The Western Australian Basketball League (WABL) is WA’s premier junior basketball league catering for players for all age groups.
Currently WABL is currently comprised of 14 basketball associations from as far north as Joondalup, east to Mundaring and south to Bunbury.
The Cockburn Basketball Association has 36 (17x girls and 19x boys) teams in the 2026 WABL competition, ranging from 9 year olds through to adults in our Open Championships.
For each age group (U12/14/16/18/20) there are 5 or 6 divisions, with associations able to enter up to 4x teams across each age group.
WABL trials commence as part of the State Championships process in October. Teams are selected and compete across five weekends in November and December.
Teams are to be selected upon the competition of the State Titles weekend. Training commences early-January with grading tournament following in Feb/March, and the season running April to September.
To be eligible to trial for State Champs, athletes must be registered, financial and actively participating in the 2026 CBA Winter and Summer Domestic Competition.
Click here for more information regarding State Champs 2026
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
a) Do I need to be playing in the Cockburn Domestic competition to play WABL for the Cougars?
All athletes who trial for a Cockburn Cougars WABL teams are selected in accordance with our player selection policy that outlines the most up to date guidelines on Cockburn domestic basketball. You can find the player selection policy below.
All athletes engaging in the Cockburn Cougars WABL program must be registered and financial in a CBA domestic team by the trial date. You can email competitions@cougarfamily.com for more information. If no teams are available, CBA has a level of discretion in each individual case.
b) How much does it cost to play WABL basketball?
Representative basketball has different costs at various stages of the year. Athletes are required to purchase a training uniform and playing shorts, these are available through our merchandise store. Fees associated with WABL / State Championships basketball include, but are not limited to:
| 2026 WABL Pre-Season fee (including grading) | $135 |
| 2026 WABL Season Fees | $495 (full-time) / $245 (train-on athlete) |
| WABL Game Fee (weekly throughout the season) | $15 per player – no spectator fee |
| 2026 State Championships Trial Registration Fee | $50 |
| 2026 State Championships Tournament Fee | $145 |
c) How old do I have to be to play WABL basketball?
In our U12 Cougar teams, we have had athletes commence as young as 8. However, most start at ages 9-11. There is no hard and fast rule, with Cockburn Basketball happy to provide information on each individual should a parent be unsure.
d) What is the grading tournament?
The WABL competition is split into multiple divisions (1-6). The purpose of the grading tournament, played over multiple weekends for each age group, is to decide which division each Cockburn team belongs in.
For example, the Cockburn Cougars Under 14 boys team 1 will enter the grading tournament and be placed in either division 1 or 2. Just because you are selected in a Cockburn’s 1st team, does not necessarily mean you will play in WABL division 1.
In addition, a Cockburn Cougars Under 14 boys team 2 may enter the grading tournament and qualify for division 1, 2 or 3.
This has been designed to place teams in the most suitable division to ensure as much competitive basketball as possible across the WABL season.
Selection Policy & Guidelines
The Cockburn Basketball Association implements the following policies and guidelines for the WABL / State Championships program.
