In-Town Program

In-town Program - Our Commitment

The BYBA In-Town program is dedicated to providing a basketball experience rooted in fairness, respect, and good sportsmanship for all Belmont children. Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure that players of all skill levels have equal opportunities to participate and improve.

To achieve this, the program:

  • Forms balanced teams so that overall talent is spread evenly.

  • Guarantees equal playing time by dividing games into 5-minute periods and following a predetermined rotation schedule.

  • Emphasizes teaching the game of basketball with enthusiasm, enjoyment, and FUN!

For In-town only players (i.e., those not registered for Travel), we will also organize professionally run skills clinics on a weeknight during the season.

Registration Information:

  • Registration opens in September.

  • In-town basketball is open to 3rd–8th graders who are not registered for Travel (for Travel players, In-town participation is included in their Travel registration fee).

Programs & Registration Links:

 

BYBA In-Town Basketball (2025–26)

Season

  • Grades 3-4: mid-November → March
  • Grades 5-8: mid-November → mid-February

Leagues / Divisions

  • Separate boys and girls divisions

  • Grade-based leagues: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Eligibility

  • Open to all Belmont children in grades 3-8

  • Players must live in or attend school in Belmont

Registration & Fees

  • $225 for In-Town only registration

  • Includes optional, professionally run skills clinics (grades 5-8)

  • Fee increase reflects new rental costs

Team Composition

  • BYBA strives to form balanced teams so that overall talent is distributed equally.

  • Friend requests may be considered if noted on the registration form but cannot be guaranteed.

  • Creating balanced teams is always the top priority.

Games & Practices

  • Saturdays between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (times vary weekly)

  • Each game includes a 20-25 minute practice beforehand

  • Locations:

    • Grades 3-4: Chenery Upper Elementary

    • Grades 5-8: Belmont High School or other Belmont gyms

Coaches & Volunteers

  • Grades 3-4: coached by parent volunteers

  • Grades 5-8: coached by Belmont High School student volunteers

  • Parent Coordinators: two per team (grades 5-8)

Skills Clinics

  • Professionally run clinics for In-Town players.

  • Held on a weeknight during the season.

  • Participation is optional but strongly encouraged.

Uniforms

Grades 3-4

  • Players receive a BYBA t-shirt (included in the registration fee).

Grades 5-8

  • Players must wear a BYBA reversible jersey ($35).

  • Jerseys from prior years may be reused.

  • Jerseys can be purchased at Champions Sporting Goods during the season.

  • Note: BYBA uniforms run large-please keep this in mind when ordering.

Playoffs

  • All teams qualify for playoffs.

  • Players must play in at least 50% of regular-season games to be eligible. (Exceptions require BYBA Board approval.)

In-town High School Student Volunteers:

Please note: Due to the popularity of these programs, not all students registered will be selected to participate.

REGISTRATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT PROGRAMS (COACHING AND REFEREES) WILL OPEN IN SEPTEMBER

Coaching Positions

Belmont High School students are invited to volunteer as Head or Assistant Coaches for BYBA’s In-Town program and can earn community service credit for their participation.

High school student coaches are typically assigned to the 7th/8th and 5th/6th grade divisions, though some may help with 3rd/4th grade teams as needed.

Student coaches are expected to:

  • Lead a 30-minute pre-game practice in addition to coaching their scheduled game.

  • Teach fundamental skills, emphasize teamwork, and ensure all rotation rules and guidelines are followed.

  • Click here for an overview of the duties and responsibilities for in-town coaches.

Referee Positions

Belmont High School students are encouraged to apply for referee positions within the BYBA In-Town program. These are paid positions, and referees are typically assigned to 1-3 games each Saturday (game times vary weekly).

Students should apply only if they can maintain this weekly commitment.

Referees are expected to:

  • Learn and enforce all BYBA game rules

  • Confirm game assignments as requested by the Referee Coordinator

  • Provide at least 72 hours’ notice if unable to cover an assigned game

  • Arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled game start time

  • Click here for an overview of the duties and responsibilities for in-town referees.

BYBA thanks all its High School participants for their continued support and generous contributions of their time, resulting in the overall success of our program!

Become an In-Town Volunteer

Running BYBA’s In-Town program each Saturday requires many hands — and your support makes it possible. The roles are flexible and suit different time commitments.

Parent Coordinators

Parent Coordinators play a vital role in keeping BYBA’s In-Town program running smoothly. They are responsible for monitoring the gym during their child’s games, keeping score, submitting final results, and alerting BYBA to any issues that arise during game time.

BYBA cannot operate the In-Town program without sufficient Parent Coordinators! If we don’t have enough volunteers, we may need to reduce the number of teams that participate on Saturdays.

Grade 3/4 Coaches

Parents are encouraged to volunteer as Head Coaches or Assistant Coaches for BYBA’s Grade 3/4 In-Town program. You can indicate your coaching interest and role preference during the player registration process.

Please note that coaching spots fill quickly, and final coach selections are confirmed in early November.

Click here for an overview of In-Town Coach duties and responsibilities.

Parent Game Coordinator Responsibilities

Thank you for volunteering to help support BYBA’s in-town basketball program! Please review the responsibilities below to ensure that game days run smoothly.

Before the Game

  • Arrive early: Please arrive 15-20 minutes before game time. (Players arrive 30 minutes before for warm-up and a light practice.)

  • Check in with referees: Introduce yourself as the BYBA parent liaison for the game. Referees may call on you if spectator behavior becomes inappropriate.

  • Connect with coaches: Introduce yourself to both sets of coaches. Each coach is responsible for keeping their own score (on their clipboard) and following an official team rotation sheet - not a self-made version.

  • Start on time: Make sure the game begins promptly. (Sometimes coaches and referees lose track of time while chatting.)

During the Game

  • Scorekeeping: Keep the official score for your child’s game or recruit another volunteer parent to manage the scoreboard.

  • Support fair play: Stay attentive and help maintain a positive environment for players, coaches and spectators.

After the Game

  • Report results: Immediately text the final score and names of referees present to the BYBA Operations and Referee Coordinators.

  • Report incidents: Notify your Grade-Level Coordinator as soon as possible about any notable incidents - including injuries, exceptional sportsmanship, or spectator issues.

Why Parent Coordinators Matter

Our volunteer coaches already juggle a lot - managing rosters, running practices and preparing for game day. Having a Parent Coordinator for each team allows coaches to stay focused on the players and ensure that every child enjoys a great BYBA experience.

Each team will have two Parent Coordinators, so responsibilities are light and shared. If you can’t attend a game, your partner coordinator can cover for you. And if both are unavailable, simply let us know - BYBA will arrange coverage.

BYBA sincerely thanks all of our volunteers for their continued support and generous contributions of time. Your efforts make the In-Town program possible and successful each season!

Rookies Program (2nd Grade Developmental Basketball)

The BYBA Rookies Program is a 9-week co-ed developmental basketball program designed for 2nd graders. Each week, a coach leads a 70-minute session with 24–32 players, supported by at least four adult parent coaches.

Sessions include a mix of whole-group instruction, small-group skill practice, and fun drills and contests. Players learn individual and team skills through demonstrations, followed by practice in small groups of four.

Throughout the season, players develop team concepts by playing controlled half-court 3-on-3 games, eventually progressing to full-court 3-on-3 and later 4-on-4 play as their skills grow.

In the final week, participants take part in individual and team competitions, with top performers earning medals.

The focus of the Rookies Program is on learning how to play, not simply running plays or winning games. Each week builds upon the skills and concepts introduced the week before, helping players develop a strong foundation in teamwork, fundamentals, and sportsmanship.

Tentative 2025-26 Rookies Dates:

We'll start up in early December. Check back soon!

Program Details

Location:
The Rookies Program has traditionally been held at Winn Brook Elementary School. We expect this to remain the same; however, the location will be confirmed once gym bookings are finalized.

Times:

  • Session 1: 8:30 - 9:40 a.m.

  • Session 2: 9:45 - 10:55 a.m.

  • Session 3: 11:00 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Note: Players will be assigned to sessions based on program needs.

Eligibility:
Open to boys and girls in Grade 2 who live in or attend school in Belmont.

Equipment

Younger players learn proper shooting form with a smaller, lighter basketball. The Rookies Program uses 27.5” youth basketballs during all demonstrations and games.
BYBA will provide basketballs for each session as well as a reversible shirt or jersey for every participant.

Parent Coaches

We’re looking for parents to serve as assistant coaches for the Rookies Program.
If you’re interested, please sign up through the Parent Volunteer Registration page.

Registration Fee

The registration fee for the Rookies Program is $180 per player.