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View Full Version : Youth basketball coaches -- what ages do you change goal height/basketball sizes?



Darrell KSR
01-07-2013, 10:09 AM
We are in our last year of playing with a 28.5" (women's regulation size) basketball for my 6th grade team. We switched from a 9' goal to a 10' goal when we began playing 5th grade.

Next year (7th grade) we will go to full men's regulation size basketball.

The reason I asked is we are playing in two different leagues--our church/school league, and a "scrimmage" league, by invitation with other schools. In that scrimmage league, we are playing with a full men's regulation size basketball. They started this year; 5th grade, they used a 28.5" size basketball.

It made me curious as to what you did. I know there are plenty of youth coaches on here, and was just curious. If you don't mind, share the following:

Age/Grade
Height of goal
Size of basketball
Free throw distance
Length of game
"Press" rules

Here's our Alabama parochial league rules:

1st/2nd grade - 8 foot goal, 27.5" basketball, 10' free throw distance, 6 minute quarters, no press until ball invades 3-point arc, but can full-court press last minute of game and overtime.
3rd/4th grade - 9 foot goal, 27.5" basketball, 12' free throw distance, 6 minute quarters, half-court press allowed only except last minute of game and overtime
5th/6th grade - 10 foot goal, 28.5" basketball, 15' free throw distance, 7 minute quarters, full court press allowed all game
7th grade & up - 10 foot gal, men's regulation size 30" basketball, 15' free throw distance, 8 minute quarters, full court press allowed all game

CitizenBBN
01-08-2013, 04:22 PM
Darrell no one has replied b/c there's still a lot of animosity here about the Navy Blue Angels. some appreciate what you did for the program and while things weren't great at the end it's just time to move on, some are pretty resentful of the way you ran that once great program down to mediocrity and just don't get how you even got another job.

:)

Lfbj00
01-09-2013, 02:21 AM
Darrell, I can give you the info that I know of for some of our leagues here in Louisville. My son is 11, soon to be 12, in the 6th grade at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. His leagues are as follows:

Highview/Okolona Optimist League:

All leagues are co-Ed, but we tend to lose the girls after the 11-12 year old group.

4,5,6 year olds play on 8 foot rims, running cross-court on the side rims. They usually play two games at a time, one on each half court end. They play with a 27.5 inch ball. Four 6 minute quarters, with a continuous running clock. No pressing. Roughly 8 foot f/t line.

7 and 8 year olds play with a 28.5 inch ball. 10 foot rim. Four 6 minute quarters. No full court press allowed until the last 2 minutes of the 4th quarter. 12-15 foot f/t, mainly depending on the skill level of the player.

9 and 10 year olds play with the 28.5 inch ball. Same rules as 7-8, except they can press the whole 4th quarter, and 15 foot f/t.

11 and 12 year olds play with the 28.5 inch ball. Normal basketball rules except ball size.

13-15 and 16-18 year old leagues are regulation everything.

Last year my son's elementary school league was 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade eligible co-Ed. They played with the 28.5 ball, with regulation rules except no 1st half pressing.

His middle school team this year is also governed by the KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association), so they play regulation basketball rules. Participating schools may have a 6th grade team, and a 7th/8th grade team, for both boys and girls.

jacksmith
06-19-2013, 02:23 AM
Thanks for sharing information.