1) Why do we register so early if practices don't start until November and why is a late fee necessary? Registration is needed to be completed by the beginning of September because this is the first of several dominoes that needs to fall before basketball season starts. Evaluations, formation of teams, securing coaches, league registration, selecting league play dates, securing gym time for practices and hosting tournaments, selecting practice times for each team are some of the items that need to be completed by mid-October. A late fee is used to encourage timely registration because without accurate numbers, all these planning items cannot be completed by the start of November when season begins.
2) What are evaluations and why are they necessary? Evaluations are used when a grade level has enough kids for two teams. At a minimum, 15 or 16 kids are needed to split into two teams. If there are less than 15, a coach will usually implement one team on a "platoon" basis where they typically bring no more than 10 kids to a tournament. Evaluations are conducted by the high school coaching staff and final team splits are decided by the high school varsity coach and/or Board based on skill level. These are not "tryouts". Each child will be placed on a team regardless of ability.
3) What should I expect for my child in Grades 1-2? - Both boys and girls in these grades have the opportunity to learn the game of basketball on Saturday mornings in the fall (Oct thru Nov). 1st and 2nd boys and girls will separated into groups by grade. The sessions consist of an introductions to the rules of basketball, working on skills through various drills and playing some fun one-sided games that incorporates skills learned. Each child receives their own basketball with registration!
4) What should I expect for my child in Grade 3? Starting in 3rd grade, teams will start practicing twice a week. Practices will be about one hour each and will usually occur on a regular schedule. Practice schedules are not finalized until mid-October. However, when we have conflicts with the high school sports programs, the youth teams do get bumped from their time slots and have to reschedule. Your coach will communicate changes in practice schedules. We register our 3rd grade teams in the Dairyland Sports Basketball League (schedules will not be known until early to mid-November). Teams will play 5 weekend games starting early December and going through the end of February with a year end tournament. Emphasis is placed on individual and team skills. At this level, we aim to develop a love for the game and the skills to play it well. Playing time, nearly equal, depending upon practice attendance and effort. If more than one team is needed, player talent will be divided equally among teams. This decision is made at the varsity coach/board’s discretion.
5) What should I expect for my child in Grades 4-8? Starting in 4th grade, teams will start a tournament style league, which usually consists of 2 or 3 games one day on the weekend. BDL and DSL plays most their tournaments on Saturdays but some on Sundays. Each player should be scheduled to play in 6 tournaments. Some coaches may choose to add additional area tournaments to accomplish this goal if this can't be done during the league because of team size. Grades 4 & 5, playing time is nearly equal, depending upon practice attendance and effort. If more than one team is needed, player talent will be divided at the varsity coach/board’s discretion. Starting in 6th grade, skill becomes a more significant but not an overriding factor in playing time. Playing time depends on practice attendance and effort, dedication and skill. Every player will have some playing time in each half.
6) What should I expect on tournament days when we are not hosting? A typical tournament or league day consists of 3 games (BDL) and 2 games (DSL). Leagues typically have tournament dates set in advanced at the beginning of the season but actual playing times are not set until 5-10 days prior. Tournament locations generally are within one hour drive. Most tournaments and leagues are trending towards half day schedules where your team would play the first half of the day or the second half of the day. Sometimes the venue doesn't allow for this schedule and a full day is needed to get all three games in. When dates are released at the beginning of the season, it would be best to plan for the entire day just in case.
7) What should I expect on tournament days when my child's team is hosting? Our program will typically host 1 to 2 tournaments a year. All parents in grades 1st thru 8th will be responsible for signing up for a volunteer time slot of 1-2 hours. Tasks include setting up, running the admission table and concession stands and cleaning up at the end of the day. Generally the high school basketball athletes will run the scorers tables but if they are unable, we ask a parent from the visiting and home team to run the scorers table. Hosting these tournaments are a major fundraising event for our program. Parents are a vital part in making these tournaments a success.
8) There is a family maximum but the registration site isn't showing it after I added my second child? As you add your children, the family maximum will not show until the checkout screen when you enter payment. As you follow the registration prompts, the website will update and apply the discount automatically on the checkout screen before you confirm your registration.
9) Are uniforms part of the registration fee? No, each participant purchases their own uniform.
10) What is "school ball"? There is a difference between "Youth Basketball" and "School Ball". Youth Basketball is run by this nonprofit (Belleville Basketball Program, Inc.) and is for grades 1-8. "School Ball" is just for 7 & 8 grade boys and girls. The school runs and coordinates School Ball and requires a separate registration. There is some overlap in the seasons but School Ball plays their games in the evenings during weekdays and Youth Basketball plays in a tournament league format on weekends (Saturday or Sunday). When there is overlap in the seasons, School Ball usually only has practices and Youth Basketball doesn't to avoid putting too much on the kids schedules.