**Priority registration opens 10am Tuesday, October 1st.  This early registration period is for families who have participated in the league in prior years.  Registration opens generally 10am Monday, October 7th**

The Factory Winter League is a 9-week youth basketball league beginning in November (first games the week after Thanksgiving) and finishing in mid-February. Our primary goals for this league are competitive balance, well-executed league operation, superior game officiating, and a positive team basketball experience for each athlete. This league is targeted for parents looking for a more competitive play option that fits today’s multi-sport schedules while not requiring year-round commitments of traditional club sports.

• Season is 9 weeks – 2 prior to holidays, 7 after (First Games begin week AFTER Thanksgiving)
• League is for boys and girls 2nd to 6th grade (we are working on a framework for 1st graders – stay tuned)
• Cost is between $250 and $300/player depending on age
• ONE practice/week
• Games will be on Wednesday or Thursday Nights, OR Saturday mornings depending on division
• No games during the 2-week school holiday break

EVALUATION COMBINE/TRYOUT (Mandatory for All Players/Coaches – Details below)
[NOTE-  Assuming we are able to provide options for 1st, we will provide a separate update and likely separate page]

Sunday, OCTOBER 27th

Sunday, NOVEMBER 3rd

Players sign up individually and are drafted to teams –  This league is designed to be competitive, meaning teams will be constructed as evenly as possible relative to collective player skill level.

If a player signs up after the division cap is reached, they will be placed on a waitlist.  Please make sure you continue the registration process through the waitlist.  A significant number of waitlisted players made final team rosters each of the last six seasons.

Girls Divisions

• WNBA – 4×4 Full Court – Teams of 7-8
  • All 6th Grade, Most of 5th Grade
  • Game Times: Wednesdays (All Games)
• Girls EuroLeague – 4×4 Full Court – Teams of 7-8
  • Some 5th, All of 4th, Most of 3rd
  • Game Times: All Games Wednesdays
• Girls Varsity – 3×3 Half Court – Teams of 5-6
  • All of 2nd, All of 1st
  • Game Times: Saturday Mornings (All Games)

Boys Divisions

• NBA – 4×4 Full Court – Teams of 7-8
  • All 6th Grade, Mix of 5th Grade, Possible Small group of 4th
  • Game Times: Thursday Nights (All Games)
• Boys EuroLeague – 5×5 Full Court – Teams of 9
  • Remaining 5th Grade, Most of 4th
  • Game Times: 7-8 Games Thursday Nights (1-2 Games Wednesdays after school)
• Boys NCAA – 4×4 Full Court – Teams of 7-8
  • Remaining 4th, Most of 3rd
  • Game Times: Saturday Mornings
• Boys Varsity – 3×3 Half Court – Teams of 5-6
  • All 2nd Grade
  • Game Times: Saturday Mornings (All Games)

League Operations Useful Information

Practice 

• Notably for Boys and Girls 2nd Grade, we align practice times with division and associated rim height requirements.  That means that this year, there is little flexibility in scheduled court time – 2nd grade divisions WILL practice Sundays early/mid-afternoon.  Here’s why:  With 3×3 specifically, our goal is to have divisions at The Factory at the same practice times, so that the first 30 minutes can be teaching/coaching, and the last 30 minutes will be opportunities to scrimmage other division teams.  The ability to teach and then play is a very effective development tool.

Younger Players Playing “Up”

• After each evaluation event, The Factory Coaching Staff will make recommendations regarding specific players who may benefit by playing in older divisions.  These recommendations will not obligate these players to play ‘up,’ but we will contact parents directly in these situations.  Conversely, parents can request that their child try out for this same opportunity.

Entry fees provide:

• Game jersey
• 9 game weeks (7 regular season and 2 playoffs)
• 10 Included Practices

Standard Practice Times allotted at Factory of Champions and local elementary school gyms are Monday-Friday based on your division between 5:00-8:00 pm or Sunday between 2:00-8:00 pm (practice times will be pre-assigned based on age groups). Coaches may make arrangements for additional practice times at alternative locations.

Please review the below “Commitment to Practice” policy:

**Commitment to Practice**

Your child’s practice time will be on the afternoon or early evening of a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday (for 2nd – 6th Grade), OR even possibly a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday (likely limited to 3rd-6th Boys). This practice will consistently be the same day each week from mid-November to mid-February (9 Weeks, not including Holiday season). You will likely not know your official practice time until the 2nd full week of November.  With one formally scheduled practice per week, and small rosters, it is critical that our volunteer coaches consistently have a full team each practice. Please consider this.

** If for any reason your child may not be able to consistently attend practice (barring of course sickness or unforeseen events), playing time requirements are suspended. More importantly, it is unfair and simply more difficult to prepare and learn as a team if other teammates are missing each week. **

We are asking you to prioritize this single practice over other competing activities during the league season, and if not possible, no problem! But we do ask that you reconsider your registration.