Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade Instructional Rules:
• Must play man-to-man defense. No zone defense is allowed.
• Once possession is established by the defensive team, the offensive team must fall back. Defensive players may not initially guard or pressure offensive players until the ball reaches the volleyball line or the equivalent of the volleyball line where one is not present.
• Each defensive player must guard the same player unless there is a permanent switch of the defensive assignment of the player or unless the ball has entered the area of the three second lane. Once a team has advanced the ball into the front court, no defensive player may guard an area instead of an opponent.
• Coaches may line up their players at half court prior to the start of play at the beginning of a quarter and after a timeout to point out the opposing player each player is assigned to defend.
• The defensive team does not have to closely guard their assigned players on sideline in-bounds plays when all the offensive players are lined up or positioned near the half court line. They may fall back as far as the three point arc.
• Very limited switching of defenders is permitted. If a defensive player has been beaten and is no longer basket side of his/her offensive player, another player may switch and guard the offensive player provided the player who is beaten makes every effort to get back in proper defensive position on his/her player and not more than one defensive player is guarding the offensive player at any time. Once the player who was beaten is able to regain proper defensive position, the other defensive player must go back to guarding his/her original player.
•No stealing of the ball is permitted while an offensive player is dribbling.
• A defensive three second rule will apply in the free throw lane. It is a violation when a defender is in the free throw lane for three seconds or more while not actively guarding an opponent. To be considered actively guarding, a defender must be within an arm length of an opponent and in a guarding position. The three second rule count stops if: 1) a player is in the act of shooting, or 2) there is a loss of team control, or 3) the defender is actively guarding an opponent, or 4) the defender leaves the free throw lane. Once the three second count stops, it begins again once the player is in the free throw lane and none of these exceptions applies.
• Defensive players may double team in the three (3) second lane only once the ball is in the lane. Trapping outside the lane is not allowed.
• Failure to adhere to these defensive rules will result in no more than two warnings. Additional failure to adhere to the rules may result in one or more one-shot technical fouls and may be reported to the Referee Coordinator and the League Member at Large so the team may be watched to ensure they adhere to the rules. Repeated violations may result in a forfeit or dismissal from the league.
• Regardless of score, teams on offense may not hold the ball and must initiate offensive action. Also, no clearing out or spreading the floor to gain an advantage for one offensive player is allowed. Failure to attack on offense or to clear out will result in a warning or, if a warning has been given, the turnover of the ball to the opposing side and/or technical fouls for repeated violations.