Below are some frequently asked questions about the Youth Basketball League.
A skills assessment is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026. During the assessment, we'll run several drills to evaluate player's skill level to ensure that experience is distributed equally across the league, typically lasting 45 minutes per age division.
Ages 5-6: 9:00 am
Ages 7-9: 9:45 am
Ages 10-13: 10:30 am
The skills assessment is not mandatory to be placed on a team, however it helps our coaches place players and distribute skills and experience equally across the league.
Please arrive for your assessment at the designated time for your age group.
There will not be a make up assessment, but your player will still be placed on a team. Expect to hear from your coach the week of November 9-13, 2026. There may be delays in hearing from your coach due to the Thanksgiving holiday. If you haven't heard from your coach by November 23, email us at info@thezonesyouth.org.
The Zones does not accommodate requests for coaches or teams. However, coaches are permitted to collaborate with other coaches for players based on practice availability, etc. Trades or moving teams will not be accommodated after the teams have been finalized.
After the skills assessment we will form the teams and notify coaches of their roster. Your coach will reach out to the parents to notify them of practice schedule and other team info. Expect to hear from your coach the week of November 9. There may be delays in hearing from your coach due to the Thanksgiving holiday. If you haven't heard from your coach by November 23, email us at
info@thezonesyouth.org.
Practice will begin the week of November 30, 2026. The practice schedule will be set by your coach and may be changed due to practice beginning near to the holidays. All practices are held in our gym at The Zones in the late afternoon and evening.
Games will begin January 9, 2027. All games are played on Saturdays in our gym. Typically the 5-6 age teams play in the morning, the 7-9 age teams play mid-morning to early afternoon, and the 10-13 age teams play in the afternoon. The season is 9 weeks with 8 guaranteed games with possible bye weeks, including play offs and championship games.
If you'd like to coach a team, please do not submit the registration form. Instead, complete the Coach Application on our website (youth basketball page). Head Coaches are offered player registration at no cost. We are unable to refund registration without processing fees, so please let us know if you'd like to coach before registering.
Assistant coaches must also complete the Coach Application and will also need to register their player on our website. We are unable to comp player fees for assistant coaches.
All coaches and volunteers associated with The Zones must pass a background check.
The rim height for the 5-6 age division is 8', the rim height for the 7-9 age division is 8.8', and the rim height for the 10-13 age division is 10'.
5-6 age division will use a 25.5" ball or size 4
7-9 age division will use a 27.5" game ball or size 5
10-13 age division will use a 28.5" game ball or size 6
No, our gym is not open for practice or play outside of our regular after-school program or scheduled practice with your team.
We must limit our league to 204 players to allow enough practice times for our teams and to play all games on Saturdays. Once the maximum number of players is reached for each age division, the wait list will open. If a player drops out of the league, we will contact the wait list on a first come, first served basis.
The Zones is a nonprofit organization and does not issue refunds for any reason, including withdrawal from the league. The registration price only covers our costs for equipment, referees and jerseys. All funds paid to The Zones are tax deductible.
If your child is on the cusp of an age division or would feel more comfortable playing up or down a division, please email us at info@thezonesyouth.org and we can determine which division would be the best fit. The Zones’ Youth Basketball League is focused on player development, good sportsmanship, learning, and having fun rather than competition, so our priority is placing each player in a division where they can feel confident, be challenged appropriately, and have a positive experience.
All players will receive a team jersey as part of their registration fee. Players should provide their own athletic shorts and basketball shoes. Jerseys should be worn for all games.
Yes. The Zones is committed to making Youth Basketball accessible to all families. We actively solicit sponsorships and donations to help offset the cost of running the league and provide scholarships to families who need financial assistance. Scholarship availability and amounts are based on the funds we are able to raise each season. Please email us at info@thezonesyouth.org to inquire about scholarships.
