2.  What is the cost to register?

The cost to participate in the Winter House League is a flat registration fee of $195 ($225 after 9/26) which includes a jersey.  The cost to participate in the Winter Select Program includes the same registration fee as noted above, plus an additional fee that varies per team based upon the training, tournaments, and other activities the specific Select Head Coach may schedule.  A price range to participate on a particular select team will be disclosed at the start of tryouts.  This additional fee generally ranges between $250-$600.

4.  Is there a financial assistance program?

 Yes - more information can be found here: Financial Aid

5.  When are tryouts?  Practices?  Games?

• Tryouts:  Select League tryouts occur on or about October 1st each year and House League tryouts occur in early November each year.
• Practices: Practices are held on weeknights at one of our local gyms.  House League team practices are 60 minutes in length and are held once a week while Select League team practices are 90 minutes in length and are held twice a week.
• Games:  House League games are scheduled by Great Falls Basketball and are played on Saturdays or Sundays. Select League games are scheduled by the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League (FCYBL), an independent organization.  Select games can be on weekends and/or weeknights.

House League Questions

1.  This is my child's first time playing basketball. Will he/she be "lost" and/or relegated to little playing time?

The house league basketball program is a purely recreational league. We focus on skill development and having fun. We keep teams small (7-8 players) in order to give everyone lots of playing time. We also have mandatory playing time requirements so that all players, regardless of skill level, will play at least half of every game (one full quarter per half).  More details on our rules can be found on our website.

2.  My child can't practice on more than one day. The registration system only allows me to specify one day. What can I do?

The league requires coaches to draft players who do not have a conflict with that coach's practice time slot. We allow each player to specify one "can't practice" day. Our registration system will capture only one "can't practice" day for each player.  It is assumed that players will make themselves available on all other weeknights.

3.  How do I get my child on the same team with his/her friend(s) and/or classmate(s)?

For grades K-1 we try to group players by elementary school in the hopes that that will keep them with their friends.  Beginning in Grade 2, we can appreciate the desirability of having your children play on the same team with a friend(s); however, as a league, we need to balance that with our efforts to create teams that are evenly balanced from a competitive standpoint. Given the small number of players on a house league basketball team (7-8 players), two good players paired together can make a significant competitive difference; therefore, for grades 2-12, our policy is to not pre-arrange team placements for any reason including assistant coaches, requests for carpools, classmates, neighbors, etc.

We encourage parents to note in the registration form (special requests section) your desire to have your child on the same team with another child. We will provide that information to the coaches at the draft session, but coaches are under no obligation to take this information into consideration when drafting their team.

4.  I would like my child to be challenged. Can he/she play up in a higher group?

Great Falls Basketball uses a grade-based placement system and does not permit players to play up or play down in the house league based on age, size, or subjective factors including skill level, scoring ability, ball handling, prior experience, etc.  Players of unusual size or who possess unusually strong talent should consider trying out for the select program or the fourth grade developmental program.  Third and fourth grade players may try out for the 5th grade select teams.  If a third or fourth grade player does not make a 5th grade select team, they can try out for the 4th grade developmental program.  

5.  Is it possible for my son/daughter to try out for both the Select Program & House Program? And, if he/she makes it into the Select Program, can he/she play in both leagues?

With the best interests of the players (and teams) in mind, the main driver is that Great Falls Basketball has no control over the scheduling of the Select games. Invariably, when there is a scheduling conflict with the House team game, the player would most likely choose the Select game. It is logical to assume that the Select player is usually the best player on the House team and the resulting absence would be unfair to the House team.  

6.  Can my twins play on the same team?

In an effort to ensure that teams are competitively balanced, twins may or may not end up on the same team.  Any requests for twins to be on the same team will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the House League Director overseeing that grade group and the GF Hoops Board.  Please reach out to your House League Director to start the conversation.  The names of the House League Directors can be found on our website.

7.  What equipment does my child need to participate?

Please make sure that your player has a pair of athletic shoes that are in good condition.  High top basketball shoes are encouraged in an effort to provide maximum support to a player’s ankles, but not required.  If a player would like to practice on his/her own time, the appropriately-sized basketball is also encouraged but not required.  Ball sizes can be found on our website in the House Rules section.  A team jersey will be provided to each player by GF Hoops.

Reminder on basketball sizes (for House and Select):
Regulation 29.5" – Boys Grade 7 and higher
28.5" – Girls Grades 4-12 and Boys Grades 4-6
27.5" – Grade 2 and Grade 3 (boys and girls)