Rules

Tennessee Valley Basketball Association
2024-2025 Rules and Regulations

Barbara Liles
202 Congress Street
Muscle Shoals, Al 35661
256-412-7407

Address: Can also be found at bottom of rules below if you read the rules!!!!!!!!!

1. National Federation of High School rules will apply to all ages.
2. TVBA is a grade school league. AAU teams are not welcomed.
3. Exception: the 6/7u/1st and 8u/2nd/9u/3rd grade and 10u/4th grade teams will have the option of shooting free throws at 12.5 ft. Ball Specifications: 28.5 for all grades. For Clarification if a player is playing up in the higher grades, they have to play by the higher grade’s rules.
4. All games will be two 20-minute halves with a halftime of ten minutes. Play day director has discretion of shortening the halftimes to keep schedule on time. All clocks will run until final two minutes of each half. Clock stops for all timeouts, injuries, technical fouls, and for shoe tying. After a timeout the clock will start after ball is made live. Example: not when free throw shooter is handed ball. Overtime period will be 3-minute standard clock. This means the clock will start/stop like a regulation clock. NO RUNNING CLOCK IN OVERTIME PERIOD. With additional full timeout, if teams have timeouts left at the end of regulation, they will carry those over as well as the additional one. NO SUDDEN DEATH, Games will be finished this is not REC LEAGUE. Clock will stop for ALL TIMEOUTS and TECHNICAL S both Direct and Indirect, Intentional fouls also. Clock will also be stopped for equipment issues such as tying shoes etc. This rule has been in effect since we adopted the 20-minute running clock. It doesn’t matter if we play 5 overtimes, NO RUNNING CLOCK IN OVER TIME.
5. Games will not start early, will always start on scheduled game time.
6. Scorekeepers will sit at score table; home team will be the official book. Score book must be checked in 10 minutes prior to start. If a team does not have a score book at game time, they will be assessed a technical to start game. If there is a discrepancy in the score, score must me fixed immediately. TVBA Regional and Final Four an adult is required to keep book for respective teams, if no adult is available then the team will not have a score book, other team will be home team for the book. Score books must include players full name and jersey number. Score Book must include current copy of report cards of each player on roster and readily available for inspection. Failure to have copy of report cards is automatic forfeit. If contest is over and officials have left the floor, we cannot fix error in games.
7. Host schools will be responsible for officials, The play day host has the authority to add any team to the vacant spot to keep paid parents from sitting there with nothing to do. If the officials do not call the game, do not pay him/her. If the play day host director determines that an official is not earning their keep, he/she has the right to remove that official without paying them.
8. ** A copy of current report card or progress report must be in Official Score Book and readily available for inspection by Director or opposing coach. Failure to have them in Score Book is automatic forfeit.   A copy of players report card will be kept in scorebook at every game. Failure to have them for inspection will result in forfeiture.  Rosters will be final two weeks prior to Regional Tournament. Players will not occupy two rosters during the TVBA season. ROSTERS MUST BE MADE UP BY PLAYERS WHO ATTEND THE SAME SCHOOL. Players must play for the school at which they are currently enrolled not where they say they will go 5 years from now. Players who are home schooled may play at the public school in which district they reside.  IF A SCHOOL DOES NOT FIELD A TEAM, THOSE KIDS CANNOT PLAY AT ANOTHER SCHOOL, THEY MUST FIND A COACH OR NOT PLAY AT ALL. If a player turns 13 before August 1st of the current school year, he or she will play up or not play at all. If a coach registers a team in the TVBA, that roster is final. A coach cannot move players up and down just to win a ball games. If they register two teams in the same grade, they cannot move back and forth just to win a ball game. You can still add to your roster up to two weeks prior to Regional. You just cannot add players from another roster. Players can only occupy one roster.
9. Playing Time Policy: Playing time is strictly up to the COACH.
10. Roster exceptions are removed from TVBA.
11.  Coach who has been removed for cheating will not be allowed to coach in TVBA again.
12. Uniforms must either be reversible jerseys, (light or dark) or two sets (light or dark). All uniforms must bear school name or school mascot name. Travel names are not acceptable. Numbers on jerseys must be single- or double-digit number with neither digit being greater than five. Numbers must be on front and back of uniforms. If under shirts if are worn, they must be the dominate color of the uniform, example: If a team is wearing blue the undershirt must also be blue. Incorrect under shirts will be corrected before tip-off, the under shirt will be removed, or the player can sit and watch the game from bench area.
13. Legal numbers for Uniforms: 0,1,2,3,4,5,00,10,11,12,13,14,15,20,21,22,23,24,25,30,31,32,33,34,35,40,41,42,43,44,45,50,51,52,53,54,55
14.  Hair control devices not made of soft material and worn for adornment is not permitted.
15. Admission will be $10, school age children $5. We play two games on Saturdays. No other league in America plays two games on admission.
16. Coaches’ cards are not accepted.
17. Only players in uniforms and playing get in free:
18. Only Coaches who have games in that gym get in free.
19. If a team shows up with NO Parents, its $40 per game.
20. People who sign in and they are not a coach will be removed from gym.
21. Children who have begun the 1st grade and beyond is $5.
22. Head coach, 1 assistant and scorekeeper get in free but only to their games.
23. Teachers $10
24. Officials $40 per game
25. Entry fees for TVBA are $350 per team plus $8.55 per player for insurance. League insurance will expire on Nov 3rd. It is very important that we get a jump on this. Play will not begin until insurance requirement is met. October 15th is deadline, after deadline fees are $450 per team. Teams who are not in good standing with TVBA, with league fees, program fees or any other such payment that was due from the following season will not be allowed to participate until the debt has been made good, including hosting of events for the sole purpose of raising money.
26. Schedules are final. Pulling off completed   schedules will result in offending team sitting 2 weeks. Pulling of completed schedules 24hr before play will result in offending team sitting 3 weeks.
27. Profanity: Zero tolerance just as AHSAA and THSAA, if a player or coach is whistled for profanity, they will be assessed a technical and ejected from the game. The officials will notify director about ejection, I will contact the party involved and then determine the amount of discipline. Biting, striking, fighting, rear naked choke holds, arm bars, things that don’t pertain to the sport of basketball and calls for the player or coach ejection. I need you to notify me asap.
    1. Unsportsmanlike Conduct: A player, coach or spectator who has been ejected during a TVBA event due to unsportsmanlike conduct may be removed from the TVBA all together for the remainder of the season. Coaches, or Spectators who are ejected will leave the property completely, they will not be allowed back in gymnasium,
    2. Players, coaches and spectators who are ejected technical foul or spectators removed due to conduct will serve the following.
    3. Coaches, adults who approach officials after game will cause team to be removed from TVBA. DO NOT APPROACH OR THREATEN OFFICIALS
       First Ejection: 6 game suspension “Because we play two on Saturdays”
       2nd Ejection: Suspended for the rest of the season.
       3rd Ejection: Won’t be a 3rd ejection!!!
    4. Officials at their discretion may stop play at any time for an injured player. These are kids and as much as we try to emulate the high school play, we always recommend stop age of play regardless of if the other team is in a scoring position.
28. Coaches are responsible for their fans. If a fan is asked to leave, they must do so in a timely manner. The TVBA will not tolerate unruly fans, fans who become out of hand will be asked to leave, failure to leave will result in games being cancelled. The TVBA reserves the right to remove any person, coach, team for conduct detrimental to the league. Spectators, if we have to remove a fan from your team once we will continue play, but if we have to stop play for a second time and remove one of your fans the game will end as a forfeit. NO EXCEPTIONS: Spectators who are removed for profanity and threats will be immediately removed and lose privileges to attend games in the TVBA. If we have to call the police to a youth game your season is over. No exceptions.
29. Teams listed first on schedule will be home team, they will wear light colors. Example: Barton vs. Mhoohtown, Barton will wear light colors. If there is a situation the two coaches will discuss prior to game and reach a commonsense agreement about what color the team is wearing.
30. Complaints of any nature will not be heard on game day. Complaints will be fielded on the following Monday following play day.
31. Mercy rule. If a team is ahead by 20 points in grades 1st-2nd Boys and girls, TEAMS will not press or play man to man anymore. Offending team will be assessed a double technical for continuing to do so. coach will be removed and suspended 6 games. team will also sit while coach is under suspension.  The clock will continue to run, except on timeouts. In All other grades 3rd-6th Boys or Girls Teams ahead by 30 points will no longer press either full court or half court. Teams will not play man to man after being up by 30. Teams that continue to press, either full or half court will be assessed a double technical, the coach will be removed and suspended 6 games. The team will also sit until the coach comes back. 
32. Outside participation: teams who are not members will pay $30 per game plus admission, teams who are not members who wish to play in our events will play under TVBA guidelines in particular team rosters. Teams will be grade school teams, not AAU, All-Stars or otherwise.
33. Teams who host Regional Tournament will assume all costs of such tournament, officials, trophies etc.
34. Coaches who are ejected for any reason, whether they think they are at fault or not, will be removed from gym immediately. Coaches will also be suspended 2 games for 1st infraction, 2nd infraction will result in a 6-game suspension, 3rd, coach will be removed from TVBA. No Exceptions. Coaches, players, spectators when ejected or asked to leave will have ONE MINUTE to do so in a peaceful manner. Both teams will sit during this ONE-minute span. failure of the coach, player or spectator to leave in this timely manner will result in their team’s forfeiture.
35. TVBA scheduling, TVBA will not be responsible for the occasional error in a play day schedule. TVBA will work hard to correct, recover and make events runs as smoothly as possible. TVBA has changed schedules to accommodate everyone, even scheduling our tournaments around everyone else’s. However, since this office does not receive one dime from events that gross over a $1000 per day, it would be really irresponsible for TVBA to pay penalty assessed for scheduling errors. Pulling off made schedules or not showing up for scheduled games has become an epidemic. To curb some of this. If a team pulls off a made schedule with less than 72 hrs to tip off that team will not play anywhere for 2 weeks. We will say the Wednesday prior to Saturday play. Teams who fail to show up for scheduled games will not play anywhere for two weeks and must also pay for officials at host gym before they play again period.
36. The TVBA reserves the right to refuse any team, coach or players who it deems detrimental to the TVBA. This league is for kids only.
37. Director has the right to approve players on a case by case basis,” players who have played with a team 2-3 years will be grandfathered to that team until they finish 6th Grade, TVBA has the right to amend, reschedule, terminate, remove or make decisions based on what is best for this league.
38. ****Teams entering this league must have: Copy of your report card for each player, a roster form completely filled out, full name, address, player jersey number etc. league fees, insurance. These 4 things must be done before you will be allowed to participate. NO EXCEPTIONS
39. Any team who signs up for a play date and is added to a schedule. If you pull yourself off that schedule your team will not play again until after sitting the following two weekends. Example: Take me off the November 8th schedule, Sure Coach. Your team will not be eligible to play again until the 29th of November. This is Final!!! Only sign up to play if you are going to play.
    1. The TVBA has long welcomed grade school teams from abroad. However, in a effort to reduce scheduling conflicts with teams who play in TVBA and youth leagues. If you sign up, make the schedule, then asked to be removed from TVBA schedule because of youth league. You will be removed from TVBA altogether. DON’T SIGN UP IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON!!!!!!
40. Only coaches and players are allowed to occupy bench during games. ONLY Head Coach and Assistants allowed on bench. assistants must remain seated.
41. Conduct is a condition of membership in the Tennessee Valley Basketball Association.
42. Coaches who are convicted of a felony are prohibited from coaching in TVBA
43. Spectators CANNOT direct things to the floor or benches. Officials or gym host can have the unruly spectator removed. Spectator must remove him/her in a timely manner or contest is a forfeit.
44. A player who turns 14 is ineligible to participate in the TVBA. This applies to the 6th grade.
45. For purposes of end of year Tournaments. Schools will be seeded in tournament divisions Lower, Middle and Upper. These Division will be determined by enrollment numbers for each school. Lower Division will be for schools with a current enrollment of 1-299 students, Middle division will be for schools with a current enrollment 300-499 students, Upper division will be for schools with a current enrollment of 500 and above. When registering your teams please include enrollment numbers for high school that your team represents from grades 9-12.
46. If a team is removed from TVBA due to violating any of the above rules there will be no refund of entry fees.

Tennessee Valley Basketball Association Complaint Hotline: 256-412-7407. We do offer Whistle blower protection.

The Tennessee Valley Basketball Associations new website address will be www.tennesseevalleybasketball.com

Written complaints can be mailed to:

Barbara Liles
202 Congress Street
Muscle Shoals, Al 35661
or e-mailed
ccliles@aol.com
256-412-7407