East Longmeadow Basketball Program High School Boys Intramural League - Rules and Regulations Section A: League Philosophy: The Intramural High School Basketball League was created to give high school aged students a chance to participate in a fun, safe, well structured environment. The main purpose of the league is not winning, but allowing the players a venue to continue playing basketball without the pressures of parents, coaches, playing time, winning/losing and other stressful situations that youth sports have evolved to. The league is Recreational by nature, and the ultimate goal is to have equal competition amongst all teams, fair playing time for each and every player on the roster regardless of ability, and each participant to end the year with an enjoyable experience and maybe a couple of new friends. Section B: Player Eligibility 1. All participants must be residents of East Longmeadow or attend ELHS. 2. Freshmen, J.V. and Varsity basketball players are NOT eligible to participate. Freshmen, J.V. and Varsity players of other sports (wrestling, hockey, track, etc.) are eligible to participate. 3. Rosters are limited to 10 players. Any player not on the official roster is considered to be ineligible. Any team playing with an ineligible player will forfeit the game and could possibly suffer further punishment. Section C: Participation Guidelines 1. Players/Coaches: All players must have registered prior to playing and/or practicing. Each team must have a coach that is 21 years or older. This person is responsible for submitting team rosters, scores, etc. and for the conduct of all players on the roster during that game and for all of their actions while partaking in the league. 2. Mandatory Play Rule: Each high school player present must play at least fifty percent (50%) of each game; maximum participation during each game is strongly recommended. No high schooler should play the entire game, unless only five (5) are in attendance. This rule also applies during the playoffs. a. Exceptions are allowed for injury and technical fouls. Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion (such as loss of consciousness, headache, dizziness, confusion, or balance problems) will be removed from the game and cannot return to play until cleared by a health care professional. If a player is sitting out due to a technical foul from a previous game, the opposing coach should be notified before the game. b. Enforcement of Rule: Direct enforcement of the rule will be the responsibility of each coach. Witnessed violation of this rule (by scorekeepers, official, or league coordinator) will result inforfeiture of that particular regular season or playoff game. Multiple infractions during the regular season will result in the team being excluded from playoffs. Section D: Uniforms: Players must have numbered jerseys and the same colored shirt. All coaches are responsible that names and numbers are in the official book before the game starts. The penalty for failure to comply with this section will result in one technical foul shot per infraction. Section E: Rules 1. Governing Rules: The official National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules of the current year and all of its changes if any that year will be observed except as provided below. 2. Rosters: A team must have a coach and at least five (5) team members before a game can begin. Each team will be allowed a grace period of ten (10) minutes after their scheduled start time to obtain a sufficient number of players. If after 10 minutes, one team (A) has a sufficient number of players and one team (B) doesn’t, then a. Team A may elect not to play and they win the game by forfeit. b. Team A may elect to play and a person may be picked to play for Team B providing that the coach of Team A agrees that the person selected by Team B may be utilized. The person selected may be a player from any team in the EL High School Intramural League. Once the game starts, it is considered a legal game and will be played to conclusion with the eventual winning team awarded a win and the losing team a loss. If an additional player from Team B appears during any portion of the game, that player will be required to play and the person originally selected to play will discontinue playing at the first dead ball. The jersey rule will be waived for a player selected to play such a game. c. Any team suffering two (2) losses by forfeit may be expelled from the league and will forfeit all fees and assessments. 3. Duration of Play/Timing: The game will consist of two (2) twenty (20) minute halves -- 18minute running time and 2-minute stop time. a. The ten second half court violation rule is in effect since there is no shot clock present. A team shall not be in continuous control of a ball which is in its backcourt for more than 10 consecutive seconds. b. Clock is running time. Exceptions: last 2 minutes of each half, timeouts, injuries and shooting fouls. c. If a team is up by more than 20 points, then the clock will run at all times. d. Clock follows normal high school basketball timing procedures with shooting fouls. Foul is committed clock stops, clock does not start again until ball goes live. e. Once one half has been completed the game is declared official. If during the second half the game needs to be stopped for inclement weather or other unforeseen events, the game will still be ruled as an official game. 4. Time Outs: Each team is allowed four (4) time outs per game of one-minute duration. Timeouts can be shortened when calling team is ready to play. In an overtime period, only one time out permitted per team. 5. Fouls: Each player is allowed five (5) personal fouls. One and One bonus will be administered at seven (7) team fouls. Double bonus at ten (10) team fouls. 6. Overtime: If a regular season game ends in a tie, there will be a maximum of two overtimes. The first overtime will be four minutes long, with the last two minutes stop time. The second overtime will be two minutes long with the last minute stop time. If both teams are still tied after the second overtime, the game ends in a tie. Playoff Games: There will be consecutive four minute overtimes until a winner is determined. Section F: League Decorum 1. Running Up The Score: Coaches must use good judgment, and maintain their cool when coaching their team. They are considered role models in setting a good example to their players. a. As such, no excessive running up of the score on an opponent will be tolerated. If a team is up by 20 points or more, efforts of goodwill should be exhibited (such as no fast breaks, no harassing or humiliating other team, etc.). b. Once a team is ahead by 20 points or more, that team is not allowed to full court press. c. Failure to restrict excessive running up of the score can result in a technical foul against the coach. Score sheets from every game will be reviewed and the coach of any winning team by an excessive amount may be required to explain. 2. Zero Tolerance: The league has instructed all officials to follow a zero tolerance policy when it comes to coaches, players, parents, and guests. Unsportsmanlike conduct (e.g., booing, taunting, profane language or gestures, ridiculing, yelling at officials, etc.) is not permitted. 3. Violations: a. Violation by fans may lead to being ejected from the gym. b. Violation by coaches may result in verbal warning or game forfeiture by the official. Repeated offenses may lead to a disciplinary hearing and action (including suspension). c. Violations by Players will result in a Technical Foul: Any player receiving a technical foul, regardless of reason, will be required to sit out the remainder of the half. If the technical takes place with 2 minutes or less remaining in the first half, the player will sit out the remainder of that half, and the entire second half. If the technical takes place with 2 minutes or less remaining in the second half, the player will sit out the remainder of that half, including any overtime periods, and the first half of their next game. d. Addition Technical Fouls: Two technical fouls/Thrown out = a one game suspension; Three technical fouls = meeting with Recreation Director, and a two game suspension. Four accumulated technical fouls in one season by any one player will result in suspension for the remainder of the season. The EL Recreation Department Director will decide whether any further participation allowed in EL Rec. Department programs. Five (5) accumulated technical fouls by a team in one season will result in that team being automatically eliminated from playoff consideration, and possibly further participation in the league. 4. Flagrant Fouls: Any attempt to deliberately hurt or injure another player is considered a technical foul except the player committing the foul will be suspended for at least one league game and a maximum of the entire season (the EL Recreation Department Director has complete discretion in such cases). Outright fighting among league players will not be tolerated; all such cases will result in the police being notified. Any fighting will result in the player’s disqualification from the league for one calendar year and may be considered an assault and battery. 5. It is the policy of the League that protests regarding officials’ calls will not be recognized. Section G: Cancellations and Sending in Score 1. Cancellations: Cancellations of all basketball games will be made two (2) hours before tipoff. All cancellations will be on the East Longmeadow Rec. Dept. Hotline 525-5437. 2. Calling in Scores: Winning team must e-mail the winning score into the Coordinator (pkatz6@msn.com) -- winning coach should report the date, the opponent and the score.