Program Information

Goal

The goal of the Jr. Cougar program is to provide an opportunity for the development of basketball skills for all boys in grades three, four, five, six, seven and eight who will be attending John F. Kennedy High School. The program will introduce elementary and middle school boys to the Kennedy basketball philosophy and teach the fundamentals of the game, along with teaching sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty and pride in a competitive basketball environment.

In order to maintain a quality program, the following guidelines have been established:

Participation

All Kennedy bound players are eligible and accepted into the Jr. Cougar program provided there are volunteer coaches available for each team. Parents are reminded this is a competitive basketball program and may not be for every player. This is not a recreational program.

Registration

All players must be registered with the Jr. Cougar program. Dates for registering players and ordering practice gear, uniforms (if needed), and other equipment will be communicated on the website.

Any player wanting to join the Jr. Cougar program after the evaluations will be allowed in the program per the criteria explained below in the Player Evaluation and Team Placement section.

Team Formation

There are two options for team formation. Teams can be pre-formed outside of the Player Evaluation process, and teams can be formed as a result of the Player Evaluation process. Regardless of the method of team formation, all teams will abide by the existing guidelines for player and coaches conduct. All teams will be treated the same by the program, and will be subject to the same rules and penalties. A player may only participate in one method of team formation. Following are the main points that should help answer any questions you may have.

For pre-formed teams, the following criteria must be met in order to be part of the Junior Cougar Basketball program.

1. All players must reside in the Kennedy School District. NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. Teams must carry a minimum of eight (8) players on their roster.
3. Players may only be on one team roster during a given season. If a team is in a game forfeit situation due to illness, injury or absence of players, they may borrow up to two players from any other Junior Cougar teams in their grade level for that game.
4. Players and coaches are expected to abide by the guidelines specified on the website (conduct, playing time, etc.).
5. All players must fill out and submit the current registration form, and pay the current registration fee.
6. Deadline for registration for the 2010-2011 season is June 30, 2010.
7. Teams will be assigned a name by the Board to avoid duplication.
8. Members of pre-formed teams may NOT participate in the Player Evaluation process.
9. Pre-formed teams must secure their own coaches.
10. Any team from last season can choose to stay together as a pre-formed team for the following season.
11. Coaches must submit their completed roster for the 2010-2011 season by June 30, 2010.
12. Pre-formed teams may NOT hold any tryout or player evaluation sessions to fill out their roster.
13. Coaches cannot remove a player from their roster to make room for a new player. If a coach wants to remove a player due to disciplinary/behavior reasons, they must bring the request to the board. Requests to remove a player should only happen in extreme circumstances, and will be reviewed by the board on a case by case basis.
14. If a player no longer wants to be part of a pre-formed team, they must submit their intention in writing (email) to their coach and the board. The player will then be placed in the pool of available players to go through the Player Evaluation process, and will also be free to join another pre-formed team.
15. Pre-formed teams may NOT approach players who are already on an established Jr. Cougar team in an attempt to get them to switch teams. Coaches who engage in recruiting of other players who are already on an established Jr. Cougar team will not be allowed to coach in the Jr. Cougar Program. Zero tolerance. Zero exceptions.
16. Coaches are free to contact any player who is currently in the Player Evaluation pool, prior to the evaluations.
17. Failure to abide by the above criteria as well as the established guidelines and codes of conduct on the website will result in removal from the program.

For players that are not part of a pre-formed team, teams will continue to be formed through the established Player Evaluation process as described on the website. The following criteria must be met in order to be part of Jr. Cougar Basketball.

1. All players must reside in the Kennedy School District. NO EXCEPTIONS.
2. Teams must carry a minimum of eight (8) players on their roster.
3. Players may only be on one team roster during a given season. If a team is in a game forfeit situation due to illness, injury or absence of players, they may borrow up to two players from any other Junior Cougar teams in their grade level for that game.
4. Players and coaches are expected to abide by the guidelines specified on the website (conduct, playing time, etc.).
5. All players must fill out and submit the current registration form, and pay the current registration fee.
6. Deadline for registration for the 2010-2011 season is June 30, 2010.
7. Teams will be assigned a name by the Board to avoid duplication.
8. Members of pre-formed teams may NOT participate in the Player Evaluation process, unless they have already left their pre-formed team.
9. Failure to abide by the above criteria as well as the established guidelines and codes of conduct on the website will result in removal from the program.

Player Evaluation and Team Placement

Evaluations for team placement will be held for all players in the program for players who choose to go through the Player Evaluation process. A panel of 3-5 experienced basketball individuals will determine team placement for players based on performance demonstrated in the evaluations. This panel will consist of objective, non-grade related individuals with significant basketball experience. Evaluations will consist of at least two sessions. An attempt will be made to have evaluations on two different weeks and different days to avoid conflicts with other activities. Players must be present for at least one evaluation session and are encouraged to attend all sessions to get the most accurate view of each player’s skill level.

Depending on the number of players registered in each grade, multiple teams may be formed. The maximum number of players on any team will be limited to 10. The target team size will be 8 players but teams may be realigned by the Jr. Cougar Board if needed to ensure all registered players have a team.

Any player wanting to join the Jr. Cougar program after the evaluations have taken place but before the season has started will be assigned to a team provided the team is not at a maximum roster of 10 players. If all teams are at the maximum team roster, the players will be placed on a waiting list until enough players are available for a new team to be formed.

Once the season has started, the rules above will apply but the final decision to add a player will be at the coach’s discretion. Please see the Player Evaluations page for more detailed information.

Competition

The Jr. Cougar program seeks to schedule the toughest possible competition with the goal of developing the strongest possible players. The Jr. Cougar program participates in the Salvation Army League and many tournaments both inside and outside the metro area. Except for school leagues, the Jr. Cougar players are expected to make their assigned Jr. Cougar team their primary team.

Practices

Jr. Cougar players are expected to attend all scheduled practices and games. It is the intent of the program to have teams practice twice a week. Players involved in school leagues for basketball or any other sport should attend a minimum of one practice a week during the school league season.

Playing Time

To develop all players in the program, Jr. Cougar coaches of all grades should have equal playing time for all players on their team in any Salvation Army or other league games.

During tournament games, Jr. Cougar coaches may play the players who, in the coach’s judgment, will provide the team with the best chance to win each game. As a result, playing time may NOT be equal for all players in tournaments but coaches should strive to balance competition with development for all players in these situations.

Coaches

Coaches are volunteers and may be parents of current players. The Jr. Cougar program is committed to providing two coaches per team. The Jr. Cougar Board will also coordinate an annual coaching clinic with the Kennedy High School staff. This clinic is to guide the Jr. Cougar coaches in teaching skills and fundamentals to develop players for the Kennedy High School program.

A head coach is responsible for the overall development of the players, preparation for the next level of play, and the actual coaching of the team from the bench during the game. Coaches are expected to teach the fundamentals of the game, along with teaching sportsmanship, teamwork, loyalty and pride. Coaches are also expected to follow the Jr. Cougar Program Guidelines.

Assistant coaches are responsible for assisting the head coach during practices and games, as deemed appropriate by the head coach.

Board of Directors & Parent Support Group

The Jr. Cougar program is governed by a Board of Directors and a Parent Support Group. The Board will include Directors, Treasurer, Secretary, Website Coordinator, Uniform Coordinator, and any other positions as designated by the Board. The Parent Support Group will include a member from each team in the Jr. Cougar Program.

The Board and Parent Reps represent all Jr. Cougar players and parents and are responsible for developing and monitoring program guidelines, coordinating fundraising, planning and communicating all team related activities, and making necessary purchases.

The Board of Directors will be responsible for coordinating player evaluations, assigning teams based on the evaluation results, and securing coaches for each team.

Players and families not meeting Jr. Cougar guidelines or displaying inappropriate conduct may result in suspension or termination from the program and will be addressed by the Board of Directors. Termination by the Board of Directors will result in loss of fees.

The Board of Directors reserves the right to make exceptions to the Jr. Cougar Program guidelines in the best interest of the players and the program. Special situations need to be approved by the Board of Directors.

Program Funding and Program Support

The Jr. Cougar program is funded by:

1. A registration fee for each player will be established each year to cover some of the costs of program expenses, team equipment, and other miscellaneous expenses.
2. Jr. Cougar Fundraising Tournament for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades held in January.

Because volunteerism is a key ingredient to the Jr. Cougar Program, it is strongly encouraged that all parents support the program by participating in one of the following activities:

• Jr. Cougar tournament volunteer spots.
• Team support activities (Assisting team coach).
• Jr. Cougar Board position or Parent Representative.
• Committee or other administrative duties for the Jr. Cougar Program.

Program Costs

Scholarships

Scholarships are available on a needs basis. Scholarships cover the cost of the Jr. Cougar registration, game shirt and shorts. All additional costs including leagues, tournaments and optional uniform items are the responsibility of the family. Requests for scholarship eligibility must be submitted to the Board of Directors in writing.