Program Trials

About The Trials

Basketball Tasmania is conducting open trials for the Future Development Program and State Development Program. Programming Ages for the 2026/27 cycle are:

• FDP U12s: Bottom age year of birth 2017 – Top age year of birth 2016
• FDP U14s: Bottom age year of birth 2015 – Top age year of birth 2014
• SDP U16s: Bottom age year of birth 2013 – Top age year of birth 2012
• SDP U18s: Bottom age year of birth 2011 – Top age year of birth 2010

There will be two or three trials held and athletes are asked to attend all. If athletes are unable to attend a trial or wish to register an apology, they should email the relevant Performance Pathway Coach:

North

Sam Adams – Performance Pathway Manager

Email: sam.adams@basketballtas.com.au

Northwest

Hayden Zasadny – Performance Pathway Coach (Northwest)

Email: hayden.zasadny@basketballtas.com.au

South

Reece Kaye – Performance Pathway Coach (South)

Email: reece.kaye@basketballtas.com.au

Players are asked to please bring a named basketball, a named drink bottle and wear a reversible basketball singlet and basketball shorts of any colour. Where possible, we would like athletes to not wear any FDP/SDP gear or singlets from private providers for the trials. This is to help ensure that everyone is seen on a level playing field and avoid the perception of an advantage being given to anyone who has participated in a program before. We would encourage athletes to wear their club practice uniform where possible (i.e., if it is reversible).

There is $25 cost which covers both trials. Players must register on the Basketball Tasmania website to trial

Click here to register

FDP and SDP for the 2026/2027 cycle will commence the week starting Monday 7 September 2026, with the selected groups announced the week starting Monday, 17 August 2026.

About The Programs

The FDP and SDP are part of Basketball Australia’s Performance Pathway and follow curriculum that is supported by Basketball Australia, which utilises innovative skill development practices and exposes athletes to contemporary basketball concepts. The FDP and SDP programs include weekly practices in their regions, additional skill development sessions, sessions that focus on the holistic development of the athlete, a series of camps and of course the Tri-Series tournaments, which offer high-level games of basketball right here in Tasmania.

The programs aim to develop the best athletes in each region of our state and set them on a path to reach their dreams whether that is to represent their Country, play NBL1, College Basketball or play professionally. Our full-time Basketball Development Officers are invested in helping each athlete be the best they possibly can be, and there are many recent examples of athletes who have come through FDP and SDP and reached their dreams, including, but not limited to:

• Taran Armstrong (Graduated 2019) – the first Tasmanian athlete to sign with an NBA Team, the Golden State Warriors on a Two-Way Contract.
• Micah Simpson (Graduated 2019) – played with the WNBL Champions, the Bendigo Spirit on a full-time contract during the 2024/25 season.
• Taylor Mole (Graduated 2016) is currently playing NBL1 and gearing up for their next seasons in the WNBL later this year.
• Jacob Furphy (Graduated 2023) – has played several games with the Australian Boomers at the senior level, a member of the Australian U19 Emu’s Squad and Runners up in the March Madness 2026 in the NCAA DI Basketball with the UConn Huskies and just s.igned with Boston College for the next session in the NCAA
• Nash Walker (Graduated 2024) – Was on scholarship at Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence and have been featured in several Australian Teams and Squads. Currently with Marquette University in NCAA D1.
• Andie Smith (Graduating in 2025), Nikki Parker (Graduating 2025) both signed as Development players for the Tasmania Jewels.
• Portia Chopping (Graduating in 2025) and Mason Ling (Graduating in 2025) – both of whom are regular fixtures in Tasmanian State Teams and participated in the 2025 Basketball Australia National Performance Camp at the start of the year.
• Kye Savage (Graduated 2022), (Sejr Deans (Graduated 2020), Jacob Richards (Graduated 2018), Sharna Thompson (Graduated 2017), and Tre Armstrong (Graduated 2017) – all of whom have previously been on Development Player Contracts in the NBL/WNBL.
• Reyne Smith (Graduated 2019) and Sharn Hayward (Graduated 2019) – both of whom have recently completed their record setting NCAA DI College Careers and now signed deals in the NBL/WNBL.
• Lucy Aherne (Graduated 2024), Chloe Broomhall (Graduated 2024), Logan Gibson (Graduated 2024), Millie Baker (Graduated 2024), Jordan Straatsma (Graduated 2022) and Noah Clarke (Graduated 2022) – they are among the thirty something strong Tasmanian contingent that are plying their trade in the NBL1 Competitions.
• Lachlan Brewer (Graduated 2022), Rubi Gray (Graduated 2022), Aiden Gibson (Graduated 2022), Ronan Parker (Graduated 2022), Amber Brazendale (Graduated 2022), Luke Brown (Graduated 2021), Charli Kay (Graduated 2021), Jordan Peel (Graduated 2021), Makala Bingley (Graduated 2020) Lucy Aherne (Graduating 2024), – all of whom have been in the USA on scholarship to play College Basketball.

For athletes who trial for FDP and SDP and are not selected, we will be offering them a spot in the Emerging Program, which was established three years ago and provides more athletes with exposure to high level coaching and practice sessions, that is closely aligned with the FDP/SDP.

Athletes in the Emerging Program will receive their schedule and invitation at a later date, but it will include several offerings.

About The Coaches

Basketball Tasmania has a full-time Performance Pathway Manager and two full-time Performance Pathway Coaches who deliver the FDP and SDP Programs and oversee the delivery of the Emerging Program.

These coaches are Nationally recognised, with all 3 of them being accredited as Basketball Australia Performance Level Coaches and have taken part in extensive and regular training with Basketball Australia. They all have experience with National Programs; Sam has multiple years of experience as a Performance Pathway Manager. He has also head coached state teams in both Tasmania and South Australia to multiple medals, whilst also being a coach in multiple National Performance camps. Hayden Zasadny and Reece Kaye have also taken part in various Basketball Australian National Program Camps and head coached state teams. In addition to this, Hayden Zasadny has been a Performance Pathway Coach for 3 years in Tasmania and was previously an Assistant Coach to the WNBL Championship-Winning Townsville Fire in 2023. Reece Kaye has recently returned to Australia after a stint coaching in the UK. His previous experiences before this are comprised of a range of development and high-performance environments, including time with the NBA Global Academy/COE, Canberra Gunners Academy and ACT U20 representative programs.

Trial Dates & Times