Earn $5 Back for Every PDP (K-3rd) & Academy (4th/5th) Referral - No Limit!
Players enrolled (or currently signed up on the waitlist) in the PDP or Academy League can earn $5 for each referral to the PDP or Academy.  No limit!

November 6th Update
The one additional spot on the Wednesday night team has been filled.  Thank you!

What makes The Academy unique?

1. Opportunity to train or practice each week.  No other competitive league in the area offers this opportunity for their' teams.

2. Customized, competitive scheduling.  We try to set up great match-ups for your team while trying to provide a variety of opponents to play as well (not just a round robin/automatic rotation between opponents).  

3. Progressive roll-out of defenses (man-to-man, 2-3 zone, 3-2 zone, 2-2-1 press, diamond press) throughout the season to gradually expose players to new concepts.  This will allow coaches to better focus their practices on particular team skills. By doing this, players will have a better opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of team skills before being exposed to additional team concepts.

4. Played on age-appropriate 9ft rims (recommended by the NBA & USA Basketball) to allow players the opportunity to develop good finishing and shooting habits.  Save time and money of having to undo bad habits in the future from shooting on 10ft rims before physically being able to do so with good technique. 

5. Coaches and players who are focused on player development instead of just winning.  We want the player’s to learn great habits that lead to success now, and more importantly, in the future as they play at higher levels.

REGISTRATION:  Registration will open Thursday, August 22 and close Wednesday, October 2nd (or until sold out...we will be taking a waiting list when all spots are filled). 

SPACE IS LIMITED!  Sign up early to ensure your team's/player’s spot!

Team Registration
- Email David at [email protected] your roster to save your team's spot.  Minimum of 8 players on a team.  Please note that the base league price is for 9-player team training so if choosing to carry 8 players and doing the team training you would need to select this option during registration for +$30 per player to cover having one less player.  Spots will be held for one week to allow everyone a chance to sign up before the league fills up.  If your team does not need training, practice time, and/or jerseys (your team has their own home & away jersey/reversible), let us know at this time as well.  Teams have the option to make one payment together (via Quickbooks) to save on the credit card fee if they would like.
- Free agents available to add.  If you have a core group of players that you would like to coach (4-5+ players), we can look to place free agents on your team to complete your roster.  

Individual/Small Group Registration
- Individuals (those not signing up as an entire team) sign up directly below just like our PDP.
- Players will either be placed on teams needing to fill out their roster with "free agents" or placed together with other individuals/small groups to form a team like our PDP.  These will be based on requests, school, roster availability, and skill level.  We will make every effort to accommodate requests to play with a friend, group of friends, or a certain coach based on available spots.  Free agents placed together will have (12) 1.25 hour team trainings designed and led by David McFarland and staff with the assistance of the team's coaches as we work on team half-court offense/defense, pressing, press breaks, zone offense/defense, etc. along with individual skills. 
- If you have a group of 5+ players that would like to form a team and pick up a few additional players, email [email protected] about getting that set up before spots are filled.  Remember if you are planning on playing with a group of friends/team, then everyone must sign up individually before the league is full in order to ensure their spot.
- We will need at least two volunteer coaches for each each team (max of 2 assistants).

PRICE FOR THE 12-WEEK SEASON:  Base price is 2 payments of $159.50 per player for 9-player teams with team training.  We have customizable discounts available for team sign ups (i.e. no jerseys needed, coach-led practices, number of players on team, etc. - see details below). 

Family Rate:  $5 off each additional family member on the same order

General Admission:
$4 Adults
$3 Seniors & Middle/High School Students
Free = Elementary Students & Younger

Individual Payments:  The website does charge a $3 service fee and 3.4% credit card processing fee.  The first payment is due at sign up and the second payment will be on Monday, October 14th.  See below for a breakdown of how this will show up when checking out. 

If doing 2 payments...
- 1st Payment (during sign up):  $159.50 + $3 service fee + $12.07 credit card fee + $20.04 KY sales tax = $194.61
- 2nd Payment (Mon., October 14th):  $159.50 + $3 service fee = $162.50

You can save $3 by paying in full when checking out to avoid the $3 service fee on the second payment.  Additionally if you had two players you were signing up, do so in one order to save $3 as the website service fee is charged per transaction. 

TEAM TRAININGS:
- All team trainings will begin the week of Monday, October 28 @ the St. Henry Athletic Complex (SHAC) next to Boone Co. HS
- Each team will have (12) 1.25 hour team trainings led led by David McFarland with the assistance of McFarland staff and team coaches as we work on team half-court offense/defense, pressing, press breaks, zone offense/defense, etc. along with individual skills.  The exciting part of this set up is that we will be able to work on transition (full court) aspects of the game that are typically tough to do in traditional half-court practices.  Additionally, this will take a lot off of coaches' plates as they won't need to plan their practices.  As we progress, team time will be incorporated where coaches can work on specific needs for their team (8-15 minutes) on things that we have worked on or things they would like to add.  We can assist with that aspect as well if needed.  In the Academy, entire teams that are signing up together can elect to have their practices (half-court) led by their team coach at a discounted rate.
- Trainings will be on Mondays or Wednesdays from 7:20-8:35PM based on coach's availability.   
- When signing up individually (not a full team), we cannot guarantee which night your player trains on due to all the logistics involved.  We definitely try to accommodate requests if at all possible, but sometimes there is no logistical way to do so with all the factors involved. 
- A training schedule will be posted when all teams and coaches are finalized. 
- Please keep in mind that weather may cause trainings to be rescheduled for different dates, times, and/or location.  


GAMES:  
- Games will be held on Saturdays @ Next Level in Wilder, KY (start time between 8AM-6PM). 
- The tournament weekend may be Friday, Saturday (8AM-7PM), and/or Sunday. 
- Games will be (2) 20-minute running halves with the clock stopping the last minute of the game on dead balls and whistles.
- Based on the NBA and USA Basketball Youth Basketball Guidelines, the 4th/5th division will play on 9ft baskets with a 28.5" basketball in order to give players the opportunity to continue to develop good habits with their shooting form and finishing technique. 
- Only defenses that have been added to our curriculum at that point in the season can be utilized in games.  See link below for more details on this and the rest of the game rules.
- Playing time is not equal.  It is at the coaches' discretion.  Our recommendation to coaches is to rotate players in close to equally during the first 30-35 minutes of the game and then play who is playing well/situational the last 5-10 minutes.

23-24 The Academy League (4th/5th) Rules & Modifications 


Dates:

All coaches, including assistants, are required to complete a volunteer background check before coaching with a team OR submit an up-to-date AAU coach's membership card. Background checks are completed all online and good for two years. The cost of the background check is $20.50. Each head coach will receive a $20 credit each year they coach upon passing their background check and coaching the team for the entire season.  A team's assistant coach will also receive $20 credit at the end of each season they coach (or $12.50 each if a team has two assistants - maximum of two assistants per team)

We will have a mandatory Coach's Meeting for all coaches prior to the league starting. The Coach's Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 21 at 7:30PM (via Google Meet).  

If you have any questions at all, feel free to email David at [email protected].

• Before the division is full and before registration has closed = Full refund minus $3 website fee, $13.18 credit card fee, & $20 processing fee.
• After the division is full or registration has closed, but before team rosters have been organized = A full refund minus a $3/$6 website fee, $13.18 credit card fee, & $50 processing fee will be provided if another player from the waitlist is able to fill the spot or if the player can find another player to take their spot. McFarland Basketball is not responsible for finding a replacement, but will reach out to those on the waitlist or who have reached out about possible spots.
• After rosters have been organized or October 14th, 2024 = No refunds unless the player can find another player to fill their direct spot on the team they have been assigned to. If a replacement player is found, a prorated refund minus a $3/$6 website fee, $13.18 credit card fee, and $75 processing fee.

• Before the league and/or practice schedule is full or September 15th = 75% refund
• After the league and/or practice schedule is full or September 16th = No refunds unless your team's spot can be filled.  If the spot can be filled, you will be issued a 50% refund.  McFarland Basketball is not responsible for finding a replacement.