Western Region Family Basketball Tournament

Name and Goals

The name of this tournament will be “Diocese of Chicago-Western Region Family Basketball Tournament”. Its goal is to bring together the parishes of the Western Region in order to build up the Church of Christ, by confirming our unity and common faith. This will be accomplished through worship, workshops, fellowship, and games.

Participating Parishes

Because of the somewhat isolated nature of our Western Region parishes, outside the center of our Chicago Diocese we encourage all Diocese parishes of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Quad Cities to participate. Other parishes in Illinois may participate only with the approval of their Bishop and our Diocese. We encourage parishes not having enough players to field a team in a certain division to combine teams with another parish. This must be done with the approval of the Tournament Committee at the Official Tournament Meeting. Each parish must provide chaperones at a ratio of one to every four under 18-year olds.

Administration

Tournament Committee: A tournament committee will be elected for the smooth running of this tournament. It will consist of a tournament Director, Spiritual Advisor, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Chair of the Host Parish. These five will be elected each year by the Tournament (Coaches) Meeting scheduled before the Tournament. Any expenses incurred by Committee members for the running of the tournament will be reimbursed to them.

Tournament Meeting: A tournament meeting will consist of all Priests, Youth Advisors, and Coaches of participating parishes. Each parish gets one vote. A quorum will be five parishes. Approval of the Tournament Meeting means a majority present has votes for a certain item. About one month before the tournament, a Tournament Meeting, so called “Coaches Meeting” will be called for the purpose of collecting team registrations, bracketing, reviewing the past and future tournaments, and elections. Also, Tournament Meetings will be held the weekend of the Tournament to address issues during the tournament. The Tournament Director will call these meetings together. The Diocese must approve tournament Meeting decisions.

Players

Al l players must be Baptized or Chrismated Orthodox Communicants.
If over 18, they must be Members-in-good Standing of the parish for which they play. Players formerly affiliated with a parish may play if they provide a membership letter from their current parish.
All GOYAN players must be at least 12 years old, with no age limit for the YAL Divisions.
The Parish Priest must sign the Team Registration form indicating that all listed players meet these guidelines.
All players must register for the Complete Weekend Events (Friday Buffet, Sat. Banquet, and Sunday Bag lunch) Package.
All players, or their parents/guardians if under 18, must sign a waiver form releasing the Diocese, Tournament Committee and Meeting, and Local Host Parish or Parishioners from any liabilities.
All players must behave in an Orthodox Christian manner during the entire weekend. No smoking will be allowed at any functions. Drunkenness, swearing, or fighting will not be permitted.
All players are expected to be present at all the official functions of the Tournament especially during the Sunday Divine Liturgy.

Tournament Rules

Team registration is $225 and must be received no later than January 1st of the Tournament Year. If late teams are allowed to play, the registration goes up to $275. If a team needs to withdraw and it is within 14 days from the tournament, the team registration fee will be non-refundable due to the financial impact it will have on the host parish in regards to dinner/dance packages lost.
There will be four divisions: Men’s (H.S.Grads and up), Boys (12 yrs.-H.S. Seniors, not to exceed 19 yrs. Old) Women’s (H.S. Grads and up), and Girl’s (12 yrs-H.S. Grads, not to exceed 19). Boys and girls may play up if there is no Boy or Girl’s team in a parish. Women and Girls may play on Men and Boy’s team if there are not a Women or Girl’s team in the parish. Players cannot play on both an “A” or “B” team for the same parish or play on two different divisions over the course of the weekend.
Each team will be assured of two games. A bye team may only play one game and that team can choose to reject that bye. As many teams as possible should be seated dependent on the results of the past year.
Game rules-All games should start with the Lord’s Prayer. They will be officiated by Sanctioned high School Referees according to the High School State Rules with these exceptions:
1. 6 fouls per player per game.
2. No dunking.
3. Two 20-minute halves, stopped clock last 2 minutes of each half.
4. Four time-outs per game.
5. GOYA Division only: A “no-press” rule will be in effect when a winning team is ahead by 20 points or more. Failure to adhere to this will result in one warning from the referee and then a team technical will be called on the second offense during a game.

Host Parish Guidelines

The date of the Tournament will be set in cooperation with the Diocese Youth Office.
The Host Parish will provide a Letter of Insurance at the Tournament (Coaches) Meeting before the Tournament.
Care should be given to reserve a reasonably priced hotel, with reasonable food costs. Adult movies must be blocked out of the rooms.
Care should be given to reserve safe and adequate gyms. All referees (2), scorekeepers (1), and timekeepers (1) should be professionally trained. Ice should be present at each gym. Ideally gyms should have room for spectators in the form of bleachers or folding chairs.
Transportation should be provided to all games.
Trophies should be provided for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Consolation teams of each Division.
The Early Registration cost of Dinner/Dance packets is $70.00 for adults (age 13 and up) and $45.00 for Children 12 and under. Cost for Dinner/Dance packets after Early Registration deadline: children 12 and under $65.00, Adults 13 and up $90.00 Individual Adult ticket prices are: Friday Buffet/Dance: $30, Saturday Banquet/Dance $40 Dance only: $10, Sunday Bag lunch $10. Individually sold ticket prices will also have a $20.00 late fee assessed after the Early Registration deadline. A la Carte Children’s prices (12 and under): Friday night buffet: $20, Saturday Banquet: $30, and $5 for each dance. Late Fee Ticket prices for individually sold tickets as well as Full Packages will add a $20.00 late fee 14 days prior to tournament. Dance tickets do not require late fees assessed and should be available at the door where possible.
*** Clergy and Presbyteras are complimentary.
The host parish will provide transportation and rooms, etc. for 2 Diocese Representatives such as Diocese Youth Director and The Metropolitan.
All functions at the Tournament will be smoke free. Only Beer and Wine may be served by the hotel’s cash bars, no hard liquor and mixed drinks. Beer and wine may be served at the dinners but not during the speeches and/or spiritual programs. Meat will not be served on Friday Fast days. Workshops or some form of organized spiritual program will take place after the banquet on Saturday.
The host parish will receive 80% of the team registration money at the tournament. When a complete financial report and all other conditions of the Guidelines are met, the remainder will be reimbursed. Of the profits, 5% will go to the Regional Tournament account, and 10% to a charity of the host parish’s choice.
Host Parish has 90 days from the last day of their hosted tournament to “settle the books” and provide the Tournament Committee a copy of their Financial Summary, which includes categories of expenses and categories of profit. Failure to abide by this rule may result in consequences imposed by the Tournament Committee (i.e., probation from further participation in tournament if funds were not allocated in a responsible and democratic manner that sets high examples of Orthodox Christian stewardship.)***
Dinner /Dance Package and Hotel room for the Tournament Director will be paid for by the host parish.

Guideline Regulations

Violations of any of these guidelines will be dealt with by disciplinary measures from the Tournament Committee; any of these guidelines may be changed by a majority vote (5 parishes must be represented to have a quorum that can vote on changes) at the Tournament Meeting.

Updated 2/2005 at the Tournament Meeting in Omaha Nebraska.