There are many aspects of Upward that make it unique to other youth recreation leagues. For instance, teams can only play man-to-man defense. Why? Because at the beginning of each period, each player receives a colored wristband. That player guards the player on the other team with the same wristband color. This ensures that all players will guard someone of an comparable skill set during games! Keep reading the rulebook below to learn more about what separates Upward from other leagues.

Practices

• 1st-6th grades = one hour practice on either Mon, Tue, Wed or Fri
• K practices for 20 minutes immediately before their game
• Cheer squads practice for one hour immediately before their game
• 10 minute devotion time during each practice
• Basketballs for practices are provided by the league

Gamedays

• One game each Saturday during our 8 week season (game times are in consistent time slots across the season)
• Show time 15 mins prior to game time in order to be included in starting line-up
• Man-to-man defense only with players matched based on skill level, wristband color identifies matched opponents
• Fixed substitution pattern results in equitable playing time for all participants over the course of the season
• Player is disqualified for 2nd personal foul in a period, fouls are forgiven when period ends (green wristband = 1 foul)
• Gameplay is on width of court, with two games underway each hour from 9:00am to 8:00pm every Saturday
• 6 six minute periods with 1 minute between each period for substitutions and a 10 minute half after the 3rd period (K play 4 four minute periods)
• Continuous clock, stops only for injury timeout (untimed play continues on the other court)
• At director’s discretion, we will adjust the clock to either gain/lose time to maintain gameday schedule No score kept in K-2nd grade divisions.
• No league standings kept in any divisions
• 3rd-6th grades, fouls in last 2 minutes of game = automatic points (non-shooting =1pt, shooting = 2pts, made-basket foul=3pts)
• One 3-min OT in 3rd-6th grade, penalty points for fouls continue throughout OT. If OT ends in tie, game ends in tie
• Mercy rule—we permit a maximum 20 point rolling differential in scores for 3rd-6th grade divisions No league trophies or MVP trophies. Each player receives end of year award from the league.