Travel League is a competitive program that is separate from House League. It is a much bigger time commitment for players and their parents. Each year travel teams are established, generally for players in 4th through 8th grade. Travel teams are usually formed a few weeks after the House League season begins for grades 4-6. They have additional practices separate from House League and play games and tournaments against teams from other schools. For grades 7-8, travel teams are established right after their school modified season ends.
Eligibility to Participate
Players must be properly registered and actively participate in the MYB House League to be eligible to participate on a travel team. If a player is offered a spot on a travel team (see below regarding Team Selection) they must register for the travel team and pay the registration fee before they can participate. Players who fail to properly register and pay the registration fee before the first travel team practice may be removed from the roster absent prior approval from either the MYB Boys or Girls’ Coordinator or MYB President.
Team Selection
Participating in MYB’s House League does not guarantee that a player will be on a travel team, it simply makes them eligible. Coaches will hold tryouts each year for travel teams in grades 4-6. Coaches must allow all players who participate in House League the opportunity to try out for a travel team. Coaches must announce at least one week in advance the date and time of travel team tryouts to all parents of players who participate in that grade’s House League. Shortly after tryouts are complete, the travel team coach will notify parents whether their child is being offered a spot on the travel team. Travel teams in grades 7-8 are exempt and do not need to hold a tryout.
Travel team coaches have discretion to determine the appropriate number of players who are offered spots on a travel team. However, travel teams are typically limited to approximately 8-10 players.
Once a player has been notified of their selection for a travel team, they must register for the travel team on MYB’s website. This is a separate registration from House League and an additional fee must be paid to complete registration. The travel team registration fee pays for a portion of each player’s uniform. MYB funds the remaining uniform costs and provides coaches with an allotment of funds to pay for tournaments and games each season. MYB’s fee is a small fraction of what AAU and club teams charge for the same service which, as of 2023, ranges from about $750 - $1,000 per season.
If your child is not offered a spot on a travel team, please do not be discouraged from continuing with basketball. Children develop at different rates and many will develop into excellent players as they get older. That is why MYB maintains a House League to provide opportunities for all children to practice and play. Also, MYB can provide additional resources for children to work on their basketball skills outside of MYB upon request.
Parent/Guardian Commitment to the MYB Tournament
MYB hosts two annual basketball tournaments for boys and girls. The boys MYB tournament typically goes from Friday to Sunday, the weekend that February break begins. The girls MYB tournament is typically two to three weeks after the boys’ tournament.
MYB’s tournaments are consistently praised by coaches, referees and fans as one of the very best basketball tournaments in Upstate New York. This is in large part due to the volunteerism of our travel team parents who assist with things like admissions, concessions, scorekeeping and bookkeeping. Therefore, as a condition for your child participating on a travel team, at least one parent or guardian of each child must sign up for at least two volunteer slots during each MYB tournament in which their child participates. Thus, if you have a 4th grade boy and a 5th grade girl who play travel, you must sign up for two volunteer slots for each tournament. MYB reserves the right to prohibit players from participating if their parents/guardians fail to volunteer as promised.
Additionally, MYB provides a budget for each travel team coach to help pay for the cost of tournaments, leagues and referees. Some travel teams decide to participate in additional tournaments or games that go beyond their budget. When this occurs parents may be asked to contribute toward this cost.
Playing Time
Playing time is not guaranteed for players on a travel team. This is competitive basketball, and coaches use their discretion to decide playing time. MYB encourages coaches to try and get all players on the court in each game, and to maximize playing time for non-starters in lopsided games. However, there are times when this may not happen particularly in close games. Part of player development is understanding this concept and learning to be a supportive teammate even if you receive little or no playing time in a particular game.
If you are concerned about this issue, you should discuss your child’s likelihood of playing time with the travel team coach when deciding whether to accept a spot on the team. MYB coaches will be respectful and honest with parents on the issue. However, keep in mind that some kids have started out with little playing time on a travel team in earlier grades and worked their way into significant playing time or starting roles by 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. Players gain much from being on a travel team even if they don’t see the court as much as they would like.
Scheduling
MYB understands that last minute scheduling or changes are disruptive to families, and we do our best to avoid this and provide a reliable schedule in advance. MYB is fortunate to have a school district that supports our program and allows us to use its gyms. However, school programs and events take priority over MYB, and we do not control gym access. There are times when MYB is informed with limited notice that previously reserved gym time is no longer available. This happens more frequently at DMS and occurs for many reasons including the rescheduling of school events due to weather. MYB promptly notifies coaches and parents when this occurs, and we ask for your patience and understanding. Please do not blame coaches as it is not their fault.
Also, some parents ask why we don’t have set practice days throughout the season like the school teams. We generally can accomplish this for teams who practice in KCH. However, gym availability at DMS varies weekly making it challenging to establish set days of practice. For example, one week we may receive four hours of gym time on Wednesday, the following week we may receive one hour or no time.
Travel coaches must request gym time from the Boys or Girls’ Coordinator. When gym time is limited or there is a conflict, gym time is prioritized as follows (1) House League games and practices, (2) travel team games and practices for grades 4-6 and (3) travel team games and practices for grades 7-8.
Gym Etiquette
A dirty or wet floor is slippery and dangerous. Salt damages gym floors. Therefore, players are required to wear street shoes when entering the building and must change into their basketball shoes in the hallway before entering the gym. Players cannot wear their street shoes when walking on the court. Similarly, players may only wear clean basketball shoes on the court. When players wear their basketball shoes outside and enter the court, particularly during winter months, it makes the court dirty and wet. For the same reason parents and guests should not walk across the court with street shoes. Please use the hallway and enter near the bleachers to avoid getting the court dirty or wet.
Rules
Travel teams generally play under high school rules, except that 4th grade leagues and tournaments typically do not allow the use of zone defense and either prohibit or limit pressing to the final two minutes of each half. Most leagues and tournaments (including MYB’s annual tournaments) use a 28.5” basketball for boys and girls grades 4-6. For 7th and 8th grade, boys use a 29.5” basketball while girls continue using a 28.5” basketball. Travel team coaches must check the applicable rules with any league or tournament in advance to prepare as we have seen some deviation on the boy’s side over the years where a 29.5” basketball may be used as early as 6th grade.
Referees
Travel teams participate in leagues and/or tournaments in which paid referees are used. However, travel teams may participate in scrimmages in which volunteer coaches or Marcellus students who are experienced basketball players and in grades 7-12 serve as referees. We require that coaches, players, parents and other fans show patience and respect toward referees.
Behavioral Expectations
All players, coaches, parents and guests who participate in or observe MYB practices and games must always be courteous. Coaches are expected to always act professionally towards players, parents and referees. Coaches must engage in positive reinforcement that builds up the child’s desire to play, learn and work hard. Likewise, players and their parents are expected to show coaches and referees courtesy and respect. Our coaches volunteer significant time that allows our children to gain valuable basketball experience for very little cost and their effort should be appreciated.
MYB reserves the right to remove coaches and players from its program for failing to meet these basic expectations. Likewise, MYB coordinators, coaches, board members and referees may remove parents and guests from practices and games for using inappropriate language and/or harassing other fans, players, coaches or referees.
Questions regarding Travel League policies should be sent to: myouthbasketball@gmail.com