NJB Frequently Asked Questions

A: SLAM is the acronym for the cities represent in the Foothill Chapter: Sunnyvale, Los Altos (Hills), and Mountain View. It is therefore referred to as Foothill-SLAM NJB.

Q: What is the Silicon Valley Section?

A: Foothill-SLAM NJB and several other Chapters in the area comprise the Silicon Valley Section. Other Chapters include Almaden, Berryessa/Milpitas, Coyote Creek, San Jose East (Evergreen), Gilroy, Hollister, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Saratoga, West San Jose, and Willow Glen. The Silicon Valley NJB Section web site is www.siliconvalleynjb.com

Q: Do I live within the Foothill-SLAM Chapter Boundary?

A: With the exception of high school teams (which have no geographical boundaries), Foothill-SLAM NJB is the home chapter for residents of Sunnyvale, Los Altos, a portion of Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View. If you do not live in one of these cities Foothill-SLAM NJB is not your home chapter, and you will need to find your home chapter to play NJB. Please see the Silicon Valley NJB Section web site http://www.siliconvalleynjb.com for more information on the other chapters and to see a chapter boundary map.

Q: What is an NJB sponsor? Why does the chapter need donations?

A: The Foothill-SLAM NJB (National Junior Basketball) Chapter is requesting your assistance in sponsoring teams for the upcoming basketball season. Sponsoring a team is a good investment in your community. If you are sponsoring $150 or more, please be sure to complete our sponsorship form. The Foothill-SLAM NJB Chapter is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing the finest youth basketball program available. Our funding is entirely dependent upon the contributions of local businesses and individuals along with the players’ registration fee.

You can become a sponsor when you register your child on-line. After doing so please go to our website homepage and click the “Sponsor Form” link in order to print off our sponsor form. You can follow the instructions on the form in order to submit it.

Q: What is the mailing address of Foothill-SLAM?

A: All mailing information can be found in the “Contact Us” section of the website.

Q: What is “Silent Sunday”?

A: The following information about Silent Sunday is from NJB Headquarters. The date of Silent Sunday for our chapter can be found in our calendar posted on the website homepage.

“NJB is all about our kids! Our kids look to us as role models on how to act when it comes to games. The main goal of NJB is to make sure the kids have fun. To ensure positive parent support during today’s game, parents are to remain SILENT throughout the entire contest (however clapping will be permitted). Site Directors and Board Directors are instructed to enforce Silent Sunday. Hoping we remind ourselves of the significant role we play in the lives of our kids at their NJB events. Fun is number one!!”

Registration

Q: When can I register?

A: On-line registration for the winter season normally opens on the last Saturday in July. The starting date and time for registration will be communicated in two ways: via email to the list of returning families, and also on the home page at the Foothill-SLAM NJB website. There is no walk-in registration. All registration is done online.

Q: What is the process for registering a new player?

A: The registration process for a new player is the same as that of a returning player except that the new player has to provide the following certification documents (no originals please):

copy of the player's birth certificate or passport
copy of ALL of the pages of the most recent report card (i.e. the last report issued from the previous school year)
copy of a current utility bill (only gas/electric, water, and garbage are acceptable) showing your name and current address

NJB rules require that the registration and medical release forms, birth certificate and a copy of the report card shall be on file with each chapter.

The parents of the new player will need to check the home page of the Foothill-SLAM NJB website for the starting date and time of registration.

Q: Do I have to register online? What about using a paper form or attending walk-in registration?

A: We no longer hold walk-in registration or use paper forms. All registration is done online.

Q: What things do I need in order to register?

A: When registering online it is recommended that you have your child’s medical, dental, and emergency contact information handy. You will need to submit this information during online registration. For returning players, certification documents are no longer required for Divisional play. Please do not mail birth certificates, report cards, or utility bills to NJB. However, if your child did not play in NJB-SLAM last season then you will need to provide certification documents for your child. Both Returning players and new players will need to print out the Registration/Medical Release available in the online registration and mail two signed copies of the Registration/Medical Release to NJB at the address below.

Foothill-SLAM NJB

P.O. Box 3008

Los Altos, CA 94024

All of the requirements mentioned above will be communicated during on-line registration as well.

In order for your child to play All-Net or All-Stars, the following player certification documents will be required (no originals please):

copy of the player's birth certificate or passport
copy of ALL of the pages of the most recent report card (i.e. the last report issued from the previous school year)
copy of a current utility bill (only gas/electric, water, and garbage are acceptable) showing your name and current address

In summary, for returning players, the player certification documents listed above are not required for Division play but are required for All-Net and All-Stars.

New players will need to provide certification documents for Division play. NJB rules require that the registration and medical release forms, birth certificate and a copy of the report card shall be on file with each chapter. Returning players have already provided these certification documents to the NJB-SLAM chapter.

Q: What are the GPA requirements for NJB?

A. All-Net certification occurs before the season starts, and requires players to show a 2.0 grade point average for the prior school year's final report period. Foothill-SLAM will check the report card GPA before allowing a player on an All-Net team. There are no exceptions. There is a second certification during the season based on the first trimester, or second quarter report card. Again a 2.0 GPA is required for eligibility in post-season play. This review only covers regular season and end of season tournament (Championship Series Tournament) play. The Foothill-SLAM chapter has adopted a policy requiring that players show a minimum 2.0 GPA to be eligible for Divisional All Stars, including grade based teams. There are no exceptions granted. Eligibility is determined on the latest report card after the season.

Q: What are the age limits for NJB?

A: Players are categorized by grade and are then assigned the appropriate division level (e.g. D1, D2). If a player in one of these divisions exceeds the age limits provided for that division by NJB then they will be contacted by our Chapter and notified of this. This is a very rare situation and in those cases the player is moved up to the next higher division.

The age restrictions are based upon your child’s age as of May 1st of the next year using the table below:

Division Age Requirement

D3 Shall not turn 11 before May 1^st of the next year

D2 Shall not turn 13 before May 1^st of the next year

D1 Shall not turn 15 before May 1^st of the next year

Q: What is the registration priority for new and returning players?

A: Children of board members and returning families have the highest priority. Siblings of returning players (i.e. they had a brother or sister play on a Foothill team in a previous season) have the next highest priority. Players who qualify for an All-Net team also have additional priority over others. Players who reside within the chapter boundaries have priority over those with waivers who do not. Registration priority will be lost for any of the groups above if all documents and full payment are not received by the deadline (based on postmarked date). Families that do not fulfill their volunteer responsibilities will lose their priority for the next season.

For new players their relative priority with other new families will be the date and time of their online registration. It should be noted that any prioritization listed above is only done for players who complete their registration requirements correctly (e.g. payment, and attend evaluations). There is one exception to the above: high school players do not rely on geographical boundaries; instead they are added to a team based on try-outs. For new players who do not fall into one of the categories described above, registration priority is based on the time of registration (i.e. the earlier the registration, the higher the priority). If the Chapter needs an additional coach and one of the parents is eligible to coach, the child will be moved up in priority to secure the additional coach.

Q: One of my children played in Foothill last season. His sister now wants to join. Does his sister get priority as being a returning player? Can I register multiple children at once?

A: His sister gets priority, but not as a returning player. She gets the next highest level which is "sibling of a returning player". That means that she has priority over any new players, but not over returning players. All of this assumes that she has fully completed each step of the registration process (e.g. online registration, payment, attends evaluations). Our registration system allows multiple children in one family to all be registered at the same time.

Q: I noticed that I need to provide uniform sizes during online registration. Is there a guide to the sizes of the shirts and shorts?

A: The guide shown below can be used to determine the approximate sizes of the NJB uniforms. The uniform size to specify during registration is given in the blue text. The typical measurement of the shirt and corresponding shorts is given in the red text. Measure your child’s waist and chest circumference with a tape measure to determine the best fit. A uniform may consist of different sized items (e.g. it is acceptable to select an AM t-shirt and an AL shooting shirt).

Shirt Size to Order	Youth Small	Youth Medium	Youth Large	Adult Small	Adult Medium	Adult Large	Adult Extra Large	Adult Extra Extra Large
Shirts:	YS Chest 28-30 inches	YM Chest 32-34 inches	YL Chest 36-38 inches	AS Chest 34-36 inches	AM Chest 38-40 inches	AL Chest 42-44 inches	AXL Chest 46-48 inches	AXXL Chest 50-52 inches
Shorts Size to Order	Youth Small	Youth Medium	Youth Large	Adult Small	Adult Medium	Adult Large	Adult Extra Large	Adult Extra Extra Large
Shorts:	YS Waist 20-22 inches	YM Waist 24-26 inches	YL Waist 28-30 inches	AS Waist 26-28 inches	AM Waist 30-32 inches	AL Waist 34-36 inches	AXL Waist 38-40 inches	AXXL Waist 42-44 inches

Q: I forgot to print the player Registration/Medical release when I did online registration. How do I go back and do that?

A: Go to the registration URL at https://njbfoothill.d4sportsreg.com Login as an existing member on the left side of the screen using the password you created during your initial online registration. If you have forgotten your password you can also use this screen to find out what it is. After logging on as an existing member, select the child whose registration form you want to print. Click on the “Forms” selection on the left side of the screen to print it off. Don’t forget to print two copies, sign them, and mail them to the address below.

Foothill-SLAM NJB

P.O. Box 3008

Los Altos, CA 94024

Q: When will I know if my child gets a spot in the chapter? How will I know if my child is put on the wait list?

A: Consult the chapter calendar which can be found on the website. The wait list will be created about a week after all of the division evaluations have been completed. At this time both players who have a spot in the chapter and those who do not (and are on the wait list) will be notified of their status.

Q: My child is on the wait list for registration, what should I do?

A: Players on the wait list will be notified if there is an opening at any time up to the first game of the season. After the first game any players still on the wait list will have their payments refunded at 100% (or the checks shredded if they were not yet deposited).

Q: What is a shooting shirt?

A: A shooting shirt (or shooter shirt) is an optional part of the uniform that players can wear when they are warming up. For a picture please go to our website and click on the Uniform selection on the left.

Q: Where can I go to print a player’s name on the back of a shooting shirt?

A: The Shirt Wheel in San Jose

The Shirt Wheel
1375 Blossom Hill Road
Princeton Plaza Mall
San Jose, CA 95118
408.266.4122

Q: What does the uniform look like? Can my child wear a t-shirt under the jersey?

A: For a photo of the uniform please go to our website and click on the Uniform selection on the left. Foothill-SLAM players wear the light (white) side of their shorts and jerseys when they are the home team, and the dark (blue) side of their shorts and jerseys for away games. This can be done because both the jerseys and the shorts are reversible. The only blue t-shirt that can be worn under the dark side of the jersey is the one provided by Foothill-SLAM NJB, because the color needs to match exactly. Shooting shirts and white t-shirts are optional and they are available at an extra fee. Jerseys need to be returned at the end of the season or there will be an additional fee incurred.

Q: My child is a returning player and when I tried to register online using my user name and password from last season it said it was not valid.

A: Please send an email to admin@njb-slam.org, and our Registration volunteer should be able to help you obtain your user name and password.

Q: My child played in Foothill two years ago. She decided not to play last year, but has signed up again this year. Is she considered a returning player?

A: No. Once a returning player skips a year then they forego any returning player status they had previously. The only exception is made for a player that has to withdraw during a season due to injury.

Q: I made a mistake when I did my online registration and I want to go back and correct it. How do I do that? How do I go back in after registering online to change or view the information I typed in?

A: Go to the registration URL at https://njbfoothill.d4sportsreg.com Login as an existing member on the left side of the screen using the password you created during your initial online registration. If you have forgotten your password you can also use this screen to find out what it is. If you have forgotten your password you can also use this screen to find out what it is. After logging on as an existing member, select the child whose registration you want to correct and make your desired changes or view your information.

Q: I made a change to my child’s registration record online. Do I need to notify someone that I did this or have my registration form reprinted?

A: If you want to make a change to your registration information *after* the All-Net try-outs and division evaluations then you must also send an email to admin@njb-slam.org right away. Some of the information you changed (e.g. uniform sizes) may have already been copied from the database and is being used by other groups for such things as uniform ordering.

Q: I registered my child online and when I tried to login later as an existing member it said “Invalid Login”.

A: You are probably using a different email address than the one you registered your child with initially.

Q: My child wants to play on an All-Net team. Why is there no selection for this in the “division” field during online registration?

A: Players are selected for the All-Net team. Only those who attend the All-Net tryouts and make the final cut will play on an All-Net team. Therefore All-Net is not an option you can “sign-up” for. Instead, there is place on the player registration screen where you can specify your intention to attend the try-outs. Selecting that option is not binding---it is there so we can get an idea of roughly how many players will show-up show up so we can plan accordingly.

Q: When I finished registering I realized I was not prompted to enter things like volunteer information. Why not?

A: Go back into your registration record and make sure you selected the basic registration option. If you did not then you won’t be asked to enter information like volunteering.

Q: How can I register if I am traveling when registration begins?

A: With the large number of players registering in our league, it is inevitable that any date chosen to open registration this year will be inconvenient for some of the families that want to sign-up. So if you happen to be traveling when registration opens then you have two options:

Online registration should take no longer than 15 minutes. You can do it from anywhere in the world where you have access to an Internet connection. You could print the forms when you return. Many places away from home have libraries, Kinkos, and Internet cafes with web access.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: When you register for someone else you will need to create a NEW PARENT LOGIN for them. Do not use your own parent login or you will increase the size of your family in a few keystrokes. Completely log out and log back in as a new member before registering for a friend.
Have someone complete online register for you in your absence. Be sure to collect the information below for the person registering for you. If you select this option then make sure to provide them with our website address (www.njb-slam.org).

FOR EACH PLAYER

Name	Address	Home Phone	Email Address
NJB Sibling Names	Years in NJB	Division (based on grade level)	Birth Date
Shorts Size	Jersey Size	T-Shirt size	Shooting shirt size
Dental Insurance Carrier	Dental Policy Number	Dentist Name	Dentist Phone
Physician name	Physician Phone	Medical Concerns	Medical Insurance
Weight	Height (inches)	School in Fall	Grade in Fall
Emergency Contact Name	Emergency Contact Relationship	Emergency Contact Phone
Intending to try-out for All-Net? (Yes or No)

FOR EACH PARENT OR GUARDIAN

Name

Home Phone

Work Phone

Cell Phone Number

Email Address

Fees and Payments

Q: How much does it cost to join NJB?

A: For the winter 2009 season the registration fee is $280. The registration fee NO LONGER includes shorts except for the Rookie Program (1^st and 2^nd Graders). If you already have reversible Foothill NJB shorts, you may use them instead of purchasing new shorts. All players must wear reversible Foothill NJB shorts. An optional white t-shirt is $15 and the optional shooting shirt is $35. Players selected for All-Net pay an extra $175 after the teams are formed to cover the higher costs of All-Net. Players selected for All-Stars pay an extra $30 to cover extra practice time and tournament games.

Q: What do I get as part of my registration fee?

A: In addition to a season of fun and action, each player receives a blue NJB t-shirt (in lieu of a participation trophy), and a Memory Mate Photo. A jersey is provided at the start of the season however our fees are based on the assumption that the jersey will be returned at the end of the season.

Q: Do you offer financial assistance?

A: Contact the Chapter Director for more information about the financial aid program. This can be done by sending an email to admin@njb-slam.org. Financial aid is provided to offset a portion of the registration fees.

Q: Online registration said that my child gets a Memory Mate as part of their registration fee. What is a Memory Mate?

A: A Memory Mate is the photo package that is provided as part of the registration fees. It consists of a 3x5 individual player photo and a 5x7 team photo. It is mounted on a cardstock mat.

Q: What is the refund policy for registration fees?

A: 100% of registration fees are refunded if the request is submitted to admin@njb-slam.org prior to the player drafts. A 50% refund is provided prior to the first game as long as the entire uniform is returned. After the first game there are no refunds given.

Teams

Q: What teams does NJB have?

A: NJB has teams for different age groups and genders. NJB does not have co-ed teams. Within the older age groups, there are select "All-Net" teams. Players must try-out to make the All-Net teams.

The regular "Division" teams are divided as follows:

Division 1 - 7/8th graders - separate girls and boys teams
Division 2 - 5/6th graders - separate girls and boys teams
Division 3 - 3/4th graders - separate girls and boys teams
Rookie League – coed girls and boys teams
High School JV Division - 9th/10th grade boys
High School Varsity Division - 11th/12th grade boys

The All-Net Teams are divided as follows:

Boys 5th grade
Boys 6th grade
Boys 7th grade
Boys 8th grade
Girls 5^th grade
Girls 6th grade
Girls 7th grade
Girls 8th grade

Foothill-SLAM NJB decides each year which All-Net teams it will field based upon the number of players registered in that division and the level of interest from the players.

Q: Can I request that two kids be placed onto the same team if they are friends? What about if they are siblings?

A: For friends this would only be possible if the kids are in the same division based on their grade level (3rd/4th, 5th/6th, or 7th/8th) and the same coach is willing and able to draft them both. We do not assign players onto teams. They are selected by coaches during the draft process. As for siblings, we do allow for them to be drafted together onto the same team if this what the parent desires and their ages qualify them for the same division. A parent can also request that they not be on the same team.

Q: Can I request a particular coach for my child?

A: Players are evaluated at division evaluations and then drafted by coaches. Therefore it is not possible to request a coach via our registration process.

Q: I understand that there is an additional fee for my child to play on an All-Net team. Why does it cost more?

A: All-Net teams get more practice time, larger gyms, and more games. Due to gym and referee costs this translates into a higher cost. The Section fees and National Tournament fees for All-Net are also higher than for division teams. These higher costs increases what it costs to sponsor these All-Net teams, and the families of All-Net players are expected to pay for the difference.

Q: What is a waiver?

A: When a player wants to play outside the Chapter in which he/she lives, a waiver must be obtained. The player’s home chapter agrees to release the player, and the receiving chapter agrees to accept the player. The waiver is signed by both Chapter Directors, as well as the Section Director. The player must register in their home chapter first, in case the waiver is not granted. In addition, if our chapter is full we can grant a waiver so that a player within our boundaries can play somewhere else. In past years our Chapter has been very full and that is one reason we have not accepted many incoming waivers. The waiver form can be obtained from the Chapter Director of the player's home chapter. The parents must initiate the waiver process and contact the appropriate Chapter Directors. To contact the Chapter Director send an email to admin@njb-slam.org.

Q: What division do I register for? What if my second grader wants to “play-up” on a third/fourth grade team?

A: All players should register by grade (pick the appropriate selection based on gender and grade) during online registration. For players who are considering trying out for All-Net, also check the box marked as such on the registration screen. Second graders playing up are only accepted after all qualified third and fourth graders are accepted into the league. The intention is not to have a third or fourth grader on the wait list in lieu of allowing a second grader to play.

Q: What about a D2 or D3 player who wants to play up? Is that allowed?

A: If a D2 or D3 player wants to play up they must attend evaluations for both divisions. If they are ranked in the top 50% of the upper division then they can play up. If they are not in the top 50% then they must play in the division that corresponds to their grade level. The reason for this rule is that we don’t want players to play-up if they are going to be sitting on the bench for the fifth quarter. If they can compete with the older kids then it makes sense for them to move up, space permitting.

Q: What is All-Net?

A: All-Net is a highly competitive team that usually travels farther distances to play some of their games. Players must try-out and be selected in order to play on it. Try-outs are open to anyone and are held at the beginning of October. During registration those players interested in All-Net should sign up as attending to try out as well as specify the appropriate division level should they not make the All-Net team. The intention of trying out for All-Net is not binding. At anytime the player can change their mind and show up for Division Evaluations instead of All-Net try-outs.

Q: What happens at the All-Net try-outs?

A: The first All-Net try-out takes place on a Saturday in October. Players who are asked to come to the final cut session with the head coach are also welcome to come back to the All-Net try-out on Sunday to use it as practice and preparation for the final try-out. There will be independent evaluators at both the Saturday and Sunday try-outs. It is mandatory that All-Net players attend at least one try-out to earn a spot on a team

Q: My child made an All-Net team, what do I need to submit for certification?

A: All questions regarding All-Net certification should be directed to the All-Net Coordinator. You can also visit the Silicon Valley NJB website to access information regarding the necessary documents for certification.

Q: Why does my child have to attend a division evaluation? Is it a try-out?

A: We have skills evaluation for the purpose of trying to make the teams as fair and balanced as possible. Players do not have to try-out to "make" the team. Players are assigned Division based on registration priority. Experience has shown that unbalanced teams, either too strong or too weak, can discourage some players and parents. Although you cannot always tell which player is going to "bloom" during the season and exceed everyone's expectations, it is much more likely to get uneven teams when we place players on teams without seeing them. All Division players MUST attend one of their division evaluations to be drafted. If your child is injured, he or she still must attend the evaluation to be introduced to the coaches.

Q: How does the player draft work, and if it is really a draft then how can it produce balanced teams?

A: The player draft works the following way: coaches are given a rated player list 30 minutes prior to the draft. It has the normalized ratings of all players they may draft (no wait list players however). Each player's height and grade are included on the list. We will also include a notation if they played on an All-Net or All-Stars the previous year. Coaches are free to select anyone they want in any round. Only children of coaches (and assistants) are assigned rounds, based on where they evaluated.

Q: How are Division teams created?

A: All players, including those not selected for All-Net, must attend a Divisional evaluation session. Each division will have two or three sessions. If necessary a make-up session may be held. This is not a try-out. NJB rules DO NOT allow for cuts based upon ability. The program is based upon priority registration (see registration FAQs for more details on this. The evaluation is used to rate players for the draft, so as to create well-balanced teams.

Q: How do I make a request to have my child on the same team as a friend?

A: Players are drafted by coaches and therefore there is no opportunity to fulfill requests for friends to play on the same team. The only way two friends would end up on the same team is if the coached happened to draft both of them.

Q: I selected “Coach” as my volunteer job when I registered my child. What do I do next in order to let the chapter know I am interested in coaching?

A: Parents interested in coaching should fill out a coach’s application which can be found by clicking on the Coach Application link. This is a two step process: the coach’s application is filled out and mailed in and then the applicant must also be fingerprint certified. Fingerprinting information can be found by clicking here.

Q: What about assistant coaches? Do you allow assistant coaches to be teamed up with head coaches?

A: Often coaches are paired up prior to the draft. The first part of our process is contacting the head coach applicants to make sure we have enough for the number of teams we are planning. If we cannot find enough head coaches, we start contacting the people who volunteered to be an assistant coach to determine if they will step up to a head coaching position. Next we let all of the head coaches know who has volunteered to be an assistant coach. They can contact these volunteers to find their assistant coach that way. We typically have more assistant coach volunteers than spots.

This can also be done at the coaches meeting held prior to the draft. At this time there is often a pairing of coaches and assistant coaches. Some of the coaches already know each other and request to be placed together. If someone is new to the chapter and does not know anyone else then we introduce them to each other and make suggestions on who should coach together. We often have coaches who show up at the draft without an assistant coach and are able to find one there. Coaches then can make a request for one assistant coach at the draft. If the other coaches agree, then both children are treated as coaches’ kids for the draft. We have draft compensation rules if a coach and assistant's children rate in the same round of the draft to make sure no team gains an advantage by a partnership. Assistant coaches (just like coaches) must fill out the coach’s application and be fingerprint certified. The information for doing these two steps can be found in the “Volunteer” section of the chapter homepage.

Q: Does your chapter offer a high school program?

A: Foothill’s high school program is for boys who do not participate in their school basketball program (CCS rules do not allow them to play in both).

Unlike the division and All-Net programs, there are no geographical boundaries for the high school program.
We offer both a 9^th/10^th grade boys team and a 11^th/12^th boy’s grade team. Should Foothill not have enough players to field these teams there is the possibility that we would combine with another neighboring chapter.
We have our high school evaluations the week after all the high schools finish their try-outs. We ask the high school coaches let players know about our program so they can tell the kids who do not make their high school teams.
Our high school program is competitive because we get a number of kids from high schools with really strong basketball programs where it is hard for most kids to make the team when the high schools only keep 12 to 15 players.
Practices are usually twice a week in the late evening. The games are on Sundays, usually in the mid to late afternoons. The first game is normally played on the first Sunday in December.

Practices and Games

Q: Can you tell me more about practices?

A: All-Net teams begin practicing right after team formation in mid-October. Division teams practice twice per week starting at the very end of October or the beginning of November. Practices run 1 to 1.5 hours and are typically at local middle schools (e.g. Peterson Middle School in Sunnyvale, Blach and Egan in Los Altos, and some private gyms in Mountain View). Our goal is to provide about two practices per week depending on gym availability. Typically, one practice will be held during the week and a second practice will be held on Saturday. Our chapter is always looking for more gym space. If you know of available gyms, please contact our Chapter Director by sending an email to admin@njb-slam.org.

Q: Why must there be a female adult chaperone present at each girls practice? Does attending practices count as part of my volunteer hours?

A: It is a requirement imposed by the National Office of NJB out of Southern California. The purpose of the female adult chaperone being present at the practices is so that there is never an adult male alone with a girl or girls. This rule originated from a policy to protect children, as did the rule that all coaches, assistant coaches, referees, and board members need to be finger printed and the results reviewed before allowing them to be with the players. Also, having a female adult present at practices is helpful in case one of the younger girls needs to use the restroom that is outside the gym (like at Egan and Blach). In this case the girl can be escorted by the female adult. The time spent chaperoning does not count as part of your four volunteer hours. You still must signup for a team or chapter job, as selected during online registration.

Q: When do the games start?

A: Games typically start the first Sunday in December. Regular season games are on Sundays usually at Bay Area schools. NJB has eight to ten Sundays of games for the Division teams' regular season. Accounting for holiday breaks, the regular season typically ends in mid-February. All-Net teams have a couple more games in the regular season, so they play until late-February. Post season play for both All-Net and division teams can extend this end date further.

Q: Who do we play games against?

A: Division teams play about half their games in Foothill Gyms against division teams from our Chapter or another neighboring Silicon Valley Section chapter. The other games are played at neighboring chapter gyms. All-Net teams play against All-Net teams of other Silicon Valley Section chapters and some East Bay Section teams.

Q: How long is the season?

A: Division teams practices start in November and games start in December. Regular season games are scheduled into February. Post-season games can last from February into March depending on how the team does. All-Net teams can start a bit earlier and last a while longer. An events calendar for the season can viewed from the home page.

Q: How much of the game will my child get to play in, especially if they have never played before? How long is each game?

A: NJB Division games consist of five (5) quarters each of eight (8) minute length. Each child is guaranteed two (2) full quarters of playing time out of the first four. The 5th quarter is free substitution, so there is no guarantee of 5th quarter playing time. NJB All-Net plays High School rules, with more advanced players. There is no guaranteed playing time, although Foothill does recommend each player play at least one quarter. However this is completely at the coach’s discretion.

Q: What size basketball is used for each division?

A: Professional basketball players use a 30 inch basketball, so it not good for kids to buy the official size NBA ball because these will never be used in competitive play in NJB. Instead002C the following will be used and it is based on division:

D3 boys and D3 girls play with a 27.5 inch ball called a junior basketball
D2 and D1 girls and also D2 boys play with a 28.5 inch ball women's basketball called an intermediate basketball
D1 boys play with a 29.5 inch ball
the official basketball for California high school competition is the Spalding TF-1000 29.5 inch basketball for boys and the Spalding TF-1000 28.5 inch basketball for girls

Volunteering

Q: Does NJB need my help?

A: Yes! Foothill-SLAM NJB is a non-profit (501c3) volunteer-run organization. The success of the season rests on the involvement of volunteers. It takes a lot of work to run the league. Please consider helping us, and if you can't, please be patient with and appreciative of those that do. We always are in need of working committee members and coaches. You don't have to have children in the league to participate. You also don't have to be a working committee member or a coach to help out. There are always short-term tasks that can use volunteers.

Q: What types of volunteer jobs are available?

A: Board positions, coaches, assistant coaches, team parents, gym monitors, registration helpers, uniform/merchandise distribution helpers and Picture Day helpers. If you are a new parent to the league it is recommended that you do not signup as a registration helper since that job takes place early on before parents know if they have made it into the chapter or whether they are on the wait list.

Q: How can I be exempt from Volunteering?

A: Each player is required to have a parent take on a volunteer job for either the team or the chapter. A sign-up is done during online registration for this. A parent is exempt from volunteering when they donate $100 for each player in their family. If a family has two children in NJB then they need to do two jobs (approximately 4 hours per job) or donate $200 to NJB. There is an NJB rule that there must be a female adult present at each practice. Even if a family is exempt from volunteering, they still are required to attend practice(s) to fulfill this rule if needed.

Q: I am volunteering to help with NJB. Do I need to have fingerprinting done?

A: The following jobs require fingerprinting: board member, coach, assistant coach, and referee. This does not need to be done each year once you have a “live scan” (i.e. electronic fingerprinting) done at a local public safety department. Click here to find more information on fingerprinting.

Q: What does a gym monitor do?

A: The gym monitor job is assigned at the chapter level and not the team level. The gym monitors are responsible for covering two or three sessions each season. Therefore, depending on who volunteers, it could be that there are teams with no gym monitors on them and other teams with many. This is similar to how we handle registration helpers and Picture Day helpers.

Q. Why doesn’t the adult female chaperone for girls teams count towards fulfilling my volunteer obligation? Why can’t I opt-out of it since I paid the opt-out fee?

A: The adult female chaperone is not signed up for via our registration process. It is a job done at the team level. It will need to be managed by the coach. Coaches will either ask for or assign parents to make sure that there is an adult female chaperone at each practice. Even if a parent has opted out of volunteering, they still need to help with this. We created this policy to address the situation where there was one girls team where almost every parent had opted out of volunteering. This over burdened the remaining parent(s) who had to cover the team parent job as well as go to every practice.

Q: How do coaches know which parents on their team have opted out of volunteering so they don't assign them a job? Each coach will receive a player roster before the season starts that includes (among other things) a list of which parents have opted out of volunteering. Note: Paying a fee and opting out of volunteering does not release parents on girls’ teams from attending practices. This must be done in such a way so that there always an adult female chaperone at all practices, and this includes parents who have opted out of volunteering.