REVISED OCTOBER 2014 VIRGINIA BEACH PARKS AND RECREATION SPORTS MANAGEMENT/CITY-WIDE ATHLETICS 4001 DAM NECK ROAD VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23456 (757) 385-0458 VIRGINIA BEACH COMMUNITY LEAGUE YOUTH BASKETBALL BYLAWS The object of this league shall be... To provide a wholesome and enjoyable recreational activity for the participants. To develop character, skill, sportsmanship, and promote good will among the teams and individuals participating in this competitive league. TEAM REGISTRATION FEE The Parks and Recreation Department will require a $125.00 registration fee from all teams. Checks are to be made payable to: Treasurer, City of Virginia Beach. Payment should be accompanied by a Team Entry Form and must be received by December 5, 2014 in order for a team to participate in the league. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY AND AGE GROUPS 1. Coaches are responsible for seeing that their players meet all Parks and Recreation eligibility requirements (noted below). 2. All players must be attending school (K-12) or in an approved home study program to participate. 3. Age Groups (player s league age is his/her age on December 31, 2014) a. Preteen Girls and Midget Boys: Age 10-12 b. Junior Girls and Intermediate Boys: Age 13-14 c. Junior Boys: Age 15-16 d. Senior Girls: Age 15-18 (if still in high school) e. Senior Boys: Age 17-18 (if still in high school) 4. Absolutely NO players under league age 10 allowed. Players must be 10 years old by December 31, 2014. 5. High school varsity or junior varsity basketball players may not participate in this league. 6. No independent teams will be allowed to participate in Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation Youth Leagues. Teams must follow the guidelines of the area in which they are participating. CONTRACT CARDS AND ROSTERS 1. A completed City-Wide Athletic League Contract Card for each registered player must be submitted to the City-Wide Athletic Office (4001 Dam Neck Road) by Friday, December 12 at 5:00pm.
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 2 2. If players are added to teams after December 12, their Contract Cards must be submitted to the City- Wide Athletic Office before they are eligible to play. 3. City-Wide Athletics will generate team rosters for game site staff. Rosters will freeze weekly on Tuesdays at 5:00pm for all Wednesday games, Thursdays at 5:00pm for all Saturday games, and Fridays at 5:00pm for all Monday games. 4. Only players who have completed all roster requirements and only coaches that have a valid Youth Sports Volunteer ID card will appear as eligible on the City-Wide Athletics rosters, and be permitted to occupy the bench area and participate in the game. Coaches are responsible for keeping spectators off the team bench. 5. Maximum of fifteen (15) players and three (3) coaches per team. 6. There will be a final cut-off date when all rosters are frozen for the remainder of the season. This deadline will be stated on the back of the league schedules. No new players or coaches can be added after this time. 7. NO CONTRACTS will be accepted via telephone, fax, or e-mail, and will not be accepted by the Parks and Recreation Department at game locations. 8. Any player contract found to be invalid for any reason not in standing with the bylaws will result in forfeiture of all games played from the time of the protest to the time the ineligible player s contract was received by the Parks and Recreation Department. Playing a player or players who are not under contract will result in an automatic forfeiture of all games that have been played by that team. SCHEDULING OF GAMES 1. Games will be played in accordance with the schedule developed by City-Wide Athletics with sites/times distributed equitably. 2. Any coach finding it impossible to play a scheduled game must notify City-Wide Athletics as soon as possible, so that necessary arrangements can be made. This constitutes a forfeit, and the team not at fault will receive credit for a win. 3. If all games for a Saturday are cancelled due to inclement weather, they will be made up if time allows. 4. If a game is postponed due to power failure or other conditions beyond our control, City-Wide Athletics will set a makeup date and will post make-up information on our website (www.vbgov.com/sports). Whenever possible, teams will receive at least 48 hours notice. Games that have no bearing on league standings may not be made up. 5. City-Wide Athletics reserves the right to arrange postponed games at its convenience and/or cancel games, if necessary, due conditions beyond our control. 6. If a team forfeits two games in succession or three games overall in a season for not having the required number of players, the team will be subject to expulsion from the league.
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 3 STANDARD GAME PROCEDURE 1. Teams must provide their own practice balls, uniforms, and other accessories they deem necessary. City-Wide Athletics will provide a game ball. 2. Uniforms are not required but uniformity is requested. Teams must have like-colored shirts with numbers. Numbers should still be visible when shirts are tucked in and/or sleeves are rolled up. 3. All players wearing a t-shirt under their jersey must wear a t-shirt that is similar to the jersey color. 4. Pants/shorts must not have pockets. No tape-ups or cover-ups. This is safety issue and will be strictly enforced. 5. No jewelry may be worn by players on the court. Hard objects in the hair, necklaces, watches, bracelets, rings, or other jewelry are prohibited items. No tape-ups or cover-ups these items must be removed to play. This is a safety issue and will be strictly enforced. 6. The officials will be paid by the Parks and Recreation Department. The contracted Officials Association will assign them and no team has the right to refuse any official assigned. 7. Gym supervisors are appointed by City-Wide Athletics. Coaches are expected to cooperate with the supervisors in every way possible. 8. The head coach is responsible for maintaining proper conduct among team members (coaches, players and spectators) at all times. 9. Starting time of games: a. No grace period. Teams should be at their sites 30 minutes before scheduled game time. The game may start early if both teams are ready, but no later than scheduled. b. Teams must have at least 4 players present at game time to begin. Scheduled game time is forfeit time. c. If a game is forfeited, participants scheduled to play may use the court to practice for 30 minutes. d. City-Wide Athletics staff will determine postponement or cancellation of games. e. There will be no postponement of league games to permit teams to prepare for or play in tournaments. f. ANY DEVIATION OF THE ABOVE IS AT THE DISCRETION OF CITY-WIDE ATHLETICS. 10. Home team is listed to the right on the schedule. Only the players listed on the official City-Wide Athletics team roster and coaches that have a valid Youth Sports Volunteer ID may occupy the bench. Coaches are responsible for keeping spectators and non-roster individuals off their team benches. 11. Teams will warm up/shoot at the basket farthest from its bench during the first half. Teams will change baskets for the second half.
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 4 12. Players on teams scheduled for the next game should stay in the stands and may not detract in any way from the game in progress. For the pleasure and safety of spectators and fairness to the teams playing, coaches must see that this is enforced. 13. Cheerleaders may not stand during live play of the game. Cheerleaders should be seated on the spectator side of the court, and will be permitted on the floor or sidelines during halftime only. PLAYING RULES ALL GAMES WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS (NFHS) RULES, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ON THE LEAGUE SCHEDULE OR LISTED BELOW. 1. The Parks and Recreation Department assumes the following responsibilities: a. Game site facilities and game equipment b. Payment of officials association c. Custody of contract cards and team rosters d. Authority to rule on player eligibility, rules and regulations e. Awards to division champions 2. Midget Boys and all Girls Leagues use a size 28.5 basketball. Intermediate/Junior/Senior Boys use a regulation size basketball. 3. Timing: a. Midget Boys, Intermediate Boys, Preteen Girls, Junior Girls: four 9-minute quarters b. Junior Boys, Senior Boys, Senior Girls: four 10-minute quarters c. Running clock for all age groups, except for the last two minutes of the game, which will be a regulation clock. With a running clock, the clock stops only for team and official time-outs, not for foul shots or violations. After a time out, the clock starts when the ball touches a player on the court. d. Warmup: Minimum of 3 minutes, maximum of 5 minutes. e. Halftime: Five minutes maximum. f. Overtime: Three minutes (regulation clock). 4. Teams will be allowed four time outs (1 minute each) per game and one per overtime. Unused time outs do not carry into overtime. 5. Bonus free throws (1 and 1) begin on the 7th team foul of each half. Two (2) free throws are awarded on the 10 th and any additional foul of each half. 6. Three-point goal will be used if the gym site has a 3-point line. 7. MANDATORY PLAY RULE: Each player must play one uninterrupted quarter at the earliest opportunity. a. Examples: Roster of 12:
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 5 1. 5 players play the entire first quarter 2. 5 different players play all of second quarter 3. the two players who have not yet played play the entire third quarter along with any three others 4. no restrictions during fourth quarter Roster of 8: 1. 5 players play all of first quarter 2. the other 3 players play all of second quarter along with any two others 3. no restrictions during third or fourth quarters b. If a team has only 4 players, the 5 th player may enter the game at the next dead ball after he/she arrives, with no penalty. c. Injury: If a player is injured and taken out of the game before he/she has completed the mandatory playing requirement, he/she must still play a full quarter if he/she is able to return to the game. d. If a player needs to be removed by the coach for disciplinary reasons before he/she has played his/her mandatory quarter, the coach must notify the opposing coach and the official scorer, and the action will be noted in the scorebook. A player removed in this scenario will NOT be permitted to re-enter the game at any time. e. Since there is a Mandatory Play Rule, a player should not be removed from a game if a minor problem can be resolved on the spot (Example: jewelry, uniform or shoe adjustment, or minor injury that is shaken off). f. The score table will monitor mandatory play and alert coaches of players who need to enter the game to satisfy their minimum play requirement. If a discrepancy is found, officials will be alerted, and the game will stop until the necessary substitutions are made and the game will resume. If a coach refuses to comply with the mandatory play rule the officials may rule a forfeit. Any coach whose team forfeits a game for refusal to comply with the Mandatory Play Rule may be suspended for up to one year. 8. Defense in the backcourt ( no press rule): a. When a team attains a lead of twenty (20) or more points [ten (10) or more points in Midget Boys and Preteen Girls], that team will not be allowed to defend until the offensive player with the ball is three feet inside the mid-court line (front court). b. First infraction of this rule shall result in a warning, ball out of bounds to offensive team. One warning, per half, per team. c. Second and additional infractions in each half will result in an illegal defense penalty, which will award two foul shots and possession of the ball to the team behind. d. An illegal defense penalty does not count as a personal, technical, or team foul. e. The clock will continue to run during the administration of an illegal defense penalty, unless the penalty occurs in the last two minutes of the game. f. EXCEPTION: This rule does not apply if the team behind initiates a fast break immediately upon gaining possession, in an attempt to get the official to call the infraction. However, if the team behind secures possession and does NOT initiate a fast break, then the team ahead should fall back on defense. 9. PLAYER/TEAM CONDUCT a. Unsportsmanlike conduct by players, coaches, or spectators towards opposing teams, officials or staff will not be tolerated.
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 6 PROTESTS b. Any player or coach ejected from a game by an official for unsportsmanlike conduct will automatically be suspended from the next game to be played by his/her team and will not be permitted at the facility during his/her suspension. No notice of this suspension shall be necessary. In the event a player or coach deviates from this ruling, it will constitute a forfeit and the team not at fault will receive credit for a win. The player or coach will still serve his/her suspension. Should an ejection occur during the last game of the season, the resulting suspension(s) will be enforced in the first game(s) of the following year s season. c. Any player or coach ejected from a game by an official for fighting will automatically be suspended for a minimum of the next two games to be played by his/her team and will not be permitted at the facility during his/her suspension. No notice of this suspension shall be necessary. In the event a player or coach deviates from this ruling, it will constitute a forfeit and the team not at fault will receive credit for a win. The player or coach will still serve his/her suspension. Should an ejection occur during the last game of the season, the resulting suspension(s) will be enforced in the first game(s) of the following year s season. d. Any player or coach who is guilty of striking an official in any manner on City or School property during or after a game shall automatically be suspended indefinitely from participating in all leagues sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department. e. Teams are responsible for conduct of their fans and supporters at games. Any team refusing to control a fan or supporter will forfeit the game. The only protest accepted by this office is player eligibility. All other disputes must be settled on the court. INSURANCE 1. Players participating in the league should have accident insurance coverage. This is the player s (parent s) responsibility. The Department does not provide insurance in case of injuries for the players, coaches, or spectators. 2. It is to be understood that the Parks and Recreation Department will not be held liable for injuries sustained by any person or group participating in our programs while they are playing, practicing or traveling to and from games and practices. FACILITY USE 1. Virginia Beach School Board policy and Virginia State Law prohibits smoking, tobacco use, and use of any type of e-cigarette anywhere on school grounds (indoors and outdoors). This policy is in effect at all times (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). 2. Participants and spectators must stay in areas designated by the gym supervisor and are asked to help check their bleachers and bench areas for trash once games are finished. 3. No food or drink allowed in the gyms. Post-game snacks are to be distributed in the hallway or outside. NOTES
Virginia Beach Community League Youth Basketball Bylaws Page 7 Coaches will advise parents and players of the bylaws. Ignorance of any rule will not be tolerated. The Sports Management Coordinator has the authority to make final decisions on all bylaws, interpretations and any matters concerning all youth sports, and will impose penalties and suspensions upon teams, coaches, and players as necessary to insure the orderly conduct of the league. These Bylaws are in addition to the GENERAL BYLAWS FOR ALL COMMUNITY SPORTS.