2024 Basketball Spring League

  • Boys: K–8th grade divisions
  • Girls: K–8th grade divisions
  • Dates: March 24th – May 2024
  • Seven Games: Sundays after 11 AM
  • Locations: Irvine & Tustin gyms

Divisions

Rookie

  • 8-ft hoops
  • Boys divisions: K & 1st Grade
  • Girls divisions: K–2nd (may be split up based on numbers for standalone or combo divisions)
  • Optional one (1) buddy or coach request
  • Seven (7) Sunday sessions of Skills Training + Scrimmage (1.5 hours weekly)
  • Start times: Between 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (no schedule or location requests)

Youth

  • 10-ft hoops
  • Boys divisions: 2nd–8th grade
  • Girls divisions: 3rd–8th grade
  • No buddy, coach or carpool requests
  • Seven (7) Sunday Games (1 hour weekly)
  • Start times: between 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (no schedule or location requests)

Calendar of Events

Tentative dates (subject to change)

Thu, March 21st: Wait List registration opens (Head Coaches only and no Rookie Division buddy requests)

Sun, March 24th: [Youth] Player Evaluations

Wed, March 27th – Fri, March 29th: [Youth] Team Drafts (Coaches only via Google Meet)

Tue, April 2nd: Team Rosters and tentative Schedule release

Sun, April 7th: Week 1
Sun, April 14th: Week 2
Sun, April 21st: Week 3
Sun, April 28th: Week 4
Sun, May 5th: Week 5
Sun, May 12th: Week 6
Sun, May 19th: Week 7 (End of League)

2024 Basketball Spring League

Please read through each question carefully to ensure that all information is provided accurately.

Player Info


Parent/Guardian Info


Emergency Contact


Spring League Info


  • Rookie and Youth Divisions are for all players and skill levels.
  • Each player is guaranteed up to 20 minutes of playing time per game.
  • All division games take place only on Sundays sometime between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
  • There are NO schedule requests.
Early Bird Tier 3 Player Fee: $295

[Rookie] Boys K–1st & Girls K–2nd Grade • 8-ft Hoops

  • Beginner players with instruction and pregame practices. All games are played Sundays on 8-foot hoops.
  • Each player is guaranteed up to 20 minutes of playing time per game.
  • Practice + Game = 1.5 hours each week (no outside commitment other than your 90-minute time slot).
  • Buddy requests are disabled when wait list registration starts on March 22nd.

[Youth] Boys 2nd–8th & Girls 3rd–8th Grade • 10-ft Hoops

  • Youth players looking for equal playing time and skill levels.
  • Each player is guaranteed up to 20 minutes of playing time per game.
  • 1-hour game slot and at least one (1) outside practice determined by the coach/team per week.
  • No Buddy, Coach or Carpool Requests of any kind.
  • Only Head Coaches able to register when wait list registration starts on March 22nd.

Boys 2nd Grade

NO Buddy or Coach Requests

  • 2nd grade is typically one of our largest division with a wide range of experience and familiarity with basketball. In an effort to ensure that all players have a more competitive experience, there are no more buddy or coaching requests – instead teams will be formed through a draft.

2nd Grade is part of the Youth divisions

Players MUST attend evaluations on Sun, March 24th

  • Scorekeeping and standings throughout the season.
  • 1-hour game slot each Sunday with at least one (1) 60- to 90-minute outdoor practice led by your parent volunteer coach (determined by your coach/team) each week.
  • Teams are created by divisional drafts, and players are required to attend preseason evaluations.
  • Play on 10-ft hoops.

Acknowledgment

  • I understand my 2nd grader will be playing on 10-ft hoops and that parent volunteer coaches will be forming teams via a draft. I further understand that there are no buddy or coaching requests of any kind.
  • Furthermore I understand that if I cannot attend evaluations or my child is not selected by a coach my child will automatically be moved to the Recreational Division.

Preseason Player Evaluations

  • Player Evaluations are an important part of our leagues and integral in building competitive teams.
  • Players who do not attend Evaluations will be automatically placed on the wait list.
    • They may only be placed on a team if we have enough parent volunteers in your child's division.
  • Evaluations will take place on Sunday, March 24th (between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM). There are no makeup evaluations.
  • Each division will have a start and end time within that time frame.
  • Location: TBA (will be at an IUSD High School location)
  • Skill assessments are typically the following:
    1. Dribble-in layup
    2. Variation of a move into a jump-shot near the free-throw line
    3. Full-Court scrimmage
  • Attending Evaluations is mandatory. Registered Parent Coaches need to be able to view all players to build competitive teams.

Team Drafts

  • After Evaluations, Youth divisions coaches will draft teams. Coaches will draft teams between March 27th–29th, and once your child is selected on a team, your respective coach will reach out to you directly. From there, teams may begin to hold practices.
  • Practice times and locations are determined by each coach/team with the head coach having the final say. We will not be able to inform you when your team is practicing. Team members should be prepared to practice and resolve any conflicts with their coach.
  • For League Integrity: We are unable to move players to a different team for any reason. This includes any practice time conflicts (most time slots are on weeknights between 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM).

Participation rules for 7th & 8th grade divisions

  • Participation rules will only be enforced in the first three (3) quarters. The 4th quarter coaches will be able to free substitution per the coaches discretion.
  • This means that we are not able to guarantee 20 minutes of playing time per game. There is a possibility that your child may not play in the 4th quarter.

Volunteer Info


  • Recreational youth sports leagues function in large part due to the work of parent volunteers. To build teams, each team will need a volunteer coach.
  • We can only build as many teams as we have volunteer coaches per division.
  • In the event we do not have enough coaches, we will move players to a wait list based on their registration date.
  • Volunteer coaches who do not fulfill duties or change volunteer status after registration will be moved to the bottom of the wait list.

Head Coach Role & Responsibilities

  • Manage a team as a parent volunteer for the full season.
  • Responsible for consistently communicating with your team and coaching during scheduled games.
  • Youth divisions only: Coordinate and hold at least one (1) outside practice per week.
  • Youth divisions only: Attend player evaluations and your division's virtual team draft via Google Meet.
  • If required duties go unfulfilled or your volunteer status changes by the second week of league play, a $59 additional fee will be added and charged to your registration.

Co-Coach Role & Responsibilities

  • Not an assistant coach.
  • Co-Coaches will be paired up to split the duties of a Head Coach.
  • Once drafted to a team, you must help manage the team and fill in if a co-coach is unable to attend a game.
  • If required duties go unfulfilled or your volunteer status changes by the second week of league play, a $34 additional fee will be added and charged to your registration.

Non-Volunteer (buyout)

  • Youth Sports require parent volunteers to form teams, so please consider volunteering if you are able to. We are only able to build as many teams as we have parent volunteers for.
  • Volunteer buyout fees help cover the costs of required background checks for coaches. 

Volunteer Registration


Sign Here

Coach Registration

  • Upon completion of this registration, coaches must complete the volunteer Coach Registration form. Your volunteer email above will automatically receive an email reminder to complete this registration.
  • The registration must be completed by the listed volunteer within seven (7) days to avoid unfulfilled volunteer status.

Head Coach Duties Fulfillment Status

  • By agreeing to volunteer as a Head Coach, your non-volunteer buyout fee ($59) will be waived as long as the following steps are completed:
    1. Complete the volunteer Coach Registration.
    2. Agree to coach your team for the full season (games and practices), if selected as a coach.
    3. Youth divisions only: Attend your division's player evaluations and team draft.
    4. Communicate weekly with your team.
    5. Manage your team during games and practices.
    6. Youth divisions only: Hold at least one outdoor practice each week.

Co-Coach Duties Fulfillment Status

  • By agreeing to volunteer as a Co-Coach, your remaining non-volunteer buyout fee ($34) will be waived as long as the following steps are completed:
    1. Complete the volunteer Coach Registration
    2. Agree to co-coach your team for the full season (games and practices) if selected as a co-coach.
    3. Youth divisions only: Attend your division's player evaluations and team draft.
    4. Communicate weekly with your team.
    5. Manage your team during games and practices.
    6. Youth divisions only: Hold at least one outdoor practice each week

Changing from a Volunteer to a Non-Volunteer

  • If a coach decides to change from a volunteer to a non-volunteer, the registered player will be moved to the bottom of the wait list.
  • Former volunteer's child will only be placed on a team if we have enough coaches in that particular division.

Pre-Built Teams


  • Coaches in the Youth divisions are allowed to submit pre-built teams pending approval by SoCal Elite.
  • Pre-built teams are preformed teams with a Head Coach already designated. No players are drafted and players would have agreed to play on the same team prior to registering. 

Pre-Built Teams Overview

  1. Pre-built teams for the League will play in a pre-built division (4+ teams) OR the division equivalent to the oldest player on their team (plus 1). (Example: A team of 3rd graders would play in the 4th grade division) These teams must not be a seasonal club team – this is a recreational league.
  2. Teams playing in a pre-built division (min. 4 teams) will have bracket play at the end of the season with the top 2 teams receiving medals.
  3. Teams playing against drafted teams will not be playing in a bracket or have their games scores reflected in the standings. As these games are outside the standings there will not be any medals handed out. Teams will still get the same number of expected games.
  4. Pre-built teams and any teams they play against will not have a player participation rule. This means there are free substitutions with players checking in at the table.
  5. If a pre-built team wins against one of a division's top drafted teams by 20+ points that team will be required to play their next game an additional division up (+2 grade levels).
  6. Pre-built teams MUST have a minimum of 9 players.
  7. Pre-built teams MUST wear current SoCal Elite uniforms during competition.
  8. Registration deadline for pre-built teams is two (2) weeks prior to league evaluations. If the roster is not complete, then players will be automatically placed in the draft and drafted.
  9. No players will be added to the team after the two (2) weeks prior evaluations.
  10. All teams will receive an email update of their status and rosters prior to the deadline.
  11. It is the coach’s responsibility to double-check and ensure all team members are correct.
  12. There are NO REFUNDS for players on teams who were unable to reach 9 players.
  13. SoCal Elite Sports reserves the right to make changes throughout the season that we do not foresee.

Division Placement

  • Division of the oldest player on the team with other pre-built teams. (4+ teams required)
  • In the event we do not have 4+ pre-built teams your team would play up 1 grade in the pre-built division (if available) or recreational division.

Participation Rules

  • Teams in the pre-built division and any team playing them will not have player participation rules. This means there are free substitutions with players checking in at the table.
  • All playing time is determined at your coach's discretion.

Team Size

  • All teams are required to have 9 or more players to be eligible to participate.
  • If a team does not meet the requirement players will be placed in the draft. There are no refunds for your team not having enough players

Volunteering

  • Only the Head Coach may volunteer as the Head Coach.
  • All other members of the team must pay the non-volunteer buyout fee.

Requests


Sibling Request Overview

  • Siblings of the same grade and gender will automatically be placed on the same team.
  • To qualify, siblings must:
    1. Live in the same household (identical addresses). If addresses do not match your sibling request will not be honored.
    2. Register under the same email address.

Buddy Request Overview

  • Buddy Requests are a way for Rookie divisions (TK–2nd grade) players to play together. Each participant is allowed up to ONE buddy or coach request.
  • If a group of players (2+) would like to form a team, one of them would need to volunteer as a Head Coach and all players must then enter the coach's name as their buddy request. In this instance, the coach would not make a buddy request since all the players are requesting him or her.

Player Buddy Request Criteria (all 4 conditions must be met):

  1. Same gender.
  2. Playing in the same division (grade).
  3. Both players request each other.
  4. Request the player's full name (e.g. John Doe).

Coach Buddy Request Criteria (all 6 conditions must be met):

  1. Same gender.
  2. Playing in the same division (grade).
  3. The coach requested must be registered as a Head Coach.
  4. Players requesting the Head Coach (non-coaching parents) should NOT also register as a Head Coach (only one (1) head coach per team).
  5. The team must have space – maximum team size allowed is eleven (11) players.
  6. Request the head coach's full name (e.g. Coach John Doe).

Waivers


Sign Here

SoCal Elite Apparel


Send to Home Address: $4.50

City of Irvine Facilities Use


The City of Irvine is charging $11 per participant to use their facilities for the season.

View City Fee Document

City of Irvine Facilities Use Fee: $11

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