordinator – Jen Kent
- Event Coordinator (Season Launch, Photos) – volunteer needed
- Sponsorship Coordinator – volunteer needed
- Social Media – Tracy McGlade
Each night league team has two volunteer coaches and a manager. Players’ families are expected to volunteer to scorekeep for Night League games on rotation.
The program needs you!
Please volunteer for one of the roles listed above. To find out more information about coaching or other volunteer positions, please contact carnarvonvpbasketball@gmail.com.
Carnarvon Basketball is in need of corporate sponsorship for the Basketball Program. Sponsorships of any amount are greatly appreciated and it all goes to the kids.
If your company is interested in sponsoring a team, a division or the entire program, please contact carnarvonvpbasketball@gmail.