Coaches coach.
Players play.
Officials officiate.
Fans support. 
Each person can only participate in ONE of these categories. 

Congratulations to the teams of the following coaches who received 2007-08 GABL Sportsmanship Awards:

The GABL Board of Directors believes that sportsmanship is as much a fundamental of the game as dribbling and shooting.  Teaching sportsmanship  starts and ends with the coaching staff and parents. Coaches should have a preseason meeting with the parents of players to obtain assistant coaches, scorekeepers and timekeepers; to discuss the league rules on fan and player behavior during games and at practice sites; and to review ground rules for dealing with parents and players.

Good sportsmanship includes adherence to the minimum playing time rule in the winter program.  Every player dressed for a game and eligible must play a minimum of 13 minutes if a team has 10 players or less, except for health, injury or discipline exceptions.  If a team has more than 10 players present, each player must play a minimum of 10 minutes in the game.  Exceptions must be brought to the attention of the opposing head coach prior to game time. 

Award.  To promote the concept of good sportsmanship and fair play, the GABL Sportsmanship Award is presented to teams in the winter program that exhibit the highest standard of good sportsmanship throughout the season.  One team in each grade 2, 3 and 4 and one team at each level (Select A, A and B) of grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 (15 teams total) may be selected to receive this award.  Up to 15 awards will be made available for each team member, coach and sponsor of the recognized team. 

Coaches’ Code of Conduct.  This coaches’ code of conduct has been adopted by the league to assist coaches in creating a basketball environment that promotes the highest level of sportsmanship.  This code of conduct is not intended to be a complete handbook on the subject of sportsmanship.  The code of conduct should instead be viewed as a beginning.  Coaches who follow the guide posts established in the code of conduct will be laying the groundwork for the “good sportsmanship and fair play” that is at the heart of the GABL philosophy.

Some of the rules in this code of conduct are mandatory.  Violation of these mandatory rules will result in the imposition of the discipline set out in the rule. Other rules are advisory.  Violation of advisory rules will be considered by the Board of Directors in resolving disputes involving selection of coaches and in reviewing the overall sportsmanship record of a coach for purposes of determining whether probation or suspension should be imposed.

Mandatory Rules.

• Shaking hands with the coaches and members of the opposing team is an essential requirement of good sportsmanship.  All coaches and players shall, at the conclusion of a game, walk through a line to shake the hands of the opposing team’s players and coaches.  A coach who instructs his players not to go through the line shall be suspended for two games by the league office.  A coach who fails to go through the line when his players go through will be suspended for one game by the league office.

• Coaches who violate the playing time rule break the covenant between GABL and the player and his parents.  Coaches who violate the playing time rule will be warned on the first violation by the league office.  On the second violation, the coach will be suspended for one game by the league office.

• Head coaches shall communicate with fans when requested to do so by the officials.  Upon the request of an official, the head coach of a team shall communicate with his team’s fans to encourage good sportsmanship. The coach should not argue the point with the official but should instead communicate with the fans to promote a sportsmanlike environment.  The failure or refusal of a head coach or acting head coach to communicate with his team’s fans upon the request of an official shall result in the coach being suspended for one game by the league office.

Advisory Rules.

• Coaches should promote a sportsmanlike environment prior to a game.  Coaches should introduce themselves to the officials prior to a game.  Coaches should appoint team captains or representatives, who may be rotated from week to week at the discretion of the coach, who will meet with the officials and will shake the hands of the opposing team’s captains or representatives prior to the start of the game.

• One coach should communicate with officials during the course of a game.  One coach per team should be designated to communicate with officials during the course of a game.  When more than one coach on a team communicates with an official, a less sportsmanlike environment is frequently created.

• Coaches shall not disrupt the concentration of an opposing team’s free throw shooter.  Once the official hands the ball to a player preparing to shoot a free throw, coaches on the opposing team’s bench are prohibited from yelling instructions to their players or saying or doing anything intended to interfere with the concentration of the shooter.  Coaches shall instruct their players that once the official hands the ball to the opposing player to shoot a free throw, they are not to yell or do anything that is intended to interfere with the concentration of the shooter.

• Official scorekeepers and timekeepers are to remain neutral in carrying out their duties.  Head coaches shall instruct the individual chosen to serve as the team’s official scorekeeper or timekeeper to maintain an appearance of neutrality while sitting at the scorer’s table and not to cheer for the team or yell to players on the team.

Great American Basketball League

6740 Antioch, Suite 250
Merriam, KS  66204
Phone: 913/236-8833   Fax: 913/236-9188
Inclement Weather/League Information Line: 913/643-3228

Managed by SMA Management Group, L.C.

E-mail the webmaster with questions or corrections