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Elev8 Sports
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Practice and Game Day Logistics

Elements of Practice
  • Connecting with players & parents
  • Skills & drills
  • Offensive & defensive plays
  • Rules
  • Devotions (5-7 minutes)

Practice Info
  • Each practice is 1 hour, including a 5-7 minute devotion.
  • Each practice time slot generally has 2 teams.
  • Each team is responsible for placing balls back in bins following practice.
  • Do not expect there to be enough balls for every player to have their own ball. Please have players leave personal basketballs at home!
  • Quickly leave the court when your time is up. Every second you go over means the next team loses time on the court.
  • Take post-practice conversations and instructions off the court. (e.g. move to the lobby)
  • Last practice of the night does not have freedom to stay longer. Cleaning crews need to shut down the facilities.
  • Siblings and waiting players may not dribble balls or shoot while teams are practicing.
  • Please remind parents to supervise non-participating children during practice at all times. Roaming the facilities is not allowed!
  • As a coach, you have the authority to GENTLY remind children to respect the facilities that we use. We do not allow dribbling or bouncing of balls outside the gym areas.

Protect Yourself
  • Coaches are NOT to take children to the restroom.
  • Coaches are NOT to drive alone in a car with players that are not related to them.
  • Coaches should avoid being in any space alone with a player.
  • Coaches should not engage players in any social media platform. All contact should be through parents. (Ex: cc parents on email, friend parents on Facebook, not the player)

Game Setup
  • Level 1-3 games consist of 6 periods that are 6 minutes in length.
  • Level 4-5 games consist of 6 periods that are 7 minutes in length.
  • There is a timed period (minimum) of 5 minutes between all level 4 and 5 games.
  • Each game will have a 4 minute half time between periods 3 and 4.
  • Period breaks are just long enough to make rotation changes.
  • Our league is about equal playing time. Follow your rotation to ensure equal playing time throughout the season.
  • All games have a running clock.
  • Clock stops at period breaks or at the discretion of the referee.
  • For other clock stoppages (levels 3-5), see the rules.

Game Day
  • Be there first so you can welcome parents and players! (Have team arrive 30 min. early)
  • Be Prepared: rotations, nicknames, etc.…
  • Be ready to have fun!
  • Set the tone by greeting refs and fellow coaches and players. This can be a great example for your team and parents.
  • Remember the following: Character, Honor, Hope in Jesus Christ

Post Game
  • Congratulate the other team - be genuine and gracious!
  • Lead your team in thanking the referees - set the example!
  • Gather your team in the lobby at CPC or in one of the identified areas at Crossroads
  • Hand out game day bracelets (Mini, levels 1-4)
  • Give highlights of the team’s play. Let your players compliment each other!
  • Stay positive when it comes to the other team and the referees.

Player Rotation
Elev8 is committed to providing equal play for all leagues. This means your most skilled player should play near the same amount of time as your least skilled player. For help in filling out your rotations, talk to your league commissioner. Below are additional rules pertaining to substitution that will allow us to better facilitate equal play.

All Levels
  • All players are to be rotated into the game. No player may sit more than one period before he/she shall reenter the game at the next substitution timeout.
  • No player may play a 3rd period unless all players have played 2 periods.
  • No player may play a 4th period unless all players have played 3 periods.
  • No player may play a 5th period unless all players have played 4 periods.
  • A player that played an extra period in a previous week may not play extra until all members of the team that are present have played an extra period as well. It is the coach's responsibility to keep track of this information.
This rule also carries over to post season tournament play for high school leagues, although the period played count resets at the beginning of the tournament.

Ranking Players (Levels 1 - 2)
Each team will rank their players 1-10, 1 being the most skilled and 10 the least skilled. Players will wear a colored strap on their right shoulder corresponding to their skill level. It is advised to not let the players know that the colors denote skill. The order is:
  • Yellow - most skilled
  • Orange
  • Red
  • Green
  • Blue - least skilled
Generally, a player should not move up or down more than one band level. For example, if you have a player who doesn't make a game, your Red band player could play up to Orange or down to Green but should not play down to Blue. Obviously a team missing multiple players or with less than 10 players will have to improvise. Consult your commissioner for assistance.

Ranking Players (Levels 3 - 5)
Each team will rank their players 1-10, 1 being the most skilled and 10 the least skilled.

Game Line Ups (Levels 4 - 5)
  • Coaches will provide their line-ups to scorer’s table prior to each game. You don’t have to put numbers on rank; just list names in order.

Missing Player (All levels)
If a player misses their rotation due to arriving late or an injury, a coach may put any player in to cover that period. However, the rotation for the remainder of the game will have to be adjusted in order not to allow that subbing player to play an additional period before all the other players get their fair share of playing time.

Example: A team was already going to be down a player for the game and is expecting 9 players. Three players will be required to play 4 periods. However, unexpectedly, a player arrives late and misses his/her rotation in the second period. A player that was already going to play 4 periods that game should not be inserted in the second period to cover that absence without removing them from a later period. In this instance, the coach should insert a player only
going to play 3 periods into that second period to avoid the situation where a player ends up playing 5 periods while several only play 3.

The coach is not obligated to make up the time missed by the late arriving or injured player, but the coach may not use this as an opportunity to play a player 5 periods when others will only play 3.

Substitutions during foul-outs or injuries
When a player fouls out or is injured, a coach may substitute as follows:
  • If Rank 1 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 2-10 may sub in.
  • If Rank 2 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 3-10 may sub in.
  • If Rank 3 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 4-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 4 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 5-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 5 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 6-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 6 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 7-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 7 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 8-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 8 fouls out/is injured – any other player Rank 9-10 may sub in
  • If Rank 9 fouls out/is injured – Player Rank 10 may sub in
  • If Rank 10 fouls out/is injured – Player Rank 9 may sub in
If a coach has no players on the bench that are ranked lower, the coach may select the next higher rank to go in.

Example: Player ranked 6 fouls out, but ranks 7-10 are already on the floor, the coach may select the player ranked 5 to sub in. If that player is injured or unable to go in, the coach may go to the next higher rank.

When a player is subbing in during a period that is already underway (due to injury or foul out), this does not count toward the rule that a player cannot play 3 periods before all have played 2 periods.

10001 Route 108   Columbia, MD   21044     Phone: 410-662-2268    Contact us!

Columbia Presbyterian Church          Crossroads Nazarene Church