POSTED 10/3/22
Statement of Intent:
1. To provide an instructional basketball league for 3rd to 8th grade boys and girls who live in the school districts of the member communities.
2. To teach and encourage good sportsmanship, teamwork, and enjoyment of the game.
League Fees: There will be league fees, but no insurance fees associated with this league. The Red Cedar League suggests that community sign-up sheets contain a clause absolving the Community Coordinator, Coaches, Schools, and League, of any liability in case of accident or injury to the players. Each community shall provide insurance for their respective association and individual players.
COVID POLICY: Currently there are no COVID-19 related state ordered restrictions regarding school sports for either athletes or spectators, from either the MHSAA or the Michigan Department of Health &Human Services (MDHHS). School districts can establish indoor mask mandates as well as other procedures (i.e., sharing of water bottles). County health departments may also institute certain mandates. Visiting teams must follow the restrictions of the host schools. Refusal to participate due to requirements will create a forfeit and future removal of scheduled games and tournaments. The Red Cedar Hoops league will be sharing information on individual location requirements as we get closer to the season. Please be prepared as your teams visit various locations throughout the season. Thanks again for your patience!
COVID cancellations: All COVID related cancellations are forfeits by the affected and will not be rescheduled. See “No Show” penalty below.
Refunds: Once the league schedule starts and posted no league fees are refunded from the Red Cedar League. General refunds such as uniforms, officials are up to the community. Tournament entry is refunded back to the community if paid earlier than the posted tournament cancellation dates.
Team size: A minimum of 9 players to a team. Maximum team size is at the Coach’s discretion.
Coach: Coaches can only coach one team
Team configuration: Please note this is a community-based league. Please consider team size if you have non-community-based travel players. Schedule changes will not occur to work around travel players. Teams must be comprised of players who live within the same public high school boundary. Teams cannot comprise a roster from throughout a larger community of multiple high schools. Failure to do so will result in forfeits and could also eliminate the team from future participation.
League Choice: Communities may place teams in either the A league (Gold) or the B league (Silver) or the C League (Bronze). It is strongly recommended that we rigorously evaluate our teams and program before we make these decisions. Communities with under 260 students in the high school shall receive a free pass to the bronze division (Grades 4-6). Teams above this enrollment should have a silver or gold team before requesting the bronze division. This is not a requirement to play in the Bronze and may play in the Silver or Gold if chosen. Coordinators may contact the league for an exception. After the schedule is complete no team can change to a different division. Once a team is in a division, they must play in that divisions league tournament.
5th -6th Bronze Divisions: Players should have little or no playing experience. Note: failure to follow this policy could result in your team being moved to upper division of the silver tournament. This is at the director’s discretion.
7th-8th Bronze Divisions: Players should have little or no playing experience and will combine into one division. Note: failure to follow this policy could result in your team being moved to upper division of the silver tournament. This is at the director’s discretion.
4th Bronze Divisions: This division is intended for inexperienced players with little experience. Note: failure to follow this policy could result in your team being moved to upper division of the silver tournament. This is at the director’s discretion.
All Gold and Bronze Divisions: If less than 8 teams all teams will be moved to Silver and spread throughout the division.
3rd Bronze: The division of which all third-grade teams will play
Division Changes: After the schedule is complete no team can change to a different division. Once a team is in a division, they must play in that division’s league tournament. The league director may move a team up or down a division for tournaments only. If this is determined through communication with the community coordinator and the league director. The criteria for this shall include zero wins or zero losses. Note: the team shall be moving to the highest lower division if winless or to the highest upper division in undefeated.
Schedule: League games shall consist of Saturdays and Sundays based on gym availability. The schedule will be posted on based on the timing sheet posted on the website. Any schedule changes after that time will require a $50 fee to be paid to the director. Normal emergency’s such as loss of gym, avoiding a forfeit will not be required to pay the fee but this will be at the director’s discretion.
Schedule: Coaches who refuse to play a team on their schedule shall have the team’s schedule removed and all remaining games will be a forfeit
Rust Off tournaments: These are non-roster events designed to provide and option for extra
games when the league is not having regularly scheduled games.
Coordinator Identification: Each site shall have the gym host identified by wearing a shirt that includes the host school’s name.
Conditions Form/Roster: All players shall provide the Red Cedar league with a conditions form (wavier) and the head injury awareness form provided by the MHSAA complete with signatures for each individual player on that one individual team. One copy of this waiver will be on file with the league. Each team shall also provide a roster for their individual team. This will be with the coaches and on file with the Red Cedar league. Players can only participate on one Red Cedar team and once the roster is on file players shall remain with that team.
Coaches: All coaches are required to have NFHS training (Concussion in sport v2.0) and to have the certificate with them at all Red Cedar League events. The Red Cedar league recommends but does not require that all coaches are aware of the signs of sudden-cardiac-arrest. On-line training can be obtained through the NHFS course sudden cardiac arrest. Follow this link for training: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61032/sudden-cardiac-arrest
Shooting: No shooting at baskets during halftime or between games for anyone but players participating in the current scheduled contest
Parents: Do not cross gym floor for any reason during or after the contest. Meet with players after the contest in designated area or hallway.
Covid-19: Please be aware of the communities Covid-19 policy and be aware of that’s community’s requirement. Admission and participation will be followed, or the team’s game will be a forfeit.
Emergency Information: Each individual player shall complete the emergency information and consent form. A copy of this form will be in the coach’s possession at all Red Cedar Youth basketball events.
Weather and cancellations: Each individual community coordinator in communication with the other community coordinator shall make decisions on the weather. Make-up of these delayed or cancelled games shall be that decision of the effected communities. If the game is not played due to weather and cannot be made up the game shall be considered a tie. A winter storm warning in any of the participating counties will result in all games being cancelled as determined by the league director
Teams that “no show”: Teams that do not show up for a scheduled game will be subject to a mandatory $100 penalty to be paid to the league director. All penalties will be submitted to the host community to help offset payments to officials and gym costs. The league director will make the final determination.
Admission Fee: All sites where the games are held shall charge a standard admission of $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for students. Any further discounts shall be up to the host community. Admission for league tournaments and doubleheaders will charge a standard admission of $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for students. Any further discounts shall be up to the host community.
Tournament Concessions: It is the right of the host community to provide concession facilities. It is also the right of the host community to deny individual teams from bringing in their own concessions.
Communication: Only the Board of Directors and the League Director will have any say in any rule changes. The participating community will follow these rules and will not make any changes at their site when having home games
Ref Pay: Each community coordinator shall establish ref pay account. If a community has a team playing at an alternative site and is responsible for officials it will be the responsible community coordinator to communicate with the host site and to make a payment to ref pay to cover the officials with the host sites established account. The host site will pay the officials. Each coordinator should look ahead at the schedule and have this completed before the scheduled contest.
Ejections: If a player, coach or spectator is ejected from a contest they will be suspended from the next contest. A second offense shall result in removal from the league for the remainder of the season. The host site is responsible to report this to the league. Officials shall file an incident report to the host site. This shall be completed in 24 hours and turned in to the league director. This form will be in the possession of each coordinator and will be at all games. If a player, coach or spectator is removed from any league tournament or league sponsored tournament they will not be eligible for the remainder of the tournament.
Referees: Two referees for each game. Registered officials are mandatory. Each official shall place the registration number in the official scorebook and have the number on file with the league director. Home team Community Coordinators will arrange for and pay referees. Games may be played if only one referee attends, by no means shall we use an imposter. The rate for the registered officials will be set at $35.00 per game for 3rd thru 6th grade. $40 per game for 7th and 8th grade. The league will try to make paying for officials as even as possible. The home team on the schedule (defined as official payment) will be responsible to pay for the officials no matter the location.
Game Schedules: Game schedules will be arranged to provide ½ of season games at home, ½ away. If an 8-game season is decided upon, a team may only have 3 home games. Please be aware scheduling with odd numbers may add additional games to provide everyone with the minimum number of games. It is suggested that gym reservations be made for all Saturdays and or Sundays between (12/03/2022 and (3/11/2023) until a league schedule is agreed upon. There is also a chance for some non-league scheduling if at the Community Coordinator’s discretion, as long as there is no conflict with the league game schedule. Non-league games will be coordinated between the effected Community Coordinator, and the non-league Coordinator.
Gold Division Teams: All Gold division teams shall play each other up to a minimum of 9 games. Please be aware scheduling with odd numbers may add additional games to provide everyone with the minimum number of games. This will require these teams to play both Saturday and Sunday on some weekends. This may also force some teams to only have 4 home games with some teams only having 3. Teams will still be expected to pay for the officials for half of the games played. One week on the schedule with consist of a position day.
7/8 Girls/Fall Boys Game Schedules: This league is for 7th and 8th grade girls only. The 7th and 8th Girls will begin 11/05/2022 with the first 4 weeks at one or two sites to work around gym time. This schedule will be mostly doubleheaders with exceptions to the number of teams which sometimes make this impossible. You will play two games and go home whenever possible. The league will attempt but sometimes it is not possible to provide each team a home date based on gym time provided by that community. Each community should provide gym time. Each team should plan on playing up to 7 to 10 regular seasons games if gym time allows. Each team should budget to pay for the officials up to 5 times. This cost is $400.00 per team. This will be paid at the game site as specified by the schedule. The home team no matter the location will be responsible for the officials.
7/8 Boys Game Schedules: This league is for 7th and 8th grade boys only. The 7th and 8th Boys will begin 1/14/2023 with the first 4 or 5 weeks at one or two sites to work around gym time. This schedule will be mostly doubleheaders with exceptions to the number of teams which sometimes make this impossible. You will play two games and go home whenever possible. Each community should provide gym time. The league will attempt but sometimes it is not possible to provide each team a home date based on gym time provided by that community. Each team should plan on playing up to 8 to 11 regular seasons games. Each team should budget to pay for the officials up to 6 times. This cost is $480.00 per team. This will be paid at the game site as specified by the schedule. The home team no matter the location will be responsible for the officials.
General Schedule Information
1. Games will be played on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30am to 7:30pm. Please make sure your coaches are aware of this. Changes to the league schedule may be made by mutual consent of the Community Coordinators of the affected teams. The home Community Coordinator will be responsible for obtaining gym time, officials, score/timekeepers, etc. for the rescheduled game. A rescheduled game may not conflict with any other games, for the affected teams, in the league schedule. If mutual agreement to rescheduling a game is not reached, the game will be held as originally scheduled.
2. To the greatest extent possible, each community will host, or travel to, one other community on a Saturday or Sunday.
3. Any community with needs that exceed the Saturday-Sunday requirement may have their schedules limited or shortened to create fairness within the league.
4. End of Season Tournament: Tournament dates and locations will be finalized by Jan. 14.
5. Tournament Dates (subject to change but the dates are pretty solid at this point)
Dec 10th weekend – 7/8 Girls Gold, Silver and Bronze and 7/8 Boys Fall
Feb. 18th weekend – 5th- 6th Girls Gold, 5th-6th Boys Gold, 5th-6th Girls Silver, 3rd, 4th Girls Bronze, Silver and Gold and 4th Boys Gold
Feb. 25th weekend – 5th- 6th Boys Silver and Bronze, 3rd Boys 4th Boys
March 4th weekend – 7/8 Boys Silver A, Gold
March 11th weekend – 7/8 Boys Silver B, C and Bronze divisions
Tournament locations will be finalized by Jan. 20
Tournament divisions:
1. Within each division the league tournaments shall be split if there are more than 16 teams.
2. The split will be based on records with the top half in tournament A and the bottom half in tournament B or C if needed and will be seeded within the division after the separation. (See Tiebreakers below)
3. The division in case of odd teams shall be up to the director and all decisions shall be considered final
4. The director shall have the right to move down the 0-8 team in any gold division
Tournament Host:
1. The league shall provide medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and sportsmanship
2. The league shall cover the cost of the officials for the tournament you are hosting
3. The host shall decide the sportsmanship winner based on coaches, fans and players attitudes during the tournament.
4. Host sites shall be determined by the director with an emphasis on equal division based on the location and quality of the site
5. Site host home teams may play up from lower tier tournament but cannot play down
6. This shall occur within their division only (Gold B to Gold A)
7. Tournament Host must be willing not to have a team in their respective tournament
8. Tournament officials shall be scheduled by the host site but should be aware under certain circumstances may be provided by the league.
Tie Breakers Gold Divisions: Tiebreakers will be used in case of a tie. These tiebreakers will be used only for determining seeds and/or placement in the league tournaments. This can be used in any division or geographical division. This should be communicated between coordinators and coaches. The tiebreakers shall be as follows:
Tiebreaker #1: Head-to-Head record with tied teams
Tiebreaker #2: Head-to-Head point differential with tied teams
Tiebreaker #3: Overall record vs common opponents
Tiebreaker #4: Overall point differential vs common opponents
Tiebreaker #5: Coin toss
Tie Breakers Silver and Bronze Divisions: Tiebreakers will be used in case of a tie. These tiebreakers will be used only for determining seeds and/or placement in the league tournaments. This can be used in any division or geographical division. This should be communicated between coordinators and coaches. The tiebreakers shall be as follows:
Tiebreaker #1: Head-to-Head record with tied teams
Tiebreaker #2: Head-to-Head point differential with tied teams
Tiebreaker #3: Coin toss
Community Coordinators and League Directors Responsibilities:
1. Member communities will provide a Community Coordinator who will also act as community representative at league meetings.
a. The Community Coordinator will attend the league meeting prior to the start of the season and be responsible for communicating league information to coaches, players, etc.
b. The coordinator will oversee the recruitment of coaches and players for their community teams. The coordinator will recruit support personnel for home games as necessary for admission gates, concessions, clock, and scoreboard keepers, and if desired, a named Assistant Coordinator, who will assume these responsibilities during the Community Coordinator’s absence.
c. The Community Coordinator will be responsible for determining and collecting any player fees, gate charges, etc., necessary to maintain their programs.
d. The Community Coordinator will procure gym time for home games.
e. The Community Coordinator, or a named assistant, will be present at home games for any problems which may occur, and will be responsible for paying referees.
f. All Community Coordinators will be considered League Officers. Any proposed changes to accepted league policies would be decided by majority vote via phone or email conducted by the League Director. This includes admission of new member communities/teams.
g. The Community Coordinator will be responsible for naming a successor in such time, as he/she does not wish to continue as Coordinator. The name and phone number of the new Coordinator is to be reported to the League Director.
2. League Director Responsibilities:
a. The League Director will be responsible for calling the league meeting at least two weeks prior to the start of the season.
b. The League Director will be responsible for disseminating league communications to all members.
c. Building the schedule, organizing the rules, cancellation notice of events, updating league standings.
d. Coordinate with outside companies and grant permission to take photos at events and promote outside shirt sales.
Tournament payment:
1. All tournament fees shall be paid by January 20th, 2023, for the 3-6th grade divisions. This fee is $165 per team.
2. All tournament fees shall be paid with the league registration with the 7/8 boys’ and girls’ registration. These due dates are 10/24/2021 for the 7/8 girls/boys fall and 12/26/2021 for 7/8 Boys.
Tournament Refund
1. Tournament refunds will be in full if notified in writing on the following dates.
a. 7/8 Girls November 17th, 2022
b. 3/6 grades January 24th, 2023
c. 7/8 Boys January 28th, 2023
Tournament Cancellation
1. Tournaments may be cancelled due to emergency, weather conditions, etc. will be managed as such.
a. Tournaments cannot be moved to another location changed to single elimination or any other possibilities. Once it the tournament is cancelled games will not be played
b. As checks are sent 3 days prior to tournament, upon cancelled these monies must be returned to Red Cedar Sports.
c. $70 will refund to each team and paid to the community
d. A portion of the tournament money is paid to each host site
League Configuration
1. Teams will enter into the East and West Divisions as can be best determined.
2. Subdivisions within each division will be created based on geographic location.
3. League director will factor in location and skill level of teams to determine each team’s placement within a division and subdivision.
4. Communities are recommended to place team(s) in the gold division based on the ratio: 1 Gold team per every 600 high school students.
Tournaments
1. 3rd – 6th Grade: Participation notification and tournament fees must be received no later than Jan. 20. Teams may cancel participation prior to Jan. 24th. Cancellations received after Jan. 24 will result in forfeiture of all tournament fees.
2. 7th – 8th Grade Boys and Girls require all tournament fees to be paid in advance with all other league fees.
School of Choice
1. All players are required to play for the school that they are currently attending. No exceptions.
Michigan Middle School State Championship: Teams qualifying for the tournament shall be as such: Each individual division 1st and 2nd place team. In divisions of 10 teams or larger. 1st, 2nd and 3rd will qualify. Also, the league tournament (A) champion will be invited if not included in the division qualifying. Fees and other expenses will be the responsibility of the team or community.