Oakville Basketball Club

My son played in the house league for less than two years, and we took him out not even half-way through this season because he suffered a concussion during a game. While we know that concussions can happen in many sports, it is the lack of reaction from the referees that made it worse on my 9-year old. He was whacked (intentionally?) on the head by a kid from the opposing team (who was way taller and very aggressive in his defense) and then fell and bumped the other side of his head on the floor. The referee only asked my son if he was OK, and then let him keep on playing. There should be a more serious concussion protocol in place (as per Health Canada and the province's guidelines, among others) so that young kids who bump their heads sit out the rest of the game as a precaution, since they are not mature enough to know that the pain in their head could be a big deal. Coach Toney thinks the way they handled this is good (he told so to my husband on the phone afterwards), we think otherwise. As soon as we got home after the game, my son suffered from a worsening headache and balance problems. We spent many hours in the ER, he had a head CT, was admitted to spend the night under observation, and had symptoms for almost a month. All the doctors who examined my son told us that the concussion was way worse than it could have been because he was allowed to continue playing. Because Oakville Basketball Club will not even consider examining whether their concussion protocol could be improved, we lost confidence and we took our son out of the program. This is because the games are violent, without any referee intervention. Some kids push, hit, shove etc., during the games, and obviously this should not be allowed to happen. Because there is a large age-range in the same league (6-year old boys play with 10-year old ones, even if the range 7-9 yo. is advertised on the website), this is especially worrisome because obviously some kids are way bigger and stronger than others, which makes the violence even more dangerous. Also, the teams are not balanced. They are not composed after skill assessment, they are random except for special requests, and some teams lose by so many points all the time that it is brutal and disheartening for the kids on these teams. There are no coaches provided during the games, parents are asked to volunteer, even if the program costs 400$. And if no parents volunteer, then the teams are without coaches (which was our situation last year). Overall, I would spend my money on a more serious and better-organized program that takes kids' well-being and safety seriously, even if it means going to neighboring towns like Burlington or Milton.

The admin is always understanding and listens to parents. Coaches give great advice, treat all the kids like their own. They have organized schedules that are put out well in advance. Each child gets some individualized feedback. Great organization!

My son has been attending Oakville Basketball Club for the past three years. His skill level has improved greatly and with the help of Oakville Basketball Club he made his school basketball team. Tony and the coaches are approachable and take time to listen to my concerns. I have signed my son up for the spring/summer session. I am happy to see the ratio of coaches to players is higher than any other club my son has been involved in.

Brutal experience! My son made the sr team and was pumped but about 8 practices in the coach told the kids they were “uncoachable” and he would not be coaching them any longer. He told them they could come to practice but he would not coach them. My son went to the next couple of practices and Toney McNeil had shown up and said he was taking over but did nothing... my son ended up practicing with the 9th graders but left the team frustrated. No refunds given and Toney McNeil won’t resoond to my emails. $1600 down the drain!!

My son has been involved with the club for several years and was honoured to be invited to play on the Oakville Venom team for the past 2 years. He has enjoyed his team mates and highly respects Coach Toney who has been a positive influence and a motivating role model for him over the years. He has become so passionate about the game and it is a big part of his everyday life that brings him joy and keeps a positive and healthy focus in all aspects of life. The management team are always happy to help and are hands on, very compassionate and understanding.