*NOTICE FOR INCOMING 9th GRADERS* - If you played with us up through 8th grade basketball, you are used to signing up on your own and being divided into teams. At the high school level this changes, so that players are allowed to sign up with friends and create their own teams to compete. There are no assigned practices, but for those teams that want to practice, they may schedule a spot with us after school on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday (3:45-4:45 PM). Any players that do not have a team may sign up as a free agent. Please read below regarding that.

Jackson Friends Church High School Basketball Leagues are for grades 9th - 12th. The leagues are recreational and are also "bring your own team". MINIMUM OF EIGHT PLAYERS ON A TEAM. Players will sign up online and put down their team name or players on their team, to be linked together. Individuals that do not have enough players to make a team may sign up individually, and if there are enough kids to make a team, we will make extra teams. Almost always at the 9th/10th grade level, we are able to make at least one team, sometimes two, from individual players. If for some reason we are not able to put the high schooler on a team, you will receive FULL REFUND (only thing we can't get back is the $3 service fee). At the 11th/12th grade level, for any players without a team, we usually ask some of our current teams if they would take on an extra player. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not. Again a FULL REFUND will be given to anyone who does not end up getting on a team, if signing up as an individual.

Due to rising costs across the board, we are having to raise the high school registration cost this year for the first time in over five years.

Cost for registration is $100 for either high school league and for those that need a jersey, it is $18 for a jersey (yours to keep and reuse). All jerseys for teams must be JFC jerseys (unless a team has all the same custom uniforms, MUST BE APPROVED by league director). 

The league is split up into two divisions:

EVERY TEAM MUST HAVE AN ADULT 21 OR OLDER SITTING ON THE BENCH. It can be a parent or whoever you want, but they must be 21 or older. This helps us keep the players on the bench under control during the game, with the presence of a parent/adult. Must have this throughout the season to be eligible for playoffs. Will start to regulate after week one.

FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE DIVISION: Games for the freshman/sophomore division will be played on Friday evenings, starting December 1st. Due to the size of our K-12th basketball leagues games we are not able to fit everything in here at JFC and our high school level games are played at a rented facility. This season we will be playing all high school level games at "SSC: The Dome" at 5617 Portage St. NW, North Canton, OH 44720. This facility is just under five minutes drive east, down Portage Street. The facility has been renovated with basketball courts and offers four full sized courts to play on (and the pot holes in the parking lot have been filled in). Games for 9th/10th grade will likely be at 7 PM or 8 PM each week. There are at a total of 10 games in the regular season (December 1st, 8th, 15th, January 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, February 2nd, 9th and 16th). The top eight teams from the league will make the playoffs, which will start February 23rd.

JUNIOR/SENIOR DIVISION: Games for the junior/senior division will be played on Friday evenings, starting December 1st. Due to the size of our K-12th basketball leagues games we are not able to fit everything in here at JFC and our high school level games are played at a rented facility. This season we will be playing all high school level games at "SSC: The Dome" at 5617 Portage St. NW, North Canton, OH 44720. This facility is just under five minutes drive east, down Portage Street. The facility has been renovated with basketball courts and offers four full sized courts to play on (and the pot holes in the parking lot have been filled in). Games for 11th/12th grade will likely be at 5 PM or 6 PM each week. There are at a total of 10 games in the regular season (December 1st, 8th, 15th, January 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, February 2nd, 9th and 16th). The top eight teams from the league will make the playoffs, which will start February 23rd.

Each game will feature a half time devotion/prayer (could be after the game, depending on league directors decision) with the players. We want to make sure participants have an enjoyable experience with the game and hear about Jesus.

Before the season begins there will be an email sent out to parents/participants on the expectations for this season. It will also be reiterated at the first games of the year. Players and everyone alike will be held to a high standard, as we want this league running at it's highest potential!

There are no official practices at the high school level for JFC basketball, due to crowded gym schedule. HOWEVER, if some teams want to practice and can make it work right after school (3:45 PM - 4:45 PM) on Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays, that is a possibility (once a week per team). It worked out for a handful of teams last year, but those are the only times we have available because of the time our K-8th grade leagues take up the gym during the week. Please reach out to sports director Joel if you are interested in scheduling a practice time (email: [email protected]).

As always, we will do our best to keep the facilities clean and safe for kids, parents and fans alike!

We hope you will join us this season!

Joel Bankert

Director of Sports & Recreation

Jackson Friends Church

This Jackson Friends Church Youth Basketball League is a Co-Ed League for grades K - 6th. The league is recreational and will focus on developing youths' basketball skills, as well as their relationship with Jesus Christ. Youth will learn good practice techniques and develop interpersonal and teamwork skills. We want to make sure participants have an enjoyable experience with the game, learn about Jesus, and increase their basketball skills! Jackson Friends Sports Leagues give equal playing time for all kids!

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 14th, 2023 (last evaluation night)

*Due to rising costs across the board, we are having to raise our prices in all basketball leagues this year. Thank you for your understanding.*

Registration Cost Breakdown (includes t-shirt, pizza party on last practice night and end of year gift):

Kindergarten Division: $85

1st/2nd Grade Divisions: $90

3rd/4th Grade Division: $90

5th/6th Grade Division: $92

Jersey Cost : $18

*JERSEYS ARE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY A NEW ONE IF YOU HAVE YOURS FROM LAST YEAR.*

The league will be split up into five divisions:

Kindergarten Division

1st - 2nd Grade A Division (Division for more experienced 1st/2nd graders)

1st-2nd Grade B Division (Division for beginners or less experienced 1st/2nd graders)

3rd - 4th Grade Division

5th - 6th Grade Division

*NOTE - Those signing up for 1st/2nd Grade Divisions A or B. IF after evaluations, we feel your participant would be better suited switching to the opposite division, we may do that. We want to make sure each division has similar enough levels of talent.

Teams will practice once weekly (Monday, Tuesday or Thursday), with games on Saturdays (starting with K in the morning and running until 5th/6th in the evening). The league will run from December 4th - February 24th (including Christmas break from December 20 - January 4). There will be 10 practices and 8 games. The first practice depending on each player's team will be December 4th, 5th or 7th. First game will be on Saturday, January 13th. We will be on Christmas break from December 20th - January 4th but will resume activities on Thursday, January 4th. We will also have ONE Saturday practice on SATURDAY, January 7th. Due to how the calendar falls this year, we are stopping practices Dec, 20th for Christmas break, so Mon/Tues teams will get three practices before break, but Thurs only get two practices before break. We will come back Thursday evening, January 4th, so Thursday teams can get their extra practice. Since most teams will not have practiced since Christmas break, Saturday, January 6th will be a PRACTICE DAY, so teams can get back in the rhythm. This also means that to get our eighth game in, we will have games in place of practice the very last week of the season, which would be February 19, 20 or 22 (depending on your normal practice night). And then we will finish off the season with games on Saturday, February 24th!

There will be two evaluation dates options that league participants may choose from, to be evaluated before teams are created. Evaluations for grades 1st – 6th will take place on Thursday, November 9th AND Tuesday, November 14th from 5:30 PM – 8:15 PM. You only need to attend ONE evaluation night. Participants can come ANY TIME between the 5:30 – 8:15 PM window to be evaluated (ex. – 1st grader John could come at 5:45 PM, but 4th grader Sarah shows up at 7:20 PM). Participants will go through a number of drills (with other participants of the same age group) and should be finished in roughly 15 minutes or so. The KINDERGARTEN age group does NOT evaluate, as many of these kids are on similar skill levels, just picking up the game for the first time or being fairly new to it. Parents will have an opportunity to give an assessment of their kindergarten child’s skill level in the registration questions. Evaluations for 1st-6th grade will be at Jackson Friends Church inside our gym. Immediately following EACH evaluation night, we will have a brief coaches meeting at 8:15 PM in the bistro outside of the gym, for any parents interested in coaching or that have already signed up (only need to attend one meeting). We will have a coaching application/background check to fill out for new coaches and we will go over the league rules, expectations, etc. We always need more coaches, so please sign up! Expectations for parents will be sent out through email, and addressed in the first game week.

As always, we will do our best to keep the facilities clean and safe for kids, parents and fans alike!

We hope you will join us this season!

Joel Bankert

Director of Sports & Recreation

Jackson Friends Church