SLO YMCA YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE RULES
Let players play, Let coaches coach & and Let referees officiate
After each game, players and coaches from each team will shake hands at half court
All players must wear basketball style shoes and wear their correct team uniform/jersey – if a
player wears a t-shirt under their team jersey, it must match the color of that jersey (example
red/red or white/white)
5,6,7 years old RULES
- Man to Man defense only (no zone)
- Backcourt press is NOT allowed and no guarding a player within 5 feet, after
the half court line. (on non-back court side)
- Games are consist of four 10 minute quarters (running clock throughout
the game, unless there is a timeout)
- Substitutions can take place only at a dead ball, between quarters or if a
player is injured or as directed by the referee
- Please have the players substitution at the scorer’s table during the game
- ALL players need to play at least half amount of the game (fair amount of
playing time)
- No Free throws – if a player gets foul, the referee will have a player from
that team take the ball from out of bounds (sideline or baseline)
- Coaches have four timeouts (:60 secs. each) (one timeout per quarter only)
(Clock stops during an injuring timeout or by a game referee)
- Each coach(es) needs to have their team under control during the games,
please have the players that are not in the game, be sitting on the sideline
with their coaching staff and fellow teammates
- Coaches shall instill fairness and a sense of composure into their coaching
philosophy and their players regarding other players, referees and fellow
scorer keepers.
- PLAYERS - for the first technical foul (unsportsmanlike conduct, bad
language), a player sits out for a whole quarter and a second technical foul
results in an ejection from that game and cannot play in the following game
that is scheduled. COACHES - If a coach gets a technical foul
(unsportsmanlike conduct, bad language), they must be seated for the
reminder of the game on their team bench and if they get a second
technical foul, it will result in an ejection from that game and cannot coach
their next team schedule game or more during the season.
- Each team must start with 5 players on the court, on the jump/tip ball at
the center circle (midcourt)
8,9 years old Boys & Girls
- Man to Man defense only (no zone)
- Backcourt press is NOT allowed and each team has only 15 seconds to get
the ball over the half court line from the backcourt – LAST 1 minute of the
game - once the ball crosses the half court line with the offense team, that
team is not allowed to throw the ball into the back court from an inbound
pass from the front court.
- An offense player may only be in the key for only 5 seconds at a time (starts
over after every shot attempt, whether it hits the rim or not)
- An offense team will only have 5 seconds to bring in the ball from out-ofbounds
- Games are consist of four 10 minute quarters (The clock stops at all
whistles during the last two minutes of the 4th quarter, or unless there is a
timeout during the game) (Clock stops during an injuring timeout or by a
game referee)
- Substitutions can take place only at a dead ball, between quarters or if a
player is injured or as directed by the referee
- Please have the players substitution at the scorer’s table during the game
- ALL players need to play at least half amount of the game (fair amount of
playing time)
- Free throws are allowed in this age group (no stalling, each player will only
have 10 secs. to shot each free throw)
o Free throws on the 7th to the 9th team foul are an 1 and 1
o Free throws on the 10th team foul is a double bonus (2 shots)
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o No player may enter the free throw lane until the ball touches the
rim or backboard (if the shooter’s shot does not hit the rim on the
live shot, it is a dead ball and the defense will take the ball out on the
baseline)
Coaches have four timeouts (2 timeouts (60 secs. each) per half)
Each coach(es) needs to have their team under control during the games,
please have the players that are not in the game, be sitting on the sideline
with their coaching staff and fellow teammates
Coaches shall instill fairness and a sense of composure into their coaching
philosophy and their players regarding other players, referees and fellow
scorer keepers
PLAYERS - for the first technical foul (unsportsmanlike conduct, bad
language), a player sits out for a whole quarter and a second technical foul
results in an ejection from that game and cannot play in the following game
that is scheduled. COACHES - If a coach gets a technical foul
(unsportsmanlike conduct, bad language), they must be seated for the
reminder of the game on their team bench and if they get a second
technical foul, it will result in an ejection from that game and cannot coach
their next team schedule game or more during the season. ALL technical
fouls are 2 shots plus possession of the ball for that team – A technical foul
on a player counts as a personal foul
Five personal fouls on a player will equal to that player “fouls out” of the
game.
Each team must start with 5 players on the court, on the jump/tip ball at
the center circle (midcourt)
10-12 years old Boys & Girls
- Scoring only takes place in this age group, if there is a tie after regulation - a
three minute overtime will be played. The first minute is a running clock
and the last two minutes are on a stopped clock with fouls, ball out of
bounds and time-outs (or on other referee calls) Each team is allowed one
timeout during overtime and timeouts do not carry over from regulation
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play – if the overtime ends as a tie, the game will end in a draw – all
overtime periods will start with a jump ball at the center circle
Any defense is acceptable in this age group (but please teach your team
about man to man defense)
Backcourt press is ONLY allowed (in the event that a team is leading 15
points or less) and each team has only 10 seconds to get the ball over the
half court line from the backcourt – (Girls will have 15 seconds to get the
ball over the half court line)
An offense team will only have 5 seconds to bring in the ball from out-ofbounds
An offense player may only be in the key for only 3 seconds at a time (starts
over after every shot attempt, whether it hits the rim or not)
Games are consist of four 10 minute quarters (The clock stops at all
whistles during the last two minutes of the 4th quarter, or unless there is a
timeout during the game) (Clock stops during an injuring timeout or by a
game referee)
Coaches have four timeouts (2 timeouts (60 secs. each) per half)
Substitutions can take place only at a dead ball, between quarters or if a
player is injured or as directed by the referee
Please have the players substitution at the scorer’s table during the game
ALL players need to play at least half amount of the game (fair amount of
playing time)
Free throws are allowed in this age group (no stalling, each player will only
have 10 secs. to shot each free throw)
o Free throws on the 7th to the 9th team foul are an 1 and 1
o Free throws on the 10th team foul is a double bonus (2 shots)
o No player may enter the free throw lane until the ball touches the
rim or backboard (if the shooter’s shot does not hit the rim on the
live shot, it is a dead ball and the defense will take the ball out on the
baseline)
Each coach(es) needs to have their team under control during the games,
please have the players that are not in the game, be sitting on the sideline
with their coaching staff and fellow teammates
- Coaches shall instill fairness and a sense of composure into their coaching
philosophy and their players regarding other players, referees and fellow
scorer keepers
- PLAYERS - for the first technical foul (unsportsmanlike conduct, bad
language), a player sits out for a whole quarter and a second technical foul
results in an ejection from that game and cannot play in the following game
that is scheduled. COACHES - If a coach gets a technical foul
(unsportsmanlike conduct, bad language), they must be seated for the
reminder of the game on their team bench and if they get a second
technical foul, it will result in an ejection from that game and cannot coach
their next team schedule game or more during the season. ALL technical
fouls are 2 shots plus possession of the ball for that team – A technical foul
on a player counts as a personal foul
- Five personal fouls on a player will equal to that player “fouls out” of the
game.
- Each team must start with 5 players on the court, on the jump/tip ball.
NOTES:
5,6,7 years old
- Basketball is a junior size ball (27.5)
8,9 (boys & girls) 10-12 (girls)
- Basketball is a women’s size ball (28.5)
10-12 (boys)
- Basketball is a regulation size ball (29.5)
Coaches and referees should check score sheet at half-time for proper playing
time and score.
Protests are not acceptable – If you have any game questions please call the SLO
Parks and Rec Dept. 805-781-7305
In case of a one-sided game, try to pull your high scores out of the game or/and
stop running fast break or/and allow your other players a chance to handle the
ball.
No taunting, fighting or foul language or disparaging referee calls will be allowed.
This applies to all coaches, parents, spectators and players. The goal for the SLO
YMCA Basketball league is to teach basketball skills and promote sportsmanship.
SLO YMCA
www.sloymca.org
All other Rules shall be those of the current High School Federation Rule Book