CYGBA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE

For girls in grades 2-4, this is our beginning level of basketball and we call it our 'Futures Division'. It begins with 4 weeks of clinics and finishes off with an 8 game season on a short court and lower baskets. After the first 4 weeks, players will have 1 practice and play 1 game per week. Games will be played on Sundays between 10am and 1pm and practices will be on a weeknight between 5:30pm and 7:00pm. There are no playoffs in the Futures Division but there is an end of the year party.

RECREATIONAL LEAGUE

For girls in grades 4-11 who have played some basketball and are looking to be involved in a fun, fair and competitive environment. Games are held on Saturdays (+ possibly Friday Evenings and/or Sundays) and there is one weeknight practice session per week. There will be a tryout for all new players to determine the ability and skill set of your child(ren) in order to properly balance the teams.

Discounts are given to families with multiple children. Payment plan is available.

3v3 LEAGUE

For girls in 6th Grade + who are advanced in their basketball development and are looking for a fun, fast paced brand of basketball. WE HIGHLY RECOMEND 3v3 FOR PLAYERS WHO ARE ALREADY INVOLVED WITH TRAVEL, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL. Gameplay will be 3 v 3 and team rosters will be composed of 5 players. The league will assign players to teams based on coaching assessments but we will try to honor all player requests to play with someone else. There are no coaches and no practices. Site coordinators will time substitutions and the players will coach themselves. This is an intentional decision which will help the girls with their development and independence. The theory is that the girls get the chance to think and play on their own instead of being concerned about following instruction. This autonomy is a great opportunity for the girls and something past players have enjoyed tremendously! More information on our 3v3 league can be found here: https://cygba.leagueapps.com/leagues/basketball/822421-cranston-3v3-basketball

TRAVEL TEAMS

Tournament basketball for the more advanced player. Two practices per week + skill training. Weekend play and travel is involved. Additional fees may also be incurred. For those looking to have their children play both travel and rec, a special rate is considered. Tryouts will be held separately for all interested players. For those who do not make a travel team, recreational play will be offered. More information on our travel teams can be found here: https://cygba.leagueapps.com/events/820969-travel-team-tryouts

When do things start?

For the Rec Program, the 12-game season starts on November 10th, 2018 and will end in March of 2019. Practices for Rec will begin the week of October 29th. For our Travel Programs, games will start the middle of November and end with the State Championship Tournament in March.  Tryouts and practices for Travel will start the week of October 22nd.

What are the ages for each division?

For our Recreation divisions, our teams will be filled based on the following guidelines:

Futures - New players, comprised mostly of 2nd, 3rd and 4th Graders (7-9 years old) - the format is developmentally focused and begins with 4 weeks of clinics. After the clinics, players will begin playing games on a shortened court and lower rims. There will also be 1 practice per week. The practices and games will run for 8 weeks.

Juniors - Players with previous basketball experience, comprised mostly of 5th and 6th Grade (10-11 years old) - the format is developmental with 1 practice and 1 game per week. Teams are comprised of 10 players and have an A team/B team format to ensure the development of all players and equal playing time.

Seniors - Advanced 6th grader plus 7th, 8th, and non-varsity 9th, 10th and 11th Grade (11-16 years old) - the format is developmental and fun with 1 group practice, 1 skills clinic and 1 game per week.

3v3 - Advanced 6th grader plus 7th, 8th, and non-varsity 9th, 10th and 11th Grade (11-16 years old) - this format is intended for girls who play travel and school basketball. There are no practices and there is 1 game per week. Players looking to take part in 3v3 basketball should be focused on fun, efficient basketball that offers the opportunity for autonomous development.

These guidelines are not absolute. If there are girls who need to be up and down divisions, based on their skill level or other reasons, then we will do so. The key is that everyone be in a division where the can compete and learn at the same rate as everyone else.

For our Travel teams, RIYBA has a dual requirement (Grade and Age) for each division:

Do girls have to play Rec in order to play travel?

For our league, no. We understand the time and financial commitments of having kids and we want to make basketball an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Girls do, however, tryout for and make the team as a 'Travel Only' player. This designation is intended for girls who are beyond the recreational league experience. The coaches of each travel team should suggest to each family whether a girl is a 'Travel Only', 'Rec and Travel' or 'Recreational Only' player. These determinations will be made after the tryouts for our travel teams are held.

How many players per team?

For our Rec teams in our Junior and Senior Divisions, we will have a minimum of 8 and no more than 11 players per team. For our Rec teams in our Squirt Divisions, we will have a minimum of 7 players and no more than 9 player per team. For our Travel teams we will have 8-12 players per team, depending on the coaches preferences.

What is the cost to play for 2018-19?

Recreational League - $130; multi-child discount of $30 per child.

Travel Teams - $125-$250 per player, dependant upon the team.

Where does the money go?

Every dollar of your registration fees goes back into the league in some form or fashion. The basic breakdown will be posted as soon as our final numbers are calculated. Previous financial summaries can be found on the 'Forms' page.

Is there financial aid available?

Yes. Financial Aid is considered on a family to family basis. We NEVER want to see someone unable to play a sport and the CYGBA will do whatever it can to help the youth of Cranston! Please send an email to the league director, PJ Thibodeau, if you have concerns about meeting the registration fees. (See 'Contact Info' to the left)