WOMBA Rules and Regulations

All games follow National Federation of High School rules with exceptions due to time skill and age restraints

Length Of Game:

Each age division is allotted 1 1/2 hours of gym time.  The 1st half hour is a practice to work on skills and the remaining hour is used for a game.  Game clock will continue to run with the exceptions of time outs and injury.  All players shall be played equally using a timed substitution stopwatch.

Dress code:

For safety reasons players cannot wear equipment that could injure themselves or others in games, practices or warm ups. This includes earrings, hair clips, necklaces, chains, bracelets, or any item that game management feels might endanger any player.

Starting and Restarting the Game:

• A jump ball at center court is used only to start games.
• In other jump ball situations, such as simultaneous possession of the ball by players from opposing teams, teams alternate possession; the team that did not win the first jump ball takes the ball out of bounds in the next jump ball situation.

Fouls:

We understand that basketball can be a contact sport, with 10 players in constant motion-running, blocking, and jumping. However, we discourage rough play and unnecessary contact.  Intentional or flagrant fouls will not be tolerated and will be subject to review by the Executive Committee as required.

Generally, fouls are called if an official perceives that two or more players have made illegal physical contact based on general principles:

• The first player to establish position on the court has priority rights to that position.
• A body part cannot be extended into the path of an opponent.
• The player who moves into the path of an opponent, especially an airborne opponent, when contact occurs is responsible for the contact.
• All players have the right to all of the space extending straight up from their feet on the floor.  This is referred to as “the principle of verticality”.

Types of Fouls:

• Reaching in – extending an arm, usually from behind, and making contact with the ball handler in an attempt to steal the ball.
• Tripping – extending a leg or foot and causing an opponent to lose balance or fall down.
• Over the Back – infringing on the vertical plane of, and making contact with, a player who is in position and attempting to rebound.
• Blocking – physically impeding the progress of another player who is still moving.
• Holding – restricting movement of an opposing player.
• Charging – running into or pushing a defender who is stationary.
• Illegal Screen – blocking in which the player setting the screen is still moving when the defender makes contact.
• Shooting Fouls – where a defender makes contact with a player who is shooting the ball.

Ball Handling Violations:

	Double dribble – resuming dribbling after having stopped dribbling (and no defender has interrupted the player’s possession of the ball) or dribbling with both hands at the same time.
	Over and Back – returning the ball to the backcourt by an offensive player after he or she has crossed into the frontcourt.
	Travelling – taking more than one step without dribbling or taking two or more steps before releasing a pass or shot.
	Out of Bounds – causing the ball to go out of bounds.

Time Violations:

The following violations are implemented only in the Minor Bantam, Bantam and Midget Divisions;

• 5 seconds inbound – The offensive team fails to throw the ball within 5 seconds from the time the official hands the inbounder the ball. Time-outs must be called before the fourth count if a team is having trouble inbounding the ball.
• 5 seconds in possession – An offensive player fails to get rid of the ball within 5 seconds after being guarded within 6 feet by a defender in the frontcourt.
• 3 seconds in the lane – An offensive player is in the free throw lane of the frontcourt for 3 or more consecutive seconds while his or her team is in possession of the ball.

The Half Court Rule – Simplified:

The team being awarded possession in their backcourt (now on offence) will receive the ball from the official after all opposing players have returned to their own backcourt (now on defense). The defensive team must fall back 1 metre beyond the half court line to allow players to get into the front court. The half court rule shall be enforced if there is a stoppage in play;

• If the ball goes out of bounds.
• If an official stops play for a foul or a ball handling violation.
• If the offensive team scores a basket.
• If a jump ball is called by an official (simultaneous possession of the ball by players from opposing teams).  This does not include the jump ball at the start of the game.

Note:  The half court rule does not apply during a rebound situation.   If the defensive team gains possession of the ball upon a failed attempt to score by the offensive team, the ball remains in play.

Time Outs:

There are 2 time outs per game of a minute a piece. The game clock will not stop but the substitution clock will.

Defense:

To be considered playing defense, a player must be within 1.8 metres of, and attempting to defend their check

There is no double teaming in WOMBA but helping a teammate that has lost their check is allowed.

Absolutely no zone defense allowed. This may include a defensive player standing in the middle of the key and not actively defending their check

Age and game knowledge must be taken into consideration by the referees and coaches when interpreting how a player plays defense.

Time does not stop unless there is a time out called or an injury.