RULES

ISSBL Rules

Participation

Our main focus during the 22/23 ISSBL season is to maximize participation and player development. To achieve this we are going to offer wider age brackets and gender flexibility in the hope that everyone will have the opportunity to play ball and improve through regular competition.

It is understandable that different schools and teams may have difficulty filling certain age categories. Rather than cutting entire teams out due to this we will attempt to take a flexible approach to entry. All exceptions should be communicated to the ISSBL who will communicate with all teams involved to negotiate the best possible scenario.

Wins / Losses

To promote participation and development, we will not publish match / competition results instead we will focus on the performance and enjoyment of players / teams. It is likely that this season will see a number of teams of very mixed ability and as such we want to prevent discouragement and support the development of all players in preparation for a more competitive 23/24 season.

All School and Independent Teams should agree to follow the same strategy should they choose to mention ISSBL matches on their social media.

• This could be subject to change based on the entries that we receive. If a number of established teams do enter then a competitive league format could be implemented. This could apply to a single age group or every one based on

Age Categories

3 Different age categories will be on offer for this season. These are:

• KS2

• KS3

• KS4&5

If you have a player that is too old to play for a team and you are unable to enter a team in their correct age bracket, please inform the ISSBL and we will negotiate entry.

Gender

Ideally we would like to run a Male and Female competition for each of the above age categories. If you are unable to field a certain age / gender category it may be possible to enter a mixed gender team so please contact us for clarification. More flexible options will also be considered to maximize participation

e.g. If only 1 KS4 & 5 Girls team request to enter the tournament they will be given the opportunity to enter the boys tournament.

Basketball Rules

Basketball matches will follow the most up to date FIBA rule set. Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the rules - HERE

Key points -

• Match lengths will differ from FIBA rules and will adapt to our own time constraints. This will be determined prior to each festival based on the number of entering teams.

• We will employ a shot clock system and team foul counts, We will not implement a personal foul count.

• All matches will be officiated by 2 neutral and experienced referees