Frequently Asked Questions

How international is the association?

USBF is open to all nationalities and has a wide range of members. The primary language we use to communicate at USBF is English (although Dutch might slip in sometimes). Over 30% of our members are non-dutch. Last year, we had over 20 nationalities playing together! So don't worry about fitting in 🙂

How much do I have to pay?

Up-to-date costs about being a member at USBF can be found at the 'Become a member' page. You need an OlymPas to be able to use the sports facilities at Olympos, which is where we play - more info here.

How much time does it take?

All the magic of USBF happens during Monday evenings. We play an internal competition every Monday between 18:00 and 23:00. Each game consists of 2 halves of 30 minutes each. There are no basketball trainings or matches outside of the Monday evening.

Don't get us wrong, there's still lots for you to do! On average, we organize events such as pubcrawls, parties, ice-skating, etc. every two weeks. We also have monthly drinks every last Thursday of the month. All these events are optional, but we'd love for you to be there!

What skill level do I need to have?

Any! For beginners, we have trainings and pick-up games, and for everyone else, weekly games in our 3 leagues: Mid, High, and Top. More info at the 'Playing levels' page.

Is it OK to miss games?

Yes. Although your team will miss you! At USBF we value freedom. We're there because we're enthusiastic about basketball and student life. In other words, nothing is mandatory (except for refereeing every once in a while). So, we understand you'd rather skip a game when you have exams. And no-one will get mad at you for it! Just be aware that if your team does not have enough players for a full team on a given evening, it will result in an automatic loss.

Can I join/play in multiple teams or levels?

We admire the enthusiasm! Sadly, it is not possible to play in multiple teams or on multiple levels (although substituting is sometimes possible). All teams are full and we have a waiting list with others eager to join a team.

Do I get to choose my own team?

Yes, at the beginning of every year (the first two weeks of September) we play mixed tournaments with players from all levels; this is where you meet other members and form a team for the playing level you desire.

However, if you join later during the year, you might be admitted to a team, and not have freedom of choice. This depends on the amount of available places in the teams and length of the waiting list.

Are there any other tasks/requirements besides the Monday evenings?

There's only one mandatory thing at USBF: on average, you will have to ref a match every 8 weeks (not applicable for low players). Your team is responsible for providing refs and equally dividing the duties within the team.

If your team fails to deliver referees for a game, you will receive a warning and lose your own game with 0-20. If it happens a second time, your entire team will be suspended for one match/week. Thankfully this almost never happens - so no worries.

Besides the mandatory things, we organize many optional activities and events - we're always looking for enthusiastic members to join a committee to help run these! We can't wait to see you in the hall!