Basketball Policies

All students currently enrolled at Blessed Sacrament School in grades 2 through 8 are welcome to participate in the Blessed Sacrament Basketball Program.  Registration will be conducted each year as scheduled.  Anyone registering late will be included only if team roster spots and leagues remain available.

The following is a list of guidelines and procedures that govern the program.  The Director must grant exception to any guideline or procedure.  Players, coaches, and parents/guardians must adhere to the following guidelines:

TEAM COMPOSITION

  • Every attempt will be made to limit the number of players per team to a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 per team.  Please recognize some teams may be required to carry more than 10 players, depending on the number of registrations.
  • The 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade teams will be divided as equally as possible using a “draft” system wherein the coaches for those teams, with Director supervision if required, choose team members.
  • There will be one (1) select team for the 7th and 8th grade teams, with the remaining players placed on developmental teams using the same system described above.
  • If any one grade level does not have enough players to form a team, players from two levels may be mixed to create a team.
  • The Director will put forth a good faith effort to locate a coach for all teams at each grade level. However, if a coach cannot be located either by the Director or the Basketball Committee through the Boosters, parents of team members must find a coach or the team will be disbanded.
  • Students who are “home-schooled” are eligible to register only if a sibling is attending Blessed Sacrament School during that school year and are only eligible to play on developmental level teams.  It is the responsibility of the parents of any home schooled student to contact the league in which the team is playing to determine if the child is eligible as per league regulations.
  • The 7th & 8th grade select teams will carry no more than 9 players, with the possibility of only 8 being chosen.
  • A tryout will be held to select both the 7th & 8th grade select teams.
  • The Director, along with the coaches and at least two non-parent volunteers contacted by the Director and the coaches will select the team based on their performance during the tryout.

ATTENDANCE

  • All players and coaches are expected to regularly attend both games and practices.  We urge that players or parents provide the coach with 24 hour notice if you anticipate not making either a game or a practice.
  • Players, coaches, and parents are accountable for their behavior during games and practices.  Blessed Sacrament players, coaches, and parents, are expected to display good sportsmanship and a positive attitude toward other coaches, players, officials, and spectators.  Our goal is to mold young lives, not win at all costs.
  • The Basketball Director and/or team coach has the authority to enforce a “Not Allowed to Play Rule” for the following: poor attendance at games and practices, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs, smoking, defiance, fighting, poor behavior or sportsmanship by either the parent or athlete.

SUPERVISION

  • Coaches are now required to attend VIRTUS training, as mandated by the Diocese of Covington and Blessed Sacrament School.  Information on training sessions can be found at www.virtus.org.
  • There are to be a minimum of two responsible adults (VIRTUS-trained) at each practice and game.  Parents, on occasion, will need to help the coaches with this required supervision.
  • In order to ensure we have two adults in attendance at any given game or practice, it is imperative that parents/guardians should be prompt in dropping off/picking up their children, out of courtesy for the coaching staff.

PLAYING TIME

  • Third through sixth grade players will receive as close to equal playing time as possible.
  • Coaches will be instructed to be fair and reasonable regarding quality playing time for each player.  Select teams for the 7th and 8th grades do not have any restrictions on playing time, but coaches will be instructed to reward each player who attends and works hard at practices with quality playing time during games.
  • Players on the 7th and 8th grade developmental teams will play at least one quarter provided there has been an honest effort on the player’s part to attend practices and games.

COMMUNICATION AND SPORTSMANSHIP

  • We will encourage our coaches to communicate regularly with the parents and the players on player progress and development regarding skills, sportsmanship, teamwork, and participation.  In addition, parents are encouraged to communicate with coaches.  We ask that you remember our coaches are volunteers and not paid professionals.  We will remind our coaches not to use negative comments or criticisms of any player in either game or practice situations and ask that parents to do not confront coaches likewise.  If you or your child is having difficulty with any particular coach, please speak to him/her in private and try to discuss any differences in a positive, professional, and adult manner.  Any issue not worked out between parent, player, and coach may be directed to the Director and ultimately the Booster Board, if necessary.
  • We appreciate having your child register to participate in the Blessed Sacrament Basketball Program and we endeavor to make it a positive experience for players, parents, and coaches alike.

PRACTICE/GYM TIME POLICY

  • Any outside gym time purchased by Blessed Sacrament Boosters will be eligible to all teams during practice slot selection procedures.
  • The order of selection will be determined by descending order (starting with 8th grade), and will rotate yearly with 8th grade girls selecting practice slots first in the even years and the boys selecting first in odd years.

TOURNAMENTS

  • It is a policy of the Blessed Sacrament Booster organization to allow each team the opportunity to play in two tournaments per season. Additional requests to play in more than two tournaments are subject to the discretion of and must be approved by the BSS Boosters Committee.