Updated Thursday, January 26, 2012 ß We suggest using your browser’s “REFRESH” option every time you return to MCBA’s web site.

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Game Schedules

The complete week-by-week game schedule is now available. Click HERE for that document.

The fifth week (February 4th) was revised 1/16/2012, for RG and JG leagues. Printable league schedules were added 1/18/2012.

Team and Individual Pictures...expect them to be available, at the same location they were taken, on Saturday, January 28^th. “Up in the air,” at this time, is where they might be found by the teams with “byes” that day, but those teams should feel free to come in on the 28^th.

Coaches’ Exhibition Games...every other year, usually, we invite our coaches to play mini-games, one league against another, for the fun of it and to raise money for scholarships. Well, THIS is “every other year” and the games are set for Saturday, February 18^th, 6:00-9:00pm at LD Bell High School. Details are coming in a week or so, including those coveted (or dreaded – depends on how out of shape your coaches might be) invitations to our CERTIFIED coaches, both head and assistant. Even our referees form a team! Great chance to whoop and holler for your coach, for them to show off, and for everyone to have a great time. Mark your calendars!

Practices...

Parents: Do not bring food or drink into the elementary school gyms. Your coaches should remind you; this is a CONDITION of the agreement that allows MCBA use of the school gyms. Do not leave unattended children at the gyms and control the siblings of players. Only coaches and players on the gym floor. These, and a few other “decorum” points, should be posted near the gym door. Please cooperate with the coaches. Parents are welcome observers of practices!

Everyone: The terms of our “license” with the H-E-B ISD for use of the elementary school gyms include specific time limits. Do not start practices before 6:30pm or 7:45pm (depending on the “shift”) and end practices at 7:45pm or 9:00pm, promptly. If necessary, school custodians might not open their buildings until the first scheduled start time and then turn off the lights at the last scheduled end time. “Don’t push your luck.”

Our web site has a search engine feature. Try it: to search MCBA’s web site. A new window will open.

This search engine scans through the files on this web site “now,” which makes updates (especially additions) show up immediately: We do not use a “cache.” A search for “bobby smith” might take about 8-10 seconds.

MCBA has published Frequently Asked Questions since 1999-2000.
for the FAQ for the 2011/12 season.	for the printed version of the FAQ. This is in “booklet form,” intended to be duplex printed (both sides) and stapled for distribution at player registration.

MCBA has many informational materials for reference:

Document	HTML Version	PDF Version
MCBA’s Bylaws †	Click	Click
MCBA’s Rules †	Click	Click
Player Draw Rule Explanation, Rulings †	Click	Click
Rookie League Rules Summary †	Click	Click
Junior League Rules Summary †	Click	Click
Major League Rules Summary †	Click	Click
Senior League Rules Summary †	Click	Click
Coaching Box Rule †	Click	Click
Player Participation Policy †	Click	Click
Criminal Background Check Policy for Coaches †	Click	Click
MCBA’s Awards Policy †	Click	Click
Background information about our tournaments †	Click	Click
Post-Season Tournament Notes †	Click	Click
Rules and Conduct at Practices †	Click	Click
Reference for Clock Keepers and Scorekeepers †	Click	Clock Keepers Scorekeepers
A simple check list for MCBA coaches †	Click	Click
Often Heard Gripes (by kids!) †	Click	Click
Attachment to License (“contract”) †	n/a	Click
Nonschool Use of School Facilities †	Click	Click
Calendar of Events †	n/a	Click
Practice Session Selection Memo	Click	Click School Map †
Reference material primarily for MCBA’s Commissioners	Click	Reference Compensation
Reference material primarily for MCBA’s Coaches	Click	Click
Discussion of uniform colors and numbers	Click	Click
Credit Card Policy	Click	Click

† Most of the items listed above, and several others, are included in Reference Information for MCBA’s Coaches and Officials, 2011-2012 Season. This is in “booklet” form, intended to be printed on both sides of the paper, folded and stapled (the pages appear out of order unless printed the way designed). Head coaches receive a copy at the time of team formation.

for the cover and for the content of the booklet.

These documents are available only in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF):

Coaches’ Application Form – no matter when a person wishes to become an MCBA coach, he or she must complete and submit these two pages. Player Registration Forms – We use a GIRL’S Form and a BOY’S Form to avoid mistakes (weird things once happened!). It’s too late to register for this season.
“Block” a Team or Coach Scholarship Policy and Sample Form To go along with the MCBA Player Participation Policy: Worksheet to help plan player substitution and playing time Click HERE for a completed example of the player participation worksheet	National Federation Instructions for Scorers and Timers National Federation Basketball Signals National Federation Basketball Uniforms Specifications National Federation Basketball Court Diagram NFHS Suggested Guidelines for Management of Concussion

for our 2011-2012 calendar of events. MCBA used the H-E-B ISD school calendar as a guide, adjusting our schedule to begin following Winter Break and end with a week to spare before Spring Break.

We routinely produce a “Quick Status Report” from our records following key events, one page that shows us “where we stand.” for the end-of-season status reports since 2005, working backwards from the most recent season.

for a registration analysis (size of leagues), each season since 1996. to see where our players attended school (demographic) each season since 2005. These are now completed for the 2012 season.

for MCBA’s voting members – head coaches and the board of directors.

for the season’s budget.

for a “Quick Status Report.” This is a summary of where we stand thru 1/26/2012. We have stopped adding assistant coaches.

Many of the following “click here’s” open a new window in your browser because there’s potentially page-after-page to go through.

for the list of coaches. for the list of players. for the list of teams.

for the practice sites selected by our coaches.

to go thru the practice site possibilities, location-by-location. This gets posted in each school’s gym.

for the memo to coaches about how to handle the “contract” which must be completed before a team may enter the school for practice.

These are team rosters: RB1 RB2 JB3 JB4 MB5 MB6 SB SB(T) – “select” RG JG MG

MCBA made no effort to give each Junior, Major or Senior League team equal “experience.” The emphasis was to balance “height” within, typically, 3-inch ranges. Only after the players are placed within their height category are they then ordered by experience, and the teams with the fewest players when the draw takes place get an edge on experience. If you consider alternatives like a “draft” or “coach look” instead of a blind draw, or distribution by experience instead of height, they are all unattractive. Nevertheless, for NEXT year any kind of well thought out rule change proposal would be taken up by the voting members.

Parents and coaches: See something in MCBA’s records that needs fixing? The spelling of a name, height and experience are typical examples, so let us know. Avoid the telephone. The best option is to e-mail mcba_secretary@midcitiesbasketball.org with your correction or update.

Potential coaches; semi-experienced coaches: Serious about learning HOW to coach youth basketball? The National Federation of State High School Associations, NFHS, has an online course, Fundamentals of Coaching Basketball, which costs $50 to take. MCBA doesn’t necessarily “endorse” this course, and we won’t reimburse those who might take it, but it may be worth a look-see. There is a brief video demo available. The link is: http://nfhslearn.com/sportDetail.aspx?sport=basketball

Coaching certification overview:

Every coach, head or assistant, must be certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, NYSCA, in order to “take the floor” or “take a seat on the bench” with our players. “Certification” of coaches is a requirement of the Mid-Cities Youth Activity Council, MCYAC, to which MCBA belongs in order to qualify to rent H-E-B ISD gyms for practices and games. And, it’s a GOOD IDEA!

Below, under “Links,” you can get more information about this program. MCBA paid the fees for all returning certified coaches and all new coaches that attended one of our coaching clinics.

for details about our NYSCA clinic schedule.

Our clinics have three parts, taking about three hours total time: (1) NYSCA video and discussion about how to be a good youth coach, followed by an NYSCA “skills and drills” video to give the coach some ideas for initial practices; (2) a brief session about MCBA’s rules, with emphasis on coaches’ bench decorum and giving every player at least “half a game, every game” playing time; (3) for Rookie and Junior League coaches (and, this year, those referees) an on-court walk thru and demonstration of MCBA’s unique playing rules.

for the outline of part 2, the session about MCBA’s rules. Should a coach decide to pay his/her own way (see LINKS below) please review that outline and research the points that aren’t totally clear.

Every team is entitled to a head coach and no more than two assistants. We think it’s not a good idea to allow non-certified “helpers” at practices and we will carefully limit game-day participation to our certified coaches who have also passed a criminal background check. We do allow a little leeway the first week of practice (but NOT on game day) as new assistant coaches are identified.

If you have a question for MCBA, send us a note clicking HERE and we will get you an answer. Responses are rarely immediate so, please, be patient.

for the list of MCBA’s Board of Directors for the 2011/12 season. Comments to individual officers/commissioners can be sent via e-mail links.

Comments about this web site are always welcome. Send the “webmaster” a note by clicking HERE.

	MCBA leases the facilities of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District. H-E-B ISD waives the gym rental fee ($20 per player recently) for all “scholarship” recipients attending District schools (100 or more youth annually). Click for the direct link to the school district’s Child Nutrition Services - Free and Reduced-Price Meals. Sorry, already “sold out” this season. The direct link to the school district’s weather info is http://schoolctr.hebisd.edu/weather.
		Unless specifically altered, MCBA uses the basketball rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Use this link to order the 2011-2012 Basketball Rules Book, provided free to new head coaches when they attend our coaching certification clinic. Item BKRB12; Retail Price $7.20 plus shipping.
	ALL MCBA coaches are certified through the National Association of Youth Sports (NAYS). MCBA’s Coach Certification Clinician conducted three classroom clinics for our prospective coaches in December, after teams are formed but before practices begin. MCBA’s clinics include league-specific breakout sessions to cover our playing rules. MCBA pays the membership fees for those attending these clinics and for all coaches renewing their memberships. Coaches whose schedules make it inconvenient to attend our clinic may elect to take the online version at their own expense ($25 – requires a credit card). Use this link to find out about the Coaches Certification Program (NYSCA). If you decide to take the online class, you pay your own fee and will be asked to identify your “chapter.” Select “H.E.B PARKS & RECREATION - 2954” from the drop-down menu offered.
	America’s Best Sports Photography is our photographer and a substantial Association Sponsor.
These valued vendors provide significant cost savings and exceptional service to our association.	T-shirt awards		Specialized printing	Office supplies, copying, and office equipment	Uniform jerseys
“Click” on the vendor’s logo to go to their home page. A new window will open.	Equipment		Mailing services	Trophy awards
	Many of the forms/documents MCBA uses are available in PDF so that, no matter your computer system, they can be printed in a uniform way. Click on the Get Adobe Reader icon for a free download.