GWOC Youth League Rules and Regulations:
1. All teams must play a home and away game with every team in the conference for each grade level. Each coach will take a copy of their roster, individual birth certificate and if necessary a copy of each player’s current grade card. Each program director will submit a roster for each team on the website at least 5 days prior to their first game.
2. There will be a centralized scheduler for the conference. Each member program must submit a list of dates and times that their gym is available by October 15 of each year. The centralized scheduler will schedule all games and will post the schedule on the GWOC Youth Basketball website.
3. Each program will have the opportunity to host a grade level tournament depending on their facilities and ability to properly staff the tournament. The process will be alphabetical by program name based on who expresses interest in hosting. Those member programs that applied but did not receive a tournament will be given first consideration the following year.
4. The first place, second place and third place finishers in the tournament will receive individual awards. All tournament awards for all grade levels will be the same. Each tournament host will be reimbursed a fee of $48 for each game minus the costs of the tournament awards.
5. The home team will provide a gym, a map to the gym, a scorekeeper, a timekeeper, and 2 (two) certified Class 1 or Class two referees.
6. A league game will consist of four 6-minute quarters; and the clock will be stopped per Ohio High School Rules. Overtime periods, if necessary, will consist of 3 minutes; there will be no limit to the number of overtime periods played. The games will be officiated according to Ohio High School Rules except as changed by these bylaws.
7. All league games will use a 28.5 size basketball.
8. 3rd GRADE - Teams will use 9-foot baskets (overhangs permitted.) If overhangs are used, the free throw line remains as painted on the floor; if the baskets are the “crank-down” variety, then the free throw line will be moved forward 18 inches. All teams will play ½ court man-to-man defense. Except for the last two minutes of the game, there will be no guarding in the backcourt. In the last two minutes of the game, if a team is 15 or more points ahead, that team cannot full-court press. Failure to comply with this NO-PRESS rule will cause a warning on the first and second occurrence, and thereafter a technical foul will be assessed against the team for each subsequent occurrence.
9. 4th GRADE - Teams will use 9-foot baskets (overhangs permitted.) If overhangs are used, the free throw line remains as painted on the floor; if the baskets are the “crank-down” variety, then the free throw line will be moved forward 18 inches. In the first three quarters there will be no guarding in the backcourt. In the fourth quarter there will be no back court restrictions (regular basketball) except if a team is 15 or more points ahead, that team cannot full-court press. Failure to comply with this NO-PRESS rule will cause a warning to be issued on the first and second occurrence, and thereafter a technical foul will be assessed against the team.
10. 5th GRADE - Teams will use 10-foot baskets. Playing zone defense exclusively is discouraged. In the first half there will be no guarding in the backcourt. In the second half there will be no back court restrictions (regular basketball) except if a team is 15 or more points ahead, that team cannot full-court press. Failure to comply with this NO-PRESS rule will cause a warning to be issued on the first and second occurrence, and thereafter a technical foul will be assessed against the team.
11. 6th GRADE - Teams will use 10-foot baskets. For the entire game, there will be no restrictions on back court play except if a team is 15 or more points ahead, that team cannot full-court press. Failure to comply with this NO-PRESS rule will cause a warning to be issued on the first and second occurrence, and thereafter a technical foul will be assessed against the team.
12. A HEAD COACH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS CONDUCT AND THE CONDUCT OF HIS PLAYERS, HIS ASSISTANT COACHES, AND HIS TEAM’S PARENTS AND FANS.
13. If a coach or player receives two technical fouls and/or is ejected from a game, the coach or player must sit out the next game. A coach that is ejected must leave the facility. They can wait in their car but they are not allowed to re-enter the facility. That coach is not allowed to attend the next game. A repeat occurrence by the same coach or player could result in being permanently barred from coaching or playing in the GWOC Youth Basketball League. Ejections against coaches, players, and fans must be reported to the GWOC Youth Basketball Director by both program directors that were involved. The program director of the offending coach, player, and/or parent must ensure that the ejection rule is enforced.
14. There is a maximum of 12 players per team. A player cannot play for more than one team (or grade); a player cannot play below his current grade. A team roster will be filled out and turned in online at least 5 days prior to the first game of the season. No roster changes will be permitted after that date without a majority vote of all member programs in the affected grade level. A roster change must be emailed to the director and a vote taken before the player is eligible to play in a game. Players listed on team tournament rosters must have played in at least half of the regularly scheduled league games for the team he is representing; and no player can play for more than one team in the tournament. Exceptions may be made for players that fall short of the minimum appearance requirement due to an injury; but these exceptions must be approved by a majority vote of the program members.
15. The tournament seeding will be determined by the overall regular season record. If there is a tie, the tie will be determined by a coin flip. The league director will do the coin flip.
16. All directors must ensure that the website is updated with their scores from the previous weekend by Wednesday of that week.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY:
Each player must attend school in the school district that the program represents.
A player must be in the grade level of his team or he must be in a prior grade
(i.e., a 2nd grader can play on a 3rd grade team; a 5th grader can play on a 6th grade team). Age requirements are as follows:
3rd Grade Players: A player’s age must be 9 years old or younger on
September 1st of the current year that the season starts.
4th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 10 years old or younger on
September 1st of the current year that the season starts.
5th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 11 years old or younger on
September 1st of the current year that the season starts.
6th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 12 years old or younger on
September 1st of the current year that the season starts.
If a program plays an ineligible player, the program can receive disciplinary action from the league members. The ineligible player can be banned from participating in the GWOC Youth Basketball League in the future.
Each program is responsible for the actions of their cheerleaders. The cheerleaders must not interfere with the pre-game or half-time warm-ups of either team and must display proper sportsmanship at all times.
A player must be in the grade level of his team or he must be in a prior grade
(i.e., a 2nd grader can play on a 3rd grade team; a 5th grader can play on a 6th grade team). Age requirements are as follows:
3rd Grade Players: A player’s age must be 9 years old or younger on
August 31st, 2005 (i.e., he must be born on or after September 1st, 1995)
4th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 10 years old or younger on
August 31st, 2005 (i.e., he must be born on or after September 1st, 1994)
5th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 11 years old or younger on
August 31st, 2005 (i.e., he must be born on or after September 1st, 1993)
6th Grade Players: A player’s age must be 12 years old or younger on
August 31st, 2005 (i.e., he must be born on or after September 1st, 1992)