Contact Us Form
Frequently Asked Questions!
Q: What is Villa Park NJB?
A: Villa Park is a youth basketball league sanctioned by National Junior Basketball. We provide a competitive and balanced recreational basketball program for boys and girls in kindergarten through 8th grade. Of primary emphasis are sportsmanship, teamwork, and healthy competition. Villa Park NJB is a non-profit organization. Last year over 250 boys and girls participated in the program.
Q: What is National Junior Basketball?
A: National Junior Basketball is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Anaheim, CA. NJB has blossomed into a national youth league with over 40,000 participants in 6 states. NJB offers basketball programs for boys and girls in 1st through 12th grade. For more information on NJB, you may visit their website at www.njbl.org.
Q: What are the grade levels/divisions for players?
A: The following levels of divisional play are available:
Clinic (Rookie Division) Kindergarten – 2nd grade
Division 3 Grades 3-4
Division 2 Grades 5-6
Division 1 Grades 7-8
Q: When does the season start?
A: Practices for the winter season may officially begin around November 1st with the first games beginning first Sunday in December.
Q: When does the season end?
A: The winter season ends mid February. All Star play ends in March/April.
Q: When is registration?
A: Registration begins online in early August and ends mid October, shortly before the evaluation day. In person registration will be held on various dates in September. Please check the announcements page for exact dates and locations. We strongly encourage everyone to register online.
Q: Why are practices held outdoors?
A: Due to the lack of available gymnasium time at local schools, coaches must hold practices outside, unless they can secure gym locations.
Q: Can my child play up a division?
A: In rare instances player will be allowed to play up a division.
Q: Can my child play down a division?
A: Unless there is a safety issue involved, no player will be allowed to play down a division.
Q: What is the included for the $140 registration fee?
A: Each player's registration fee is used to pay costs for gym rental, uniforms, referees, insurance, trophies, and our all-star program. Additionally, there is NO mandatory family fund-raising activity, so this fee will be the only amount required to be paid for each player. By far our largest expense is the gym rental.
Q: Where are the games played?
A: All games are played on Sundays at Villa Park High School. Practice days and times are determined by individual coaches and are normally conducted at outdoor local school campuses.
Q: What are Villa Park NJB's boundaries?
A: Villa Park NJB serves Villa Park and Orange communities. If your local high school is Villa Park High School, you are in Villa Park NJB boundaries.
Q: How much of the game will my child play?
A: NJB has strict player participation rules. Each game consists of 5 periods, 2 in the first half and 3 in the second half. Each player is required to play one full and continuous period in each half. In the 5th period coaches may freely substitute and provide additional participation.
Q: What is the Championship Series?
A: The Championship Series is a 3-week tournament after the completion of our chapter's regular season operated by NJB Headquarters. Each Villa Park NJB team that wishes to participate will be registered to play against teams with similar win/loss records from other Southern California NJB Chapters. All teams are encouraged to participate regardless of their regular season record. During this tournament, some travel may be involved, but it is usually limited to Orange County.
Q: What is the difference between Divisional Play and All-Net?
A: Divisional Play is regular league play in one of our three divisions of competitive play for boys and girls in the 3rd through 8th grades. Teams usually practice once or twice per week. The All-Net Program is a division of NJB created to provide a more competitive and organized level of youth basketball, designed to prepare boys and girls in the 5th through 8th grade for high school level competition. Teams primarily consist of All-Star caliber players and travel to play against teams from other Southern California NJB Chapters.
Q: Why are there evaluations?
A: Player evaluations are essential to our goal of creating equally matched teams. To achieve this goal, the evaluations are mandatory. The evaluations are not tryouts, as all registered players will be assigned to a team regardless of their ability.
Q: Who coaches the teams?
A: Coaches are volunteers. They are mostly parents; sometimes an individual that is interested in coaching a team, but does not have a child on the team may volunteer as a coach. Usually it is a coach whose child has graduated from the program. Each coach is required to fill out an application and go through a fingerprint and livescan process.
Q: What ball size is used?
A: Ball sizes vary depending on the division of play.
Clinic 27.5" Provided to all clinic players
Division 3 27.5"
Division 2 28.5"
Division 1 Girls 28.5" Boys 29.5"