Basketball Program General Information

  • JYO is a recreational or “rec” basketball organization. Players of all skill levels are welcome.
  • As a “rec” organization, JYO prioritizes player development and equal playing time above winning at all costs.
  • Teams are coached by parent volunteers.
  • Registration for the season runs from June-July.
  • Practices begin in mid-September and end in February or early March.
  • Practices are once a week, generally on a Friday or Saturday day or early evening.
  • JYO does its best to accommodate practice times appropriately to the age group and for players that attend Japanese school. Practices are typically 1.5 hours.
  • Practices are at middle and high school gyms in the Peninsula (e.g., Millbrae, San Mateo, etc.).
  • Coaches reserve the right to limit playing time in games for players who do not attend practices.
  • As a commitment to their JYO team, players and parents should make every effort to attend practices and games on a regular basis. Regular practice fosters communication, builds teamwork, and allows players to develop chemistry, familiarity and trust with teammates. It is unfair to other players on the team and coaches (who are parent volunteers) when players do not regularly attend practice.

Instructional Division (Grades 1-3)

  • For boys and girls entering the 1st-3rd grades in the Fall
  • The number of participants accepted are dependent on coaches, volunteers, and gym availability. Typically, JYO has 1-2 teams per grade with 10-12 players per team max.
  • Standard 10 foot regulation basketball hoops. For our 1st grade teams, 8 foot hoop extenders are used based on the coach’s discretion or jamboree game rules.
  • 27.5 balls (girls); 28.5 size balls (boys) are used.
  • Our instructional division teams do not have a set league, but instead play games in jamborees. Jamborees typically consist of two games in a single weekend day hosted by a Bay Area Asian-American youth basketball organization. Jamboree games are non-competitive (e.g., no score keeping) and focused on supporting players’ early basketball development. JYO teams play in 4-6 jamborees per season, depending on player and coach availability. Except for the jamboree hosted by JYO, parents share the cost of the jamboree team entry fees as they are separate from the JYO registration fee.

League Division (Grades 4-8)

  • For boys and girls entering the 4th-8th grades in the Fall
  • Teams include a combo of 4th and 5th boys and individual teams for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys; For the girls, the teams are 4th girls and combo teams for 5th and 6th, and 7th and 8th grade girls.
  • The number of participants accepted are dependent on coaches, volunteers, and gym availability. Typically, JYO has at least 1-2 teams per grade with 10-12 players per team max due to equal play rules.
  • A full standard 10 foot regulation basketball hoops.
    28.5 size balls (boys 4th, 5th) are used; 29.5 size balls (6th, 7th and 8th)
  • The league divisions are designed to encourage friendly competition and community building with other NYBA teams, as well as basketball skills development.
  • Teams play in 8 Nikkei Basketball Youth Association (NYBA) league games on Sundays from late November-February; there is no playoff at the end of the season
  • Teams may opt to play in additional tournaments outside of NYBA league games at an additional cost.