CYC South Central District

Supplemental Rules for Third Grade

 

The Third Grade League provides the opportunity to introduce all participants (players, coaches, and fans) to the goals of the CYC program and, in particular, to promote good sportsmanship.  It is a training league for players and officials and typical basketball rules will be enforced at the discretion of the referees per the level of play.  Any coach or fan exhibiting unsportsmanlike behavior (such as questioning referee calls) will be asked to leave by the adult referee or the adult gym monitor.  This is a training league providing recreational basketball.  Team and individual efforts should be praised by officials, coaches, and fans.  Fun and laughter should be the norm.  There should be no mention of winners and losers. 

 

Adult Gym Monitor.  An adult gym monitor must be present.  Consider using the same adult gym monitor to provide program continuity.

 

Officials.  If the game is not being used to train referees, all referees must be in high school or

above.  Exceptions can be made if the second official has at least three years of refereeing experience.  All scorekeepers and timers must be in at least the 7^th grade.  Third grade games can be training opportunities for scorekeepers, timers, and referees who are in the 7^th or 8^th grade as long as a third adult referee participates also. 

 

Playing Time.  Playing time must be distributed equally among all participants.  Players should participate in each half.

 

Periods.  Four 9-minute periods will be played.  A running clock will be used except for the last two minutes of the game.  In the last two minutes of the game the clock will be stopped for violations unless one team is leading by 10 points or more.  There will be a one-minute break between periods and a five-minute half time.

 

Time Outs.  Three time outs per game are allowed.

 

Tie Score.  In the event of a tie score at the end of a regulation time, no overtime period will be paid.

 

Free Throws.  Free throws are shot from the bottom of the free throw circle.  The shooter is allowed to step over the circle on the follow-through.

 

To avoid delays, coaches should train players on lining up for free throws.

 

Defensive Area.  In the front court, the defending team must remain in the three-point arc.  If a three-point arc is not marked in a gym, the defensive area will be defined before the game.  If a team does not remain in the defensive area, the referee may stop play to organize the defensive team.  The offensive teams retains possession of the ball.

 

After a team has established control of the ball in its back court -- after the opening tip-off, following a turnover, on a rebound, and on any throw-in in the back court -- the defensive team must retreat (“drop”) to the opposite court without applying any defensive pressure.

 

After the offensive team has moved the ball over the half court line, she/he has 5 seconds to move the ball

into the defensive area.  (Referees will use discretion in interpreting the 5 second count, as its intent is to

prevent stalling by the offense; the 5 second count may be “stretched” as long as the offense is making an

effort to advance the ball.) 

 

No trapping.   Deliberate double-teaming, where two defensive players guard a single offensive player, is

not allowed anywhere on the court at any time during the game.  This activity is obvious when it occurs far

away from the basket and the defensive team attempts to “pin” the offensive player against an out-of-bounds

line or the mid-court division line.  Situations “in traffic,” especially near the basket, will not be considered

trapping -- e.g., the offensive player attempts to dribble between two defensive players, two players react

instinctively to an offensive move, or two players are simply confused about whom to guard.

 

Interpretation of rules.  Calling violations (e.g., traveling, double dribble, 3 seconds) will be at the

discretion of the referee and the enforcement of violations will become stricter as the weeks progress.  The

suggested time frame in which violations are called is as follows.  Obvious violations such as running down

the court will be called always.  Note that the referee may make calls towards the end of the game to

insure that each team scores.

 

                        Weeks 1-2                    Referee Discretion

                        Weeks 3-4                    Traveling and Double Dribble

                        Weeks 5-6                    Three Seconds

                        Weeks 7-8                    Officiate at fourth grade training level