Schenectady County CYO Basketball Mission Statement

CYO Basketball is not an end in itself. It is a means of carrying out the mission of the Catholic Church by providing a nurturing environment for our youth through which they may learn two fundamental lessons in life. The fundamentals of a particular sport and good sportsmanship. There should be an emphasis for payers to play hard, to have fun and to respect each other. Coaches, parents and spectators should embrace the same three principels at all times.

Sportsmanship Policy

Schenectady County CYO shall strictly enforce its restrictions against unsportsmanlike behavior. Parish directors and game officials shall be instructed to closely monitor for disruptive behavior that undermines the integrity of the game and Mission Statement of this league and immediately remove those affiliated with Schenectady CYO, including players, coaches, scorekeepers, concession stand workers, and spectators from the game premises for engaging in such behavior. If a Parish director or official feels the individual has not adequately left the gym and school grounds within an acceptable period of time then the team associated with the disruptive individualwill forfeit the game. Neither the Parish director nor official are obligated to issue any warning prior to the removal of such individual. If an individual is removed twice in the same season, the individual will not be permitted to participate in or attend any further games that season without written authority from the Executive Board for the league and such written authority shall not be granted without a showing of extraordinary circumstance.

Pressing For Boys Games Explained

Pressing is allowed at all levels as long as a team is not leading by 15 or more points for all regular-season games and post-season tournaments for Albany and Schenectady County CYO teams. Zone and or man-to-man defense is allowed at all levels.

Opposing coaches can agree to a limited press, or no press at all, but it must be an agreement between head coaches prior to the start of the game. The agreement is binding throughout the game and cannot be changed after the game has started. The coaches are the ones charged with enforcing the agreement. The officials can/may assist in enforcing the agreement. Repeated violations of the agreement, or pressing when a team has a lead of 15 or more points is not an automatic technical foul. The team that is violating the press rules or press agreement is warned. If the team or player(s) persist, a technical foul would be given for un sportsmanlike play. When there is a no-press situation, the player with the ball for the team that is behind must be allowed to cross half court before the team that is ahead plays active defense.

The area CYO directors will monitor all situations that involve pressing, inappropriate pressing, or "running up" the score in a game. A lopsided score does not necessarily mean the score was run up. That said, should a situation be found in terms of inappropriate pressing or running up the score that is not consistent with CYO sportsmanship and principals, the area directors have full authority to issue warnings and impose penalties that could include a coach in question sitting out a game. If continued in future games, further penalties may be imposed in cooperation with the director program in question.