	Table of Contents
1.	OBJECTIVES OF THE LEAGUE
2.	TEAM COMPOSITION
3.	COACHES
4.	SKILL RATINGS
5.	TEAM SELECTION
6.	REFEREES
7.	PROPER CONDUCT
8.	SAFETY PROCEDURES
9.	SAFETY OF PLAYERS
10.	PLAYOFFS
11.	PLAYING RULES

OBJECTIVES OF THE LEAGUE

1. To inspire our youth.

2. To teach and practice the ideals of good sportsmanship, character, teamwork and fair play.

3. To teach the game of basketball and emphasize fundamentals and team achievement.

4. To develop Double Goal Coaches.

5. To provide a means for parents and adults to participate and interact with their children.

6. To recognize that the welfare of the children will always remain first and foremost and free of adult glory.

School Grade

Divisions as of Sept. Basket Height Ball Size

Boosters K,1 8’ short court Youth

Rookies 2,3 9’ short court #6 - intermediate

Minors 4,5 10’ #7 - regulation

Majors 6,7 10’ #7 - regulation

Seniors 8,9,10 10’ #7 - regulation

Girls - Rookies 2,3 9’ short court #6 - intermeidate

Girls - Minors 4,5 10’ W - regulation

Girls - Majors 6,7 10’ W - regulation

Girls - Seniors 8,9,10 10’ W - regulation

Every new participant shall submit a copy of their birth certificate or passport to verify their age during the registration process.

TEAM COMPOSITION

1. Each team shall consist of a minimum of eight (8) and a maximum of ten (10)

players.

2. All players in the Minor, Major and Senior Divisions must go through the skill ratings process held prior to each season.

3. Rating forms for players shall be kept confidential.

4. All players shall reside within the boundaries established by the league.

COACHES

1. Eligibility.

a. The head coach must be over the age of 21. With the approval of the BHBL, assistant coach’s can be 21 years of age or younger and must be approved by the BHBL.

b. All coaches must register online. All coaches must be approved by the Board of Directors.

c. All coaches must attend all required meetings. Assistant coaches must attend if the head coach is unavailable.

d. All coaches must attend the annual positive coaching clinic.

2. Responsibilities.

a. One or more coaches must attend all practices and games.

b. A coach or assistant coach may not appoint a substitute coach under any circumstances. If a substitute coach or assistant coach is required, the Division Director must be notified by the head coach, no less than two (2) days prior to the game. There shall be no substitute coaches unless approved by the Division Director or the Commissioner of the BHBL.

c. The coach or team administrator must inform all parents of the season schedule, practice times and locations, game times and other league information and requirements. This information is available on our website at www.bhbasketball.com.

d. The head coaches are responsible for parents and players conduct. Poor sportsmanship will not be tolerated and may result in ejection, suspension, dismissal from the league, or other appropriate discipline. Please refer to the BHBL Playing Rules.

e. All coaches are required to become certified Double Goal coaches in accordance with the Positive Coaching Alliance.

3. Ethics.

a. Coaches shall never criticize players in front of spectators.

b. Coaches shall develop a positive rapport with the players and parents.

c. Coaches shall teach and develop good sportsmanship, teamwork and fair play.

d. Coaches shall emphasize fundamentals and team achievement.

e. Coaches and everyone connected with the teams and league shall never use abusive or profane language.

f. Coaches shall never threaten to or physically harm or mentally abuse any player at any time for any reason. This type of behavior will not be tolerated and at the discretion of the Baord of Directors of the BHBL, will result in ejection, suspension and/or dismissal from the BHBL, or other appropriate discipline.

SKILL RATINGS

1. All players in the Minor, Major and Senior Divisions who register must participate in the league’s skill ratings day. These players shall go through the skill rating process every year and submit to the league’s draft. All coaches children shall be rated.

2. The skill rating process shall be conducted by a committee(s) selected by the league’s Board of Directors.

3. The team selection committee shall be present at the skill rating day.

4. All players are to be rated according to their skill level. A rating will be given to each player for each drill. The ratings will be the result of a consensus from the team selection committee.

5. All player skill rating forms must remain confidential.

TEAM SELECTION

1. Booster Division

Each season, every team is assembled by the division directors. In the Booster Division, we entertain and accept player’s requests as to who they would like to play with during the season. It is the league’s intention to try to

accommodate all requests in the Booster division. However, we cannot

guarantee that all requests will be granted. To the extent feasible, the league will attempt to assemble an even number of kindergarten and first grade teams. This way, we can have the kindergarten teams play against each other and the first grade teams play each other for a more balanced approach during the games.

2. Rookie Division

Each season, every team is assembled by the division directors. In the Rookie

division we entertain and accept player’s requests as to who they would like

to play with during the season. It is our intention to try to accommodate all

requests in the Rookie division. However, we cannot guarantee that all requests

will be granted. To the extent feasible, the league will attempt to assemble an

even number of second and third grade teams and an even number of boys and

girls teams. This way, we can have the same grade and same gender teams play

against each other for a more balanced approach during our games.

3. Minor, Major and Senior Divisions

Boys

Each season the teams are assembled by the coaches of each division using a player draft system. The BHBL provides a draft grid including the seeding of coaches players and teams. Seedings are determined based on the strength of the player pairings(coaches kids). League generated ratings for all players are provided at the draft to all coaches. Coaches are invited to attend Rating Day for their respective divisions in order to view and evaluate the players. Coaching Combinations are assigned before the draft and all coaches must attend the draft where the teams will be chosen. The divison directors, with the team selection committees, seed the teams based on player combinations with the goal of maximizing parity by ensuring that each team has the opportunity to draft an equal number of players at each appropriate skill level.

The division directors always retain the right to make adjustments when it will benefit the balance of talent in each division.

Girls

Each season the teams are assembled by the division directors and the team selection committees. Teams are formulated with the objective of maximizing parity among all teams in each division.

The division directors will always retain the right to make adjustments when it will benefit the balance of talent in the division.

The goal is to maximize parity among all teams in each division. The division directrs and team selection committees will use their best efforts to execute and maintain this objective.

To achieve this objective the division directors will assemble the teams with the team selection committees or utilize a draft system as described above for the boys.

The BHBL reserves the right to change the team selection method used for any particular division in order to create and maintain the most equitable balance of talent on each team and parity among all teams in every division.

REFEREES

1. All referees shall be High School certified.

2. Referees shall be provided for all games.

3. A game may be played with one (1) referee on the court.

PROPER CONDUCT

1. The league’s reputation can be affected by the negative actions of one or more persons affiliated with BHBL, on or off the court. Players, coaches, parents, board members, referees, scorekeepers and spectators all share in the responsibility of displaying proper behavior at all times. Quarreling and arguing over playing regulations, referee calls or administrative issues can only create a negative image for the league. This program is developed for the benefit of our youth. Adult leaders are role models for the kids.

a. PLAYER CONDUCT

Unsportsmanlike conduct or disrespect for the opposing team, game

referee’s and scorekeepers, will not be tolerated. Unsportsmanlike conduct

will be judged at the discretion of the referees and the Board of Directors of

the BHBL. Players will refrain at all times from arguing with the referees

and scorekeepers. The game referees will be instructed to eject any player

from the game for abusive, harmful or unwarranted disruptions.

If a player is ejected from a contest because of unsportsmanlike conduct, the

team will be assessed a two (2) technical foul penalty and that player will

automatically receive a one game suspension. If a player is ejected for

unsportsmanlike conduct a second time during the season,

the player will be dismissed for the balance of the

season.

If a player is suspended from any contest, they shall not be permitted at the game site location during the suspended game(s).

No fighting will take place at or during any BHBL function. Any player

involved will be immediately ejected from the game and suspended for the

next game, or if the game is completed, shall be suspended for the next game. Additional discipline may be taken at the discretion of the Board

of Directors of the BHBL. Players shall never threaten to or physically harm

or abuse any player at any time for any reason. This behavior will not be

tolerated, and at the discretion of the BHBL, will result in ejection,

suspension and/or dismissal or other appropriate discipline from the

league. All decisions will be handled by the Board of Directors of the BHBL.

The BHBL reserves the right to discipline any participant who, in its

discretion, violates the rules, procedures or spirit of the BHBL.

b. COACHES CONDUCT

Each coach will be totally responsible for their conduct and the conduct of

their players and spectators. Absolutely no abusive, profane or vulgar language

will be tolerated towards players, game referees, scorekeepers and league

officials. Unsportsmanlike conduct or disrespect for the opposing team,

game referees, scorekeepers and league officials will not be tolerated.

Coaches will refrain at all times from arguing with the referees and

scorekeepers. Referees will be instructed to eject any coach from a game for

abusive or unwarranted disruptions. Unsportsmanlike conduct will be

judged at the discretion of the referees and the Board of Directors of the

BHBL.

No smoking or alcoholic beverages will be permitted in the playing areas

and those areas adjacent to the playing areas.

If in the judgment of the referees, any coach unnecessarily or excessively

harasses the referees or scorekeepers, the referees shall have the discretion

and the right to remove any and all coaches at any time during a game from

the sideline and require the coaches to sit on the team’s bench for the

duration of the game.

If a coach receives one (1) technical foul in any single game, they shall be

removed from the sideline and be required to sit on the team’s bench for the

duration of the game.

If a coach is ejected from a contest for unsportsmanlike conduct, the team

will be assessed a two (2) technical foul penalty and that coach will

automatically receive a one (1) game suspension. If a coach is ejected from

a game for unsportsmanlike conduct a second time during the season, the

coach will be dismissed from the BHBL for the balance of the season.

If a coach is suspended from any contest, they shall not be permitted at the game site location during the suspended game(s).

No fighting will take place at or during any BHBL function. Coaches shall

never threaten to or physically harm or abuse any player, coach, referee,

scorekeeper or league official at any time for any reason. This behavior will

not be tolerated and will subject the individual to the BHBL’s zero tolerance

policy and will result in an immediate dismissal from the league and other

appropriate discipline from the BHBL. All such decisions will be at the

discretion of the Board of Directors of the BHBL.

c. SPECTATORS CONDUCT

It is imperative that proper conduct be a requirement of all spectators at all times. No swearing or harassment of game referees or scorekeepers will be permitted. Spectators shall at no time use signs, gestures or degrading comments toward opposing coaches, players, other spectators, referees, scorekeepers or administrators.

Any BHBL official may request that any spectator violating this rule of conduct vacate the facility immediately. If the offending spectator refuses to leave the facility, the basketball game will be suspended until the spectator vacates the premises.

If the referees assess a technical foul against the spectators of a team, it shall be charged to that team’s coach.

All spectators in the Swim Gym may not sit in the sections directly behind the players benches. All spectators must sit in the two end zone areas or in the bleachers directly across from the player's benches and scorers booth.

d. ADMINISTRATORS CONDUCT

All administrators of the BHBL shall be required to follow and enforce the

rules, regulations and philosophy of the BHBL. By virtue of their position

of responsibility, all administrators of the BHBL will be held to uphold the

highest standard of conduct at all times.

GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES

The geographic boundaries for participation in the BHBL shall be established by the Board of Directors.

SAFETY PROCEDURES

1. It is the coach’s responsibility to make sure his/her players are properly supervised at all practices and games. Players are not allowed to use equipment or facilities without the permission of the BHBL and the direct supervision of an authorized BHBL administrator or coach.

All teams must practice only at those locations approved by the BHBL. If a team practices at any other facility or residence the BHBL has the discretion to suspend or dismiss that team and/or its coaching staff from the league.

2. SAFETY OF PLAYERS

It is the coach’s responsibility to:

1. Determine that each player is properly suited and in proper footwear ;

2. Be sure the playing area is in a safe condition ;

3. Be aware of the general health and physical condition of the players. Take these observations into consideration when making decisions concerning athletic participation.

4. This could be the first time some of the players have played organized basketball. Coaches should take the time to explain to all players the risks involved in playing basketball.

PLAYOFFS

1. The Division Directors will determine how many teams from each division (Minors, Majors and Seniors) will advance to the playoffs. The BHBL will determine the playoff format for each division. Unless advised by the BHBL, the same rules shall apply for playoff games except that no playoff game shall end in a tie.

Website Services provided by Youth Leagues USA