Basketball Ministry

For students in Grade K-8
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Our Mission

To instill Christ-like principles in our student-athletes (grades K-8) and to build a community through basketball while providing an excellent athletic experience for all ability levels in a Christian environment.

Our Ministry Exists To:

  1. Teach respect for self and others.
  2. Teach teamwork and responsibility.
  3. Integrate sports into spiritual life.
  4. Promote exercise and healthy living.
  5. Give families an opportunity to have a shared experience and connect with one another.
  6. Provide an activity that embraces our community and builds lasting relationships.
 
Our staff is made up of volunteers who are screened and committed to providing a safe and positive environment for our families.

Registration

Helpful Information:

  • Registration fee per player is $115
  • Your registration fees pay for your student: basketball uniform, equipment, gym rental fees, and officials.
  • There will NOT be a draft where coaches are to draw and pick players. All students will be assigned to their teams by our basketball ministry staff after tryout, to ensure the best experience for all our student-athletes. No exception
  • If you are a volunteer coach/parent, you may still coach your own child. But you will not be able to make any request to join an existing team or choose an assistant coach. All coach and roster assignments will be done only our basketball ministry staff.
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General Rules

*please review carefully

Uniform
All players must wear uniforms. The cost of the uniform is included in your registration fee. For your child’s safety and to help us keep the gym floors in good condition, please be sure your child has appropriate footwear for basketball.

Snacks/Food/Drinks/ Gym Regulations
Most teams ask parents to volunteer to bring snacks for the team each week. All snacks, food, and drinks are prohibited inside the gym; only water bottles are allowed inside. Please help us keep the facility clean by cleaning up after ourselves and being mindful that trash is discarded appropriately. Any outside chairs brought in must have rubber bottoms, no metal.

Code of Conduct
  • To ensure the best experience for all participants, all players must have equal playing time.
  • To facilitate a conducive environment to teach respect, teamwork and responsibility, we want our coaches to only coach with encouragement, and such, put downs or yelling at any player is outside of our values and could result in eviction from the game or ministry. Please refrain from excessive yelling during the game and from any use of foul language anywhere and at anytime in our ministry.
  • We will be enforcing this code with 2 warnings: the 1st warning will come from any of our basketball ministry staff. The 2nd warning will be accompanied by an LLA Administrator and security to escort you out of the facility. No refunds will be processed on grounds of eviction once you have registered.


Schedule for Winter 2027

Schedule for Winter 2027
Registration: Opens Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 8am - Closes Sunday December 6 at 5pm
Orientation/Picture Day: Sunday January 10, 2027, 9am
Season: Saturday January 16, 2027 - Sunday February 21, 2027

Our Mission

To instill Christ-like principles in our student-athletes (grades K-8) and to build a community through basketball while providing an excellent athletic experience for all ability levels in a Christian environment.

K-1/Division 5

  1. Appropriate gym shoes and league uniform.
  2. Game is played with coaches on the court.
  3. Freedom is given to coaches to instruct kids on who to pass the ball to and which player is to take the shot.
  4. Equal playing time is given to each player and equal opportunity to shoot a basket.
  5. There are four, ten-minute quarters in a game.
  6. Size 5 ball (27.5’’) and 8-foot hoop
  7. Running Clock
  8. No official defense is played. Defense stands in key with hands up, and offense is allowed to shoot. Both teams may battle for the rebound. Offense gets a maximum of 3 opportunities per possession.

Grades 2-3/Division 4

  1. Size 5 basketball (27.5″) and 10-foot hoop.
  2. Appropriate gym shoes and league uniform.
  3. Free throw line is at 8′.
  4. Each player is to take a minimum of 2 shots per half and have equal playing time.
  5. Two free throw shots are awarded for violation of #4.
  6. The defense will stay in the key for the first offensive shot for each possession. If the offense goes into the key prior to their first shot, per possession, the defense may play defense. If the offense gets an offensive rebound, then full half-court defense is allowed for the remainder of the possession.
  7. Five seconds in the key for offensive players.
  8. Inbound violations are only warnings and players are given a “redo”.
  9. “Light” officiating used to keep game moving (traveling, double dribble, etc.)
  10. Clock only momentarily stops for player substitutions halfway through each quarter
  11. Coach may walk along their own sideline

Grades 4-5/Division 3

  1. Size 6 basketball (28.5″) and 10-foot hoop.
  2. Appropriate gym shoes and league uniform.
  3. Free throw line is 10′.
  4. No full court press until the fourth quarter (half court defense).
  5. Five seconds in the key is enforced.
  6. Clock only momentarily stops for player substitutions halfway through each quarter, or if the game is within 10 points with 2 minutes remaining
  7. If a team goes up by 25, their scoreboard will no longer go up, until the opposing team cuts the deficit under 25. We are not trying to embarrass teams.
  8. Coach must stay at team's bench.

Grade 6-8/Division 2

  1. Size 7 ball (29.5”) and 10-foot hoop.
  2. Appropriate gym shoes and league uniform.
  3. Free throw line is 12′.
  4. No full court press until the fourth quarter (half court defense).
  5. Five seconds in the key is enforced.
  6. Clock only momentarily stops for player substitutions halfway through each quarter, or if the game is within 10 points with 2 minutes remaining
  7. If a team goes up by 25, their scoreboard will no longer go up, until the opposing team cuts the deficit under 25. We are not trying to embarrass teams.
  8. Coach must stay at team's bench.
  9. If there are enough players, 2 all girls teams will be made and use size 6 ball (28.5”)

Please be sure to read and review this page carefully before registering, as updates have been made recently

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*For further questions, please contact us at (909)825-8611 during our office hours or email us at basketball@azurehills.org.