Red Oak Basketball League Rules

2019-2020 Season

General Rules and Conduct

1. Coaches and parents will be good role models for our children at all times.  Sportsmanship and Teamwork will be two of the most important skills taught in the Red Oak Basketball League.
2. All players must submit a registration form signed by a parent or guardian before being allowed to practice or play, and an acknowledgement of rules form signed by a parent or guardian and submitted to their coach, before being allowed to play in a game.
3. To play in the Red Oak Basketball League, players must be at least in 1^st grade (unless their parent is a coach, in which case they may be in kindergarten), and must be no older than 8^th grade or 15 years of age on or before October 16, 2019.  There will be six groupings of players: Young Girls, Young Boys, Middle Girls, Middle Boys, Old Girls and Old Boys.  The Young groupings will consist of players in 1^st through 4^th grades, the Middle groupings will consist of players in 5^th and 6^th grades, and the Old grouping will consist of players in 7^th and 8^th grade.
4. No jewelry of any kind may be worn during practice or games.  Only soft hair accessories may be worn during practice or games.  No casts may be worn during practice or games.
5. Any player, coach, or spectator using profanity during a practice or game, or being disruptive in the judgment of the officials or board members present, will be removed from the gym.
6.  No basketballs other than those belonging to the Red Oak Basketball League will be allowed in the gym.  Coaches are responsible for keeping up with, and turning in practice balls when their practice is over.
7. Official practice times of one hour per week will be scheduled at the gym for each team.  All other practices are at the discretion and responsibility of the coach, and may not be held in the Red Oak Elementary, Red Oak Middle School, or Swift Creek Elementary gymnasiums.  Scheduled practices must be held at scheduled locations.
8. No food or drinks will be allowed in the gym.
9. Players with two unexcused absences from practices or games may be removed from the team.
10. Team jerseys must be worn during games and they must not be disfigured with markings or cuts.  No sagging shorts allowed

Draft Rules

1. There will be no requests for specific team membership or practice times honored, except to put siblings on the same team.
2. At the pre-draft coaches meeting, coaches will decide which draft round their own children belong in.
3. Coaches will draw numbers to decide their draft order.  The 1^st round of the draft will begin with the coach who drew #1, the second round with the coach who drew the highest draft number, etc.
4. No assistant coaches may be selected by a head coach prior to the draft.
5. Coaches will have one minute to draft a player once their turn begins.
6. Coaches must distribute and explain game rules to their players and parents, emphasizing conduct, and the 2^nd quarter and playing time rules.  They must collect a copy of the rules, signed by a parent or guardian, from each player prior to the first game.  Signed forms must be submitted together to a board member.
7. Any coach’s child selected as an all-star during the previous year, and still playing in the same age group during the following year, will be that coach’s first round draft pick.

Game Rules

1. Game time is forfeit time.  A team must have at least five players present for an official game to begin.
2. All teams will play six minute quarters.
3. Younger teams will have four time-outs per game, middle and older teams will have five time-outs per game.  Only head coaches and players may call time-out.  One extra time-out will be given for each overtime in a game.
4. If necessary, two minute overtimes will be used.  With younger teams, if the game is still tied after two overtimes, a jump ball and sudden death will be used.  With middle and older teams, overtimes will continue to be used until the game is decided.
5. All players on a team will play at least six minutes in each game unless there are discipline or absenteeism issues.
6. Coaches will use their five least skilled players during the second quarter regardless of the number of players on their team and all players can score.  Exception: When a second quarter player(s) is absent, the substituting first quarter player(s) may not score in the second quarter.  The opposing coach may choose that player(s). 

Example 1– A nine player team-all players present.  The five least skilled players, including one first quarter player, play in the second quarter-all players can score.

Example 2 – A nine player team-one second quarter player absent.  The five least skilled players, including two first quarter players, play in the second quarter-one player cannot score.

Coaches will meet prior to the tip-off of each game to agree on second quarter players and second quarter scoring restrictions.  The opposing coach will make the final decision on second quarter players if agreement cannot be reached. 

If a non-scoring player is fouled during the second quarter, the coach of the fouled player will select a player, who is in the game and is allowed to shoot, to take the free throws.       

7. There are no line-up or scoring restrictions except during the second quarter.  However, if a score becomes lopsided, it is expected that second quarter players from both teams be given extra playing time and that the score not be intentionally run-up.     
8. There will be no ball defense played (during Young, Middle or Old games) until the ball crosses half court (no pressing).  Full court pressing may be used in the final two minutes of the game, and during overtime.
9. Two technical fouls on a player or coach will result in automatic expulsion from the game.  Any player, coach, or parent who is removed from a game, or who is being disruptive to the game, must come before the Red Oak Basketball League Board before participating in another practice or game. 
10. No one but officials and head coaches may approach the scorers’ table.  Players may not approach the scorers’ table. 
11. Only head coaches may question officials, and only rule clarifications may be discussed.  No one, including head coaches, may question judgment calls by an official.
12. With the young age group only, if the score differential becomes 20 points or more during the 4^th quarter of the game, the game clock will run continuously, except during time-outs and free throws.  This will continue for the remainder of the game unless the score differential is reduced to 15 points or less. 
13. Ties in the standings after the regular season will be broken by head-to-head results, and then by a coin toss between the tied teams.
14. These rules may be modified at any time as the Board of Directors see fit.