Bergen Travel Basketball League (BTBL) 2012
BTBL plays by High School Rules except as noted below. The following rules were voted on and approved by the towns which make up BTBL.
Basic Points:
1. Coaches should tape their Division’s Rules into the inside flap of their Team Score Book along with a copy of the Team Roster.
2. Scorekeeping is a serious part of the game. Home teams are responsible to have knowledgeable, trained, and experienced scorers. Visiting team may sit one “unofficial” scorekeeper at the scorers table and should constantly compare notes with the official scorer.
The Home Team is responsible to:
- Provide the Official Score Book as well as the Time Keeper and Scorer.
- The Visiting Team may sit one unofficial person at the Official Desk.
- The Home Team is responsible to provide the game ball.
- The Home Team should have bandages and ice packs available.
- Have available local Emergency Telephone and Contact Numbers.
- The Home Team is responsible for crowd control.
- Record the first and last names of all players and their numbers.
- Have the official(s) sign the Score Book.
- Notify opponent and Assignor 48 hours prior to scheduled game time
regarding cancellation or change of game time (Assignors names/contact info is on the
Contact List).
- Take the lead in rescheduling any cancelled game.
- Notify Director of any scheduling changes and or rescheduling after they are approved
by the Assignor.
- Home Team should contact Assignor and must give a minimum of 48
hours notice of rescheduled games.
- Home Team must coordinate who pays the Referees before the game for any
make up games due to improperly cancelled games.
- In the event both teams have the same colors the home team must change colors.
3. Visiting Team must make contact to confirm and discuss uniform colors 48 hours prior to the game.
4. Both Coaches must post game results to www.bergentravelbasketball.com, within 24 hours following the game. Any ejections of players and or Coaches and other incidents must be reported to shevinsj@aol.com along with the reason why within 24 hours following the game. (This also should be reported by both Coaches!). Said E-mails should identify teams, division, game dates and both referees who worked the game.
5. Only the Home Team or League Director can postpone a game on short notice and only due to gym availability or emergency. Home team shall not refuse to postpone a game for a reasonable reason with proper notice (minimum 7 days). Before contacting the Home Team the Visiting Team should make every effort to get another town to flip flop their game with them. This will minimize disruption of the season for everyone and avoid singles and wasting gym time. When contacted to switch a game with a team in conflict other towns are asked to be as cooperative as possible as it could be you needing the help next time.
6. There are no game protests. All issues should be resolved with both coaches and the
Ref’s during the game.
7. Games can be played with a minimum of one assigned ref. If neither ref shows up
there can be no official game played. Coaches cannot agree to override this rule.
8. Coaches, Players and Fan Conduct: Inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated before, during or after a game. Fans, coaches and players will be supportive of their team and at a minimum “polite” to the opposing team. This includes the use of profanity anywhere in the gym. Any Coach, Player or Fan ejected from a game will be automatically suspended from the following game. Non player suspensions will be for two games following ejection. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of said game. Exception – Coaches who are ejected in the last game of the season shall only be for one game (including Playoff and Championship Games). NO ONE SHOULD APPROACH REFS AFTER A GAME other than to say good game, thank you or have a good night. Questions of rules should take place during the game at a time out or between quarters, otherwise questions should be emailed to the Assignor. The League Director shall notify the Town Contact regarding game(s) to be missed as a result of suspensions due to ejections. During their suspension suspended players, coaches, fans are not allowed in the facility where their team is playing.
9. If a team forfeits two games they will be removed from the league with no refunds forthcoming.
10. Uniforms: at least a T-Shirt (matching) with proper basketball numbers on front and back.
11. BERGEN TRAVEL BASKETBALL LEAGUE PROVIDES NO INSURANCE
OF ANY TYPE FOR THE PLAYERS, COACHES, SPECTATORS OR THE LEAGUE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH TOWN TO PROVIDE
INSURANCE FOR THEIR OWN TEAM. ANY TOWN WHO IS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS POLICY SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE LEAGUE IMMEDIATELY. REFUNDS WILL BE MADE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SEASON SHOULD THIS POLICY BE OBJECTIONABLE TO YOUR TOWN.
12. If a team refuses to play a game or make a best efforts attempt to play said game they may be subject to a $150.fee for each game not played. $100 of this fee would be awarded to the opposing team.
13. The order of Playoff tie-breakers for a two team tie will be head to head competition, record against teams with a winning record, record against common opponents, additional game to be added under the following circumstances (without exceptions) to determine playoff inclusion but not to settle ties for teams who have qualified for the playoffs: teams involved with the tie have completed their 14 game schedule by the last day of the regular season or earlier; the game will be played on or before the first day after the end of the regular season; the teams can agree on a location. If none of these tie breakers determine the 4th place team then a coin flip shall determine which team moves on. In case of a multiple team tie the first tie-breaker will be head to head competition, the second tie breaker will be record against common teams who made the playoffs, the third tie breaker will be record against all common opponents next is the coin flip. No team shall be penalized or benefited from playing another team more than or less than other tied teams. In the event of an imbalance in the number of times a team played a common opponent this “tie break category” will not be used.
14. Schedule Changes: Teams have ample time to request changes to their schedule before the start of the season. After the season starts only Town Contacts can request/make changes to their team's schedules. Logistically this might be difficult but there are valid reasons for instituting this policy. Some of the reasons are as follows: Coaches will cancel for personal reasons such as injured player(s), Coach can't make the game, Coach wants to put off a game for other reasons, etc. The only acceptable reasons to change the schedule once the season starts is weather or school related function. The Town Contacts are the gatekeepers of this policy. If you feel there should be an exception made then the Assignor and I will consider it but we will not deal with each Coach individually. One of the jobs of the Town Contact is to maximize gym usage in your schools. They will better understand the ramifications of making changes because they see the big picture in the programs gym utilization. We have to save open gym dates for the real emergencies and not allow them to be used for the coach seeking an advantage because he has an injured player or theater tickets.
Effective in 2012: When a game is canceled for any legit reason the following procedures are effective: for games canceled in January/February the home team will contact the visitor within a week of the cancellation (two days for March cancellations) and present replay dates, come to an agreement, and inform the League Director and Assignor – rescheduled game can be played anywhere; if an agreement is not reached within 24 hours from the time the makeup dates were provided the home team will present the visitor with a minimum of three options to replay the game (must be options where both teams are unscheduled within BTBL), must be over a three week period with at least one date per week (February break excluded); if the visiting team does not accept one of the proposed dates the visitor will forfeit said game. Conversely, if the home team does not follow this procedure they will forfeit the game. Both teams may mutually decide to disregard this procedure and commit to make up the game whenever they can agree on a date. If the teams mutually agree to this and the game is not played by the last regular season date then a double forfeit will be declared.
15. If a team does not have 6 players for a game they may call up player(s) from the next lower grade to fill in for a game.
16. Start time – games will start at the scheduled time. If a team is not present and ready to begin within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time the game will be forfeited.
17. Final Rosters – rosters may be modified until January 20th. No player can play in the playoffs who has not played in half of the regular season games.
18. Snow Policy – Generally speaking the games are on if the school is open. Referees and opposing teams must be notified by the home team if the school is closed. Exceptions to this rule are tolerated but only when the forecast is for continued or worsening conditions. Refs should be given 4 hours notice when possible otherwise the home team should keep in constant contact with the Assignor and their opponent so the situation can be jointly monitored.
19. Super Bowl Sunday (SBS) – The latest a game shall begin on SBS is 4 PM. Teams may decide to play later on SBS if they prefer to.
20. Players may only be on one roster in BTBL. They can be called up for a game(s) – see Rule 15 above. There are two exceptions to this rule in that 3rd Grade Girls may also be on the 4th Grade Girls Roster and 2nd Grade Boys may also be on the 3rd Grade Boys Roster. This exception is made allowable due to the newness of the B2 and G3 Divisions and may be discontinued in the future.
21. Town League – BTBL is a town league. To play for a BTBL team you must live within the town you are playing for. Exceptions: you can play for a town where you are a full time student; you can play for a town where all recreation programs are shared; with BTBL Director permission you can play for a team in a different town if your town is in BTBL but doesn’t have a team in your age group or you are cut from your town team (if the town you want to play for cut kids from their own town you most likely will not be allowed to play for that town). If a player lives in a town who participates in BTBL and is a full time student in a different town who participates in BTBL it is the players choice which town team he/she will play on.
Revised 1/6/12
