The Players Lab — Play. Think. Develop.FIND A PLACE

THE GAME IS THE TEACHER.

PLAY.
THINK.
DEVELOP.

We don’t just teach skills.
We teach players how to PLAY.

VIEW PROGRAMS
GAME-BASED BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENTEXPLORE THE LABMELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
OUR HOMETRAC Thomastown
ON COURTWednesday nights
OUR PLAYERSBoys & girls
KEEP IT PERSONAL15 per group

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

MORE GAME. MORE GROWTH.

Less standing.
More playing.

Real games. Real decisions.
Room to make mistakes.
Confidence to try again.

01

Experiment with the game.

Explore space, movement and defence through purposeful experiments in small-sided games and 5v5.

02
80%

PLAYING 20% COACHING

Put it into play.

Apply the concept in 5v5, with focused coaching and adjustments during play.

03

Reflect. Adjust. Try again.

Notice what worked, capture the learning in a journal and test a new decision next time.

THE 8 LABS

One game. Eight ways to understand it.

MAKE MISTAKES.
ASK QUESTIONS.
KEEP PLAYING.

EFFORT & ATTITUDE.Always in your control.
Joey Soleiman, founder and coach of The Players LabJOEY SOLEIMAN / FOUNDER & COACH

02 / YOUR COACH

Love the game.
Believe in the kid.

Joey Soleiman is the founder and coach of The Players Lab, delivering game-based basketball development for boys and girls at TRAC Thomastown in Melbourne.

“You need to love coaching
more than you love winning.”

ABOUT JOEY

03 / THE MERCH

OFF THE COURT. SAME MINDSET.

Wear the mindset.

AS Colour tees & hoodies.
The Players Lab, on and off court.

Classic tee: front and back design proof
01 / THE ESSENTIAL

Classic & Clean.

Wordmark up front. PLAY. THINK. DEVELOP. down the spine.

AS COLOUR RANGET-SHIRT
ENQUIRE ABOUT TEES
01 / 05

Illustrative previews using our original artwork. Final garment styles, print placements and availability to be confirmed.

KIDS’ TRAINING UNIFORM

In development. Supplier to be confirmed.

04 / YOUR NEXT POSSESSION

DOMESTIC & REP WELCOME

YOUR GAME.
YOUR NEXT STEP.

Come ready to play.
We’ll help you see the game differently.

2026 / HALF TERM

25 NOV — 16 DEC

Four weeks to step into the Lab.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

GIRLS
4:30–5:30pm
BOYS
5:30–6:30pm
WHERE
TRAC Thomastown
APPLY FOR A PLACE

Not ready to apply, or interested in a future program?

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Email TPL·Instagram DM

Apply now. Places confirmed after review.

A QUESTION BEFORE YOU JOIN?EMAIL THE PLAYERS LAB

THE PLAYERS LAB METHOD

Eight Labs.
One connected game.

Eight connected themes guide our game-based basketball development at TRAC Thomastown. We explore a concept, put it into play through small-sided games and 5v5, then reflect and try an adjustment. The themes are revisited as players encounter new situations.

01

SEE THE GAME

Awareness. Spacing. Recognition.

What players learn

Players learn to notice the ball, teammates, defenders and available space before making a decision. Through game-based awareness experiments and 5v5, they practise scanning before receiving or moving. The focus is seeing more of the court and recognising opportunities earlier.

02

PLAY WITHOUT THE BALL

Movement. Spacing. Teamwork.

What players learn

Players explore how they can influence a basketball game without touching the ball. They learn to give the ball carrier room, time their cuts and move with purpose. A useful cut can create a chance for the cutter or open space for a teammate, even when no pass arrives.

03

CREATE THE ADVANTAGE

Attack, pass and exploit help.

What players learn

Players learn to recognise when the offence has an extra player or an open space, then use that opportunity before the defence recovers. Attacking, passing and moving become connected decisions. The aim is to find a useful option rather than hesitate or force a play.

04

GO OR SLOW

Read the advantage. Control the tempo.

What players learn

Players explore when to attack quickly and when to bring control to a possession. On defence, they learn to protect the basket and buy time for teammates to recover. Returning to equal numbers does not automatically end an attacking advantage: players keep reading what is happening.

05

DEFEND THE BALL

Footwork. Positioning. Controlled closeouts.

What players learn

Individual defence starts with moving the feet and staying in front. Players practise controlling an attacker through legal positioning, approaching under control and responding to changes of direction. The emphasis is on competing with discipline, avoiding unnecessary reaching and continuing to defend after being beaten.

06

DEFEND TOGETHER

Help, rotate, scramble and rebound.

What players learn

Players learn that defending is a shared responsibility. They explore when to help, who covers the space left behind and how to recover together when outnumbered. Communication and adjustment connect the team. A missed shot is not the end of the job: securing the rebound finishes the possession.

07

ANTICIPATE & SOLVE

Read cues. Talk early. Solve problems.

What players learn

Players face defensive pressure that makes familiar passes and options harder to find. They learn to recognise what an opponent is taking away, notice the space that opens elsewhere and adjust their decisions. Both attackers and defenders practise anticipating the next action and responding when their first idea does not work.

08

PLAY THE GAME

Take ownership. Apply. Reflect.

What players learn

The final Lab is player-led. Every player gets a turn to coach their team, identify what is happening and choose a change to try. Teammates listen, put the idea into play and reflect on whether it helped. Joey steps back to support safety, fairness and the flow of the session while players take responsibility for decisions.

Reflect. Adjust. Try again.

Players use a journal to connect what they notice with their next decision.

EXPLORE THE EIGHT LABS

FOUNDER & COACH

Joey Soleiman.

A lifetime in the game.
Now sharing what I’ve learned.

Basketball has been a huge part of my life, from representing Country Victoria to playing SEABL and Youth League. The Players Lab is a chance to share what those years have taught me: how to read the game, back yourself and keep learning.

MY PLAYING & DEVELOPMENT

MY COACHING

The goal is simple: help kids see what’s happening, make their own decisions and understand why something worked. We experiment, play, reflect and try again.

Effort and attitude are the controllables. That’s where we start.

GOOD TO KNOW

Before you join.

Who is TPL for?

Kids who want to get better by playing more basketball. Domestic and rep players are welcome. Age, experience and group fit all matter — tell Joey a little about your child when you enquire.

Is there a challenge for experienced players?

Yes. The challenge is to read the game, make good decisions under pressure and help teammates. Joey adjusts game constraints to keep players thinking.

Does registration guarantee a place?

No. Groups are limited to 15 players. Applications are reviewed and a place is offered before it is confirmed. Payment follows confirmation.

What should my child bring?

A basketball, water bottle, suitable basketball shoes and their own journal. Most of all, bring the willingness to try.

What goes in the journal?

What did I see? What did I learn? What will I try? Three simple questions to take the learning into the next game.
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