Welcome to Smyrna Basketball Association!
The Smyrna Basketball Association (SBA) has roughly 350 to 400 members and is continuing to grow each season. It
is important to know that the Board members of this league are all volunteers. We take tremendous pride in
providing the youth of our community with a program that is instructional, educational and fun to our members. This
league depends on help from you, the parents and guardians of our youth for its success. The amount of help we
receive from you will determine how our league does this year. This document will provide information on some ideas
on exactly how you can help your child get the most out of Smyrna Basketball a little later on in this newsletter. First
we will discuss a couple administrative items.
Fees and Expenses
There are expenses to running the league -- Referee fees, scorekeepers, gym rentals, basketballs, and uniforms are
just some of the expenses of the league. The registration fees you have paid cover all these and other expenses.
Those fees also cover the cost to have each child and coach insured.
The SBA will supply the basketball uniform consisting of a reversible jersey and a pair of shorts. It is mandatory that
all parents come to the player evaluation and have their children sized as uniform sizing varies by manufacturer and
personal taste.
There are a few other items you may need to purchase that are not included in any of the previously mentioned fees.
Although optional, we suggest that each child wear basketball specific athletic shoes particularly for the older youths.
These shoes will not mark gym floors and will provide appropriate traction / ankle support. We also recommend that
each player have his or her own basketball for practice at home and away from formal team activities. Lastly, we
suggest each child have a water bottle for games and practice to stay hydrated.
Team Formation
Each player must attend the previously mentioned player evaluation session scheduled approximately one or two-
weeks prior to the beginning of practice. You can confirm the date for the player evaluation on the SBA calendar on
our website at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com. The players are assessed for general basketball and athletic skills
in addition to the uniform sizing. These evaluation sessions allow the coaches within each age division to see your
children first-hand prior to the player draft. The player team draft takes place the week after the player evaluations in
a way that is fair and fosters very competitive games during the season. Player team notifications will take place
within a day or two of the team player draft.
Locations / Schedules
The majority of the practices and games for the younger age groups are held at Smyrna Recreation Center. The
recreation center is part of the Smyrna Village Green complex between the Smyrna Public Library and the Smyrna
Police headquarters on Atlanta Road. Older children may have practices at other gyms in our local area. You can find
specific directions to these fields on our web page at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com. You will also want to refer
to this website for schedules and information during the season.
Practices will start the on the last week of October (Oct. 27th). Depending on the coach and age group, practices will
usually be one or two nights each week. All games are played on Saturdays, beginning Saturday November 15th.
The youngest player league games are the earliest in the day progressing to the oldest players’ games later in the
afternoon. The Smyrna Recreation Center will be the location for all league games. There is an 8-game regular season
with playoffs concluding the first week of February. Schedules for all teams will complete one (1) week prior to the
season beginning. You will find these schedules posted on our web page at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com as
soon as they are completed. However unlikely, practices or games may be canceled due to snow. Assume the game is
on unless you hear otherwise from your team coordinator or check for updates at the SBA website.
Please note that there will be two breaks during the season, one for Thanksgiving and a second two-week Christmas
break, which will suspend all practices and games.
Brief Rules / Structure of Games
Game Rules can be found by clicking on this link
Volunteering: (a.ka. How You Can Help)
As mentioned earlier, the SBA is a volunteer league that depends on our parents and guardians to have a successful
season. How can you help?
Coaches/Assistant Coaches:
For U-8 it is more important that you are good with children rather than skilled in instructing the sport. We provide a
mandatory head coaches training and certification clinic prior to practice beginning. We can also provide websites,
coaching tips, and other ideas to help get you started as a coach. All ages require enthusiasm, knowledge of the
games and communication ability with both children and their responsible adults.
Assistant coaches, while not mandatory, are very useful to the head coaches. They allow the children to receive more
personal instruction and direction. Decreasing the child-to-coach ratio is always good in keeping the children engaged
and focused. They also provide the head coach with another pair of eyes during the games and practices. Assistant
coaches also provide a capable backup in case the head coach is unable to make a practice or game.
Team Parent / Coordinator:
Each team also needs a Team Parent / Coordinator (Mom or Dad). It is important that the coach is able to focus on
coaching without having to worry with other team details. Off the court is where the Team Parent steps in. This
person communicates to the parents while the coach is busy with the players and other direct coaching duties. The
Team Parent helps with phone calls for practice scheduling and distributing uniforms and Photo Day information. Most
importantly for the kids, particularly the younger ones, the Team Parent coordinates the team’s post-game snack
schedule and planning a team party (if the team desires).
The league only allows the Team Parent to pick up the uniforms for the team. This procedure assures us that
someone volunteers for this very important position prior to the season. So please let your coach know you
appreciate his/her efforts by volunteering for this important role.
SBA Board:
We also need help on the Board. So if you have ideas on how you think we can improve the League, your input
will be welcome. So stay involved and help us to provide your children with a fun, instructional and enjoyable
experience with Smyrna Basketball Association.
Parental Do's and Don'ts / Safety!
Please do not drop your younger child off at the Smyrna Recreation Center or other practice facility. Smyrna Basketball
or its coaches cannot possibly know or be responsible for every- person that may enter that recreation center. Also,
please realize that the coach will be busy with the Team. They cannot ignore the other members of the team to tend
to your child if your child needs to leave the gym floor for the rest room or any other reason. Also, the coach should
not be forced to remain with a child whose parent has left the facility and has not made it back by the time practice or
a game ends. The best of plans can go wrong -- car accidents, bad traffic, long lines at the store, lost keys, etcetera.
The coach should not be expected to stay late with a child waiting for a parent to handle these unforeseen delays.
Finally, in the rare event of an injury, it is in the child's best interest to get to medical attention immediately, rather
than waiting for phone calls to be made searching for parents, or waiting for those parents to return to the facility.
We ask that you confirm that another parent who will remain at the facility will be responsible for your child IF YOU
MUST leave the game or practice facility. Do not place that responsibility onto the coach.
Some teams may elect to put the child's name on the back of their jerseys. While the league has no policy against this
practice, please be aware of the possible risks that may be involved when complete strangers are able to address
your child by name; particularly when the child’s first name is used and the child is wearing their jersey to school,
shopping, or other locations.
Let Your Child Enjoy The Game
We want your child to enjoy the game of basketball. We imagine that you want them to do so as well. Here is a great
tip to help insure that they do: While at the Smyrna Recreation Center or practice facility, make sure all of your
comments are positive. The child that hears their parents cheering things like "Great Play" or “Good Try" will obviously
enjoy the game much more than the child hearing "Why aren't you running harder" or "I'm not bringing you here any
more if you don't do better.” Keep this tip in mind on the way home after the game as well. Give them time to relax
after the game before providing critiques that may discourage them. Positive reinforcement will go a long way toward
the children enjoying the game and continuing to play this wonderful sport.
Sportsmanship
Telling parents and guardians to behave sounds childish and insignificant. It almost sounds too ridiculous to even
discuss. Everyone knows that we need to behave. But yet, sooner or later you will see on evening news or read
about parents getting into fights with other parents, referees, or even coaches over their child’s game. In fact, a few
years ago one father beat another man to death over play that occurred in his son’s hockey game. Sportsmanship is
a very serious topic that needs to be discussed and stressed. We expect our children to display good sportsmanship.
We expect our parents to lead by example. Parents must display the good sportsmanship that we hope our kids will
copy and learn.
Here at Smyrna Basketball we stress good sportsmanship. We achieved this reputation by trying to foster a culture
where everyone realizes three simple facts. First, please remember that the other team is not the enemy. We ask
that every parent go to each game with a desire to cheer for both teams. If you see a great move by an opposing
player, cheer it. If you see a great shot, applaud. It is up to us as adults to make sure our behavior is setting good
examples for our children. Set a good sportsmanship example and your game days will be more enjoyable for you;
and more importantly, your child will enjoy the game more as well.
Second, respect the referees. Without a doubt the referees are going to make bad calls. Bad calls happen in every
sport even at the highest levels of professional competition. Basketball is a fast-paced game that changes direction
often. The referees have a lot to consider and watch. We believe that the best way to have the referees get the calls
right is to allow them to officiate the game without parental heckling or obstruction. We ask that if a bad call is made
the coach, and only the coach, should discuss the matter in a diplomatic fashion AFTER the game with the referee. The
only two words a parent or player should say to a referee are "Thank You."
Three, let the coaches coach. Remember the coaches are volunteers. They are not professionals. They are spending
their time to work with your children. Do not question their player substations or decisions during the game. Without
a doubt they are doing the best they can. Only address your concerns to a board member if you feel your child is not
getting the opportunity to play the two uninterrupted quarters per game as the League rules specify. Your team may
win or lose but ultimately the Smyrna Basketball Associate is focused on providing fun and basketball instructional for
our youth, not determining winners and losers. That philosophy carries over to our coaches also. Please support them
and thank them each week for their efforts.
Other things we can do to provide a pleasant environment at the gyms:
In closing, we feel very strongly about including good sportsmanship as part of our basketball instruction. We hope
the children learn that the other team is not the enemy, and by remembering to thank the referees and coaches, we
hope that your child will learn good sportsmanship from your example as well.
The Smyrna Basketball Association (SBA) has roughly 350 to 400 members and is continuing to grow each season. It
is important to know that the Board members of this league are all volunteers. We take tremendous pride in
providing the youth of our community with a program that is instructional, educational and fun to our members. This
league depends on help from you, the parents and guardians of our youth for its success. The amount of help we
receive from you will determine how our league does this year. This document will provide information on some ideas
on exactly how you can help your child get the most out of Smyrna Basketball a little later on in this newsletter. First
we will discuss a couple administrative items.
Fees and Expenses
There are expenses to running the league -- Referee fees, scorekeepers, gym rentals, basketballs, and uniforms are
just some of the expenses of the league. The registration fees you have paid cover all these and other expenses.
Those fees also cover the cost to have each child and coach insured.
The SBA will supply the basketball uniform consisting of a reversible jersey and a pair of shorts. It is mandatory that
all parents come to the player evaluation and have their children sized as uniform sizing varies by manufacturer and
personal taste.
There are a few other items you may need to purchase that are not included in any of the previously mentioned fees.
Although optional, we suggest that each child wear basketball specific athletic shoes particularly for the older youths.
These shoes will not mark gym floors and will provide appropriate traction / ankle support. We also recommend that
each player have his or her own basketball for practice at home and away from formal team activities. Lastly, we
suggest each child have a water bottle for games and practice to stay hydrated.
Team Formation
Each player must attend the previously mentioned player evaluation session scheduled approximately one or two-
weeks prior to the beginning of practice. You can confirm the date for the player evaluation on the SBA calendar on
our website at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com. The players are assessed for general basketball and athletic skills
in addition to the uniform sizing. These evaluation sessions allow the coaches within each age division to see your
children first-hand prior to the player draft. The player team draft takes place the week after the player evaluations in
a way that is fair and fosters very competitive games during the season. Player team notifications will take place
within a day or two of the team player draft.
Locations / Schedules
The majority of the practices and games for the younger age groups are held at Smyrna Recreation Center. The
recreation center is part of the Smyrna Village Green complex between the Smyrna Public Library and the Smyrna
Police headquarters on Atlanta Road. Older children may have practices at other gyms in our local area. You can find
specific directions to these fields on our web page at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com. You will also want to refer
to this website for schedules and information during the season.
Practices will start the on the last week of October (Oct. 27th). Depending on the coach and age group, practices will
usually be one or two nights each week. All games are played on Saturdays, beginning Saturday November 15th.
The youngest player league games are the earliest in the day progressing to the oldest players’ games later in the
afternoon. The Smyrna Recreation Center will be the location for all league games. There is an 8-game regular season
with playoffs concluding the first week of February. Schedules for all teams will complete one (1) week prior to the
season beginning. You will find these schedules posted on our web page at http://www.smyrnabasketball.com as
soon as they are completed. However unlikely, practices or games may be canceled due to snow. Assume the game is
on unless you hear otherwise from your team coordinator or check for updates at the SBA website.
Please note that there will be two breaks during the season, one for Thanksgiving and a second two-week Christmas
break, which will suspend all practices and games.
Brief Rules / Structure of Games
Game Rules can be found by clicking on this link
Volunteering: (a.ka. How You Can Help)
As mentioned earlier, the SBA is a volunteer league that depends on our parents and guardians to have a successful
season. How can you help?
Coaches/Assistant Coaches:
For U-8 it is more important that you are good with children rather than skilled in instructing the sport. We provide a
mandatory head coaches training and certification clinic prior to practice beginning. We can also provide websites,
coaching tips, and other ideas to help get you started as a coach. All ages require enthusiasm, knowledge of the
games and communication ability with both children and their responsible adults.
Assistant coaches, while not mandatory, are very useful to the head coaches. They allow the children to receive more
personal instruction and direction. Decreasing the child-to-coach ratio is always good in keeping the children engaged
and focused. They also provide the head coach with another pair of eyes during the games and practices. Assistant
coaches also provide a capable backup in case the head coach is unable to make a practice or game.
Team Parent / Coordinator:
Each team also needs a Team Parent / Coordinator (Mom or Dad). It is important that the coach is able to focus on
coaching without having to worry with other team details. Off the court is where the Team Parent steps in. This
person communicates to the parents while the coach is busy with the players and other direct coaching duties. The
Team Parent helps with phone calls for practice scheduling and distributing uniforms and Photo Day information. Most
importantly for the kids, particularly the younger ones, the Team Parent coordinates the team’s post-game snack
schedule and planning a team party (if the team desires).
The league only allows the Team Parent to pick up the uniforms for the team. This procedure assures us that
someone volunteers for this very important position prior to the season. So please let your coach know you
appreciate his/her efforts by volunteering for this important role.
SBA Board:
We also need help on the Board. So if you have ideas on how you think we can improve the League, your input
will be welcome. So stay involved and help us to provide your children with a fun, instructional and enjoyable
experience with Smyrna Basketball Association.
Parental Do's and Don'ts / Safety!
Please do not drop your younger child off at the Smyrna Recreation Center or other practice facility. Smyrna Basketball
or its coaches cannot possibly know or be responsible for every- person that may enter that recreation center. Also,
please realize that the coach will be busy with the Team. They cannot ignore the other members of the team to tend
to your child if your child needs to leave the gym floor for the rest room or any other reason. Also, the coach should
not be forced to remain with a child whose parent has left the facility and has not made it back by the time practice or
a game ends. The best of plans can go wrong -- car accidents, bad traffic, long lines at the store, lost keys, etcetera.
The coach should not be expected to stay late with a child waiting for a parent to handle these unforeseen delays.
Finally, in the rare event of an injury, it is in the child's best interest to get to medical attention immediately, rather
than waiting for phone calls to be made searching for parents, or waiting for those parents to return to the facility.
We ask that you confirm that another parent who will remain at the facility will be responsible for your child IF YOU
MUST leave the game or practice facility. Do not place that responsibility onto the coach.
Some teams may elect to put the child's name on the back of their jerseys. While the league has no policy against this
practice, please be aware of the possible risks that may be involved when complete strangers are able to address
your child by name; particularly when the child’s first name is used and the child is wearing their jersey to school,
shopping, or other locations.
Let Your Child Enjoy The Game
We want your child to enjoy the game of basketball. We imagine that you want them to do so as well. Here is a great
tip to help insure that they do: While at the Smyrna Recreation Center or practice facility, make sure all of your
comments are positive. The child that hears their parents cheering things like "Great Play" or “Good Try" will obviously
enjoy the game much more than the child hearing "Why aren't you running harder" or "I'm not bringing you here any
more if you don't do better.” Keep this tip in mind on the way home after the game as well. Give them time to relax
after the game before providing critiques that may discourage them. Positive reinforcement will go a long way toward
the children enjoying the game and continuing to play this wonderful sport.
Sportsmanship
Telling parents and guardians to behave sounds childish and insignificant. It almost sounds too ridiculous to even
discuss. Everyone knows that we need to behave. But yet, sooner or later you will see on evening news or read
about parents getting into fights with other parents, referees, or even coaches over their child’s game. In fact, a few
years ago one father beat another man to death over play that occurred in his son’s hockey game. Sportsmanship is
a very serious topic that needs to be discussed and stressed. We expect our children to display good sportsmanship.
We expect our parents to lead by example. Parents must display the good sportsmanship that we hope our kids will
copy and learn.
Here at Smyrna Basketball we stress good sportsmanship. We achieved this reputation by trying to foster a culture
where everyone realizes three simple facts. First, please remember that the other team is not the enemy. We ask
that every parent go to each game with a desire to cheer for both teams. If you see a great move by an opposing
player, cheer it. If you see a great shot, applaud. It is up to us as adults to make sure our behavior is setting good
examples for our children. Set a good sportsmanship example and your game days will be more enjoyable for you;
and more importantly, your child will enjoy the game more as well.
Second, respect the referees. Without a doubt the referees are going to make bad calls. Bad calls happen in every
sport even at the highest levels of professional competition. Basketball is a fast-paced game that changes direction
often. The referees have a lot to consider and watch. We believe that the best way to have the referees get the calls
right is to allow them to officiate the game without parental heckling or obstruction. We ask that if a bad call is made
the coach, and only the coach, should discuss the matter in a diplomatic fashion AFTER the game with the referee. The
only two words a parent or player should say to a referee are "Thank You."
Three, let the coaches coach. Remember the coaches are volunteers. They are not professionals. They are spending
their time to work with your children. Do not question their player substations or decisions during the game. Without
a doubt they are doing the best they can. Only address your concerns to a board member if you feel your child is not
getting the opportunity to play the two uninterrupted quarters per game as the League rules specify. Your team may
win or lose but ultimately the Smyrna Basketball Associate is focused on providing fun and basketball instructional for
our youth, not determining winners and losers. That philosophy carries over to our coaches also. Please support them
and thank them each week for their efforts.
Other things we can do to provide a pleasant environment at the gyms:
- Please sit in the designated areas. Please understand that confrontations may occur if we permit the parents
to stroll up and down the sidelines; so please sit. - No smoking or use of alcohol beverages as Smyrna Parks and Recreation prohibits the use of any of these
within their facilities.
In closing, we feel very strongly about including good sportsmanship as part of our basketball instruction. We hope
the children learn that the other team is not the enemy, and by remembering to thank the referees and coaches, we
hope that your child will learn good sportsmanship from your example as well.
| Parents & Players |
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