EBA Coaches Letter
Welcome to the Easthampton Basketball Association (EBA). We appreciate you volunteering your time to be a coach in our program.
The EBA is committed to making this year a positive experience for everyone. Your efforts should be focused on teaching the
basketball fundamentals, developing the player’s skills and ensuring that all the players are having fun in the process. We believe that
all players should be developed for the “next level” whether that is the next age group, suburban or high school. We want our players
and coaches to be competitive but not at the expense of inappropriate behavior.
Please take a moment to review the information below. As a coach you are responsible for your team’s behavior and helping control
the parent’s behavior as well. Please share this information with your parents and have them visit our website at
www.easthamptonbasketball.com where all our league policies, including are by-laws, are documented.
Mission Statement
The EBA's goal is to promote a basketball program that instills the ideals of good sportsmanship, teamwork and respect for one
another. The EBA strives to promote an environment that enables the players to reach their full potential while encouraging them to
become well-rounded members of our community. Winning games is secondary to providing a positive experience.
Sportsmanship Mandate
The EBA is committed to encouraging and promoting good sportsmanship at all EBA sponsored events and maintaining a positive
environment for our basketball participants at all age levels. Good Sportsmanship applies to players, coaches and spectators and it
must be exhibited through a respect for the rules, the courteous treatment of opponents, officials and gym supervisors. The EBA asks
that coaches control their players and fan base by setting a good example and by addressing unsporting behavior before it escalates.
Failure to exhibit good sportsmanship by a player, coach and/or a fan may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to
technical fouls, game ejections and suspension from league activities. Failure to leave the gymnasium promptly when directed to or
returning to any gymnasium being utilized for an EBA event before a suspension is lifted may result in a team forfeit.
Discipline Policy
Any player or coach who is ejected from a game due to unsporting or flagrant technical foul(s) is automatically suspended for their
team's next two (2) regularly scheduled games and is not afforded the opportunity to appear before the Executive Board. It is the
Referee’s or game administrations responsibility to inform the President or League Coordinator in writing of the events leading up to
the ejection.
In addition, any player who accumulates 3 technical fouls during the season is automatically suspended for the team's next two (2)
regularly scheduled games. Any player or coach who is ejected from two (2) games during a season due to unsporting or flagrant
technical foul(s) is suspended from all league activities until the individuals appear at an Executive Board disciplinary meeting (see
Bylaws). Any player or coach ejected from a game for unsporting or flagrant technical foul(s) or is suspended for any reason is
automatically disqualified from All*Star game consideration.
Fans Code of Conduct
The EBA strives to teach basketball skills and good sportsmanship. Actions of the fans toward the officials and the opposing team can
spread very quickly to the players and coaches. Parents and fans are required to set a proper and positive example for the children and
are expected to cheer for their team in a way that provides positive support for the players, coaches and referees at all times.
Fans using profane or vulgar language at any EBA game, practice or event will be warned by a member of the board of directors, gym
supervisors or referee. Subsequent offenses may result in the fan(s) being ejected from facility and banned from attending future
games, practices or events sponsored by the EBA. Failure to leave the gymnasium promptly when directed to or returning to any
gymnasium being utilized for an EBA event before a suspension is lifted may result in a team forfeit.
General League Policies
Since we depend upon using school department property, supervised by the Parks and Recreation Department, there are several
regulations that must be followed. Please inform your players and parents of the following league and school policies:
1.
Players cannot modify their uniforms. Meaning they are NOT allowed to “cut the sleeves off”, “put names on them” or alter
their shirts in any other way.
2.
No jewelry is allowed during games or practices for safety reasons.
3.
Personal basketballs are not allowed in the gyms. Balls will be provided for your games and practices.
4.
NO food or drink other than WATER is allowed in the gymnasiums. Each school has water fountains available for
everyone’s use. Also, please have your team (players & fans) be responsible for the clean up of their trash before they leave
the gym.
5.
Players and coaches should not arrive sooner than 15 minutes before their designated starting time for a practice or a game.
Be sure at the conclusion of your activity, all of your players leave with a parent or guardian. No one should be left at the
school unattended.
6.
Respect the other team's practice / game time. Please do not shoot or dribble while another team(s) practice is running.
7.
You are responsible for player supervision. Always be aware of where your players are and be sure they do not roam the
hallways or loiter in the locker rooms.
8.
Locate the Parks and Recreation staff member for assistance should anyone require first aid treatment, (Band-Aid, ice pack,
etc.). There are first aid kits in each school.
9.
In the event of cancellation (weather or otherwise), a SportsSignUp Email will be sent to all participants notifying them of
cancellations. Please make sure your parents have accurate Email addresses on the system and have them check their Email
frequently.
10. You can also call the Cancellation line at 413-529-1444 or check our Facebook page. We will also do our best to post
cancellations on our website: www.easthamptonbasketball.com
11. Whenever Easthampton schools are cancelled, all games & practices are also cancelled.
12. We encourage you to utilize the SportsSignUp team wall to communicate to your teams. It is the simplest way to
communicate with your teams
Division Coordinators
Listed below are this year’s division coordinators. They are your first contact point if you have questions or concerns. They will
work with the League Coordinator and/or the EBA Board of Directors as needed to address any issues you have.
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Boys 2/3
Boys 4/5
Boys 6/7/8
High School
Girls 1/2/3
Girls 4/5/6
Girls 7/8
Chris Mettey
Chris Mettey
Chris Jolicouer
Mike Dunphy
Mary Barr
Chann Damon
Ron Lewandowski
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Good luck and thank you again for your contribution in making our basketball program successful.
Sincerely,
EBA Board of Directors