Mercer-Lunsford Basketball League 2010-11 House League Program Coaches Information Package

1. Mercer-Lunsford Basketball League 2010-11 House League Program Coaches Information Package

2. Message from the Commissioner Dear MBL House League Coaches, Welcome to the 2010-11 Season. We continue grow and thrive, and have become the premiere basketball league in Loudoun County. We have a great leadership team in place to allow us to continue to serve the kids of Dulles South. We continue to grow, and with our additions of Buffalo Trail ES and Lunsford Middle School, we are poised to continue to expand our offerings. The success of our league begins with you, the coaches. The purpose of this packet and this important meeting is to kick off the healthy relationship that we will form between the coaches, board and most importantly, the kids. My door is always open, but I have a great team of volunteers that makes my job so much easier. Have a great season, and thank you for your valuable service to this great community. Sincerely, Bill Morris, President and Commissioner Mercer-Lunsford Basketball League www.mlblhoops.com info@mlblhoops.com

3. Agenda/Table of Contents • Introductions • PVOA Commissioner – Jim Gammie • True Athletic Performance – Rob Rose • Conduct • Points of Emphasis • Evaluation Process and Schedule • Draft Process and Schedule • Assistant Coaches • Practices, Games and Playoff Schedule • Communication & Inclement Weather • Special Events • MLBL Kickoff Jamboree • Pictures • MLBL Nights at Freedom HS • MLBL Night at Verizon Center • All Stars and Post Season

4. Introductions • Board Members • Bill Morris, President and League Commissioner • Barb Malinowski, VP of Marketing, Communications, Fundraising • Dave Baker, Travel Commissioner • Gary Jones, Girls Commissioner • Chip Heaney, Boys Commissioner- 7th and 8th Grade • Barton Phillips, Boys Commissioner – 5th and 6th Grade • John Revilla, Boys Commissioner – 3rd and 4th Grade

5. Officials Commissioner Jim Gammie, Commissioner Potomac Valley Officials Association

6. MBL Basketball PARTNERSHIP 2010-11 ….where TRUE athletes train!

7. Conduct • Zero Tolerance Policy • If a coach or player is ejected from a game: • Automatic next game suspension • Review from board before reinstatement • 2nd offense – gone for the season • Referees are going to make mistakes, just like your players are going to make mistakes. Live with it. Let it go. • Set the example for your team, and do not tolerate it from your kids • SPORTSMANSHIP. It is the name of the game.

8. Point of Emphasis: Playing Time • Playing time rules: • Minimum 50% for every player • Exceptions to minimum must be approved in writing • Injury exceptions must be reported to opposing coach and Division Coordinator • Maximum playing time rules • 2nd Grade – 30 of the 40 minutes • 3rd/4th Grade – 18 of the 24 minutes • 5th/6th Grade - 20 of the 24 minutes • 7th/8th Grade – 24 of the 28 minutes • Exceptions to maximum only if team has 7 or fewer players and must be reported to opposing coach and DC

9. Point of Emphasis: Playing Time • Playing time enforcement: • Volunteer from your team will keep track of opposing team’s playing time • Playing time sheets will be turned in with the game reports • Do not confront a coach during the game • Penalties for violations: • 1st offense – warning • 2nd offense –Coach receives 1 game suspension and team forfeits that game • 3rd offense –Coach is suspended for season and team forfeits that game

10. Point of Emphasis: Scorekeepers • Scorers & Timers are part of officiating crew • No cheering from the scorer’s table • No comments from the scorer’s table • No coaching from the scorer’s table • Assistant coaches cannot be scorekeeper • Scorekeepers do not track playing time • Separate volunteers required for that role

11. Player Evaluations • Evaluations (Grades 3-8): • We ask all players to attend one of the two evaluation sessions • Coaches rank players based on skills • Coaches rankings are collected, tabulated and averaged • Coaches rankings and groupings are shared among coaches at draft day • Rankings are used only for the draft and are used for parity purposes. Rankings and draft order is never to be shared with the players or parents

12. Evaluation Process • Registration • Skills Station • Free Throws • Layups • Dribbling • Shuttle Run • Half Court Scrimmage • Registration and skill stations to be operated by league volunteers • Coaches evaluate scrimmage and provide assessment scores electronically • Division Coordinator compiles results and ranks players

13. Proposed Layout for Evaluation

14. Evaluation Items for Coaches Coaches can print and use this worksheet during the evaluation Coaches send this file electronically

15. Evaluation Schedule 3rd/4th Grade Girls  • Sat. Oct 16 at Liberty ES (1:00pm – 2:30pm) • 3rd Graders report at 1:00pm • 4th Graders report at 1:45pm • Tue Oct 19 at Buffalo Trail ES (6:15pm – 7:15pm) • All Report at 6:15pm 5th/6th Grade Girls • Sun. Oct 17 at Freedom HS Aux (6:00pm – 7:30pm) • 5th Graders report at 6:00pm • 6th Graders report at 6:45pm • Mon. Oct 18 at Arcola ES (8:00pm – 9:00pm) • All report at 8:00pm  7th/8th Grade Girls • Sun. Oct 17 at Freedom Aux (7:30pm – 9:00pm) • 7th Graders report at 7:30pm • 8th Graders report at 8:15pm • Wed. Oct 20 at Buffalo Trail ES (6:15pm – 7:30pm) • All Report at 6:15pm 3rd/4th Grade Boys • Sat. Oct 16 at Liberty ES (9:00am – 12:15pm) • 3rd Graders Last Name A-L 9:00am • 3rd Graders Last Name M-Z 9:45am • 4th Graders Last Name A-L  10:30am • 4th Graders Last Name M-Z  11:15am • Mon Oct 18 at Arcola ES (6:15pm – 7:45pm) • All Report at 6:15pm    5th/6th Grade Boys • Sun. Oct 17  at Freedom HS Main (3:00pm – 6:00pm) • 5th Graders Last Name A-L  3:00pm • 5th Graders Last Name M-Z  3:45pm • 6th Graders Last Name A-L  4:30pm • 6th Graders Last Name M-Z  5:15pm  • Tue Oct 19 at Buffalo Trail Elementary (7:30pm – 9:00pm) • All report at 7:30pm 7th/8th Grade Boys • Sun. Oct 17   at Freedom HS Main (6:15pm – 9:00pm) • 7th Graders Last Name A-L  6:15pm • 7th Graders Last Name M-Z  6:45pm • 8th Graders Last Name A-L  7:30pm • 8th Graders Last Name M-Z  8:00pm  • Wed Oct 20 at Buffalo Trail ES (7:30pm – 9:00pm) • All Report at 7:30pm

16. Draft Process • Draft Rules: • Coaches pull numbers out of hat to determine draft order • Snake Order for Draft: • Rounds 1, 4, 6, 8: Team 1, Team 2……Team 8, Team 9 • Rounds 2, 3, 5, 7, 9: Team 9, Team 8……Team 2, Team 1 • Child of coach will be placed in the appropriate round according to their rankings. These placements will be agreed upon by the coaches and the board member prior to the start of the draft. • Assistant coaches are not guaranteed. If agreed to by all the coaches, will try and pair up assistant coaches.

17. Blue/Gold Divisions • Boys Divisions will divide into Blue/Gold: • 3/4 Boys • Top 72 kids (as ranked by coaches) will be placed in Gold division [8 teams of 9 players] • Remaining players will be placed in Blue Division • 5/6 Boys and 7/8 Boys: • Top 54 kids (as ranked by coaches) will be placed in Gold division [6 teams of 9 players] • Remaining players will be placed in Blue Division

18. Draft Schedule Monday, October 25, 7:00pm at Freedom HS Cafeteria: • 3rd and 4th Grade Boys Gold • 5th and 6th Grade Boys Gold • 7th and 8th Grade Boys Gold Tuesday, October 26, 7:00pm at Freedom HS Cafeteria: • 3rd and 4th Grade Girls • 5th and 6th Grade Girls • 7th and 8th Grade Girls Wednesday, October 27, 7:00pm at Freedom HS Cafeteria: • 3rd and 4th Grade Boys Blue • 5th and 6th Grade Boys Blue • 7th and 8th Grade Boys Blue

19. 2nd Grade Team Placement • 2nd Graders will not go through evaluation process • 2nd Graders will be grouped and assigned by Commissioner • Groupings based on schools, coaches, etc. • Designed to be introductory and developmental league

20. What you need for Evaluations and Drafts Evaluations • Print a copy of the MLBL Player Evaluation Sheets • Record statistics and notes • Fill out Evaluation Results to send to Coordinator Drafts • Coordinator will provide MLBL Player Evaluation Stats • Bring a copy with your notes to the draft • Review picks and be prepared to select players

21. Assistant Coaches and Special Requests • Assistant coaches are not guaranteed • All head coaching slots must be filled before we can match an assistant coach with a head coach • In the divisions where we are short head coaches, two volunteers who requested to be assistants will be asked to pair up and take a team • Assistant Coach’s child will be placed in the same manner as the head coach’s child • Special requests by parents will be noted and we will work to try and accommodate as best we can without disrupting the goal of parity

22. Practices, Games and Playoffs House League, grades 3-8 • Practices begin Monday, November 15 • Practices slots for Sat Nov 20 will be assigned • No Activities November 22-28 • Games begin Saturday, December 4 • No activities December 22 – January 2 • Regular season ends by Sat Feb 19 • Playoffs February 26 – March 5 • Championships March 6-7

23. 2nd Grade Schedule • 4 Saturday Training Sessions • November 20, December 5, 12, 19 • Weeknight practices begin December 6 • Scrimmage games will begin after the Holiday break • Scrimmages officiated by coaches • League focus on development

24. Coaches Clinic • Freedom High School Coaches and True AP will be offering a FREE coaches clinic • Date and Time TBD • Learn practice drills and what to focus on this season • Conditioning and training skills from TrueAP

25. Communication • All communication should run through the coach • Please set up e-mail list and phone tree • Please stay on top of messages and communicate with parents • Use web site as resource for schedules • Go through the Division Commissioners • E-Mail Address on contact list in back

26. Inclement Weather • Inclement weather general rules: • If schools are closed, gyms are closed • If schools close early, gyms are closed • If schools open late, gyms are open • Generally, decision is made by 4:15pm • Occasional blackouts for school functions • Parks and Rec hotline – 703-777-0456 • Information always posted on website

27. MLBL Kickoff Jamboree • Saturday, December 4 at Freedom HS • Team Parade • Guest Speakers • Prize Raffle 6:00pm to 8:00pm after the week 1 games

28. Pictures • Pictures taken the following days: • Sat. Dec 11th (Alternate date will be set up in January) • Scheduled around game times that day • Jan will be reserved for make-ups; want to try and get pictures done at first date

29. MLBL Nights at Freedom HS Wednesday, December 10: FHS Boys vs George Mason Wednesday, January 26: FHS Girls vs. Dominion • Players admitted free with uniform on and paying adult • Good chance for a team social activity • Special halftime activities will include Mercer players • Will try to reschedule practices on these nights if the teams desire to attend

30. MLBL Night at Verizon Center • Saturday, Mar 12, 7:00pm • Every player and coach receives a ticket • Additional Tickets for parents/family will be available for purchase • All-Stars will play on court earlier that day • Lots of incentives for our league • A fun night is promised! • Ticket orders due January 31. • Assign a team parent to handle.

31. All Stars Saturday, Mar 12 at the Verizon Center • In-House All Star Event planned for Sat Mar 12 to end the season • Games played at the Verizon Center as part of MBL night at the Verizon Center • 3rd/4th, 5th/6th, and 7th/8th will have all star selections play on the NBA court • All Star games 1-5; Wizards game at 7:00 • All MBL players and coaches receive free ticket • Discount tickets for family for $22 each

32. Each league commissioner will be discussing details and answering any questions you may have Breakout Session