It’ that time of year again! PDSA Basketball will be back again this year. Registration will open on Tuesday October 10 at 7 AM.

Please read the below email as it has important information on all of our league offerings, including volunteering, the expansion of our oldest co-ed league to allow for the registration of 13-year-old boys, sponsorship, and season details.

Volunteers

As you know Philly Dragons Sports Association is a non-profit, volunteer run organization. We need the help of many parent volunteers to make our program work. We need Division Commissioners, coaches, and assistant coaches. Anyone that plans to be a commissioner or coach MUST register to do so through our website, which includes uploading of Child Abuse Clearances and PA Criminal Background Check. Links to obtain each are listed below. You will not be able to coach without completing these background checks.

REQUIRED VOLUNTEER DOCUMENTATION

Child abuse clearance - PA Child Abuse Clearance

PA Background check - PA Background Check


Ages and Divisions

We offer divisions for kids ages 5 through 13. Your child’s age for purposes of our divisions is their age as of September 1, 2023. Eligible birthday ranges are below.  The registration system will only let you register your child for the appropriate aged divisions.   There is also an attached age chart which indicates the available league based on your child’s birth month and year.   

If you would like to have your child “play up” in an older division, please register them in the available division on the website and send an email [email protected] -  with the subject line “Play-up Request – (Your child’s name)”  please include your child’s date of birth, the division they are register in, and he division in which you want them to “play up.”  These requests will typically be handled based on availability after registration is complete to ensure that all age-appropriate players have had an opportunity to register.  We will honor play up requests based upon availability in the respective division as well as the date and time that the request is received.  We cannot guarantee that a player will be able to play up. 

Note that for most ages we offer all-gender leagues that both boys and girls can participate in and girls-only leagues.  All children are welcome to register in our all-gender leagues, but please note that all-gender leagues have historically been 95% or more boys.

Big East – Birthdays 9/1/2017 to 8/31/2018 (5-year-olds) All gender

This division is our youngest players.  The division will be made up of up to eighty kids.  The kids will be broken up into eight teams of ten.  The year will kids will participate in skills and drills with their team in one hour blocks on Saturday and Sunday mornings.  As the year progresses, the kids will begin to have informal scrimmages against one of the other teams to learn the basics of the game.   These will all be played on eight-foot baskets.  This league seeks to develop basic basketball skills and fundamentals while learning to enjoy the game.  The division will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings starting the first week of December.  Most of the activities will be at The Philadelphia School.   

ACC- Birthdays 3/1/2016 to 8/31/2017 (6-7.5-year-olds) All gender

This division will include 1st graders and younger second graders.  The division will likely between 10-12 teams of approximately 10 players each.  All players will participate in two clinics in mid-November.  Teams will be selected by draft towards the end of November and team practices will start in early December.  Starting in January, the division will play other teams in the division in scrimmages, followed by an end of the year tournament in February and the beginning of March.  This division will play on 8-foot baskets.  This division seeks to teach basic skill development and fundamentals.  Rules such as traveling and double dribbling will be taught, but liberally enforced.  All defenses will be limited to man-to-man with no double teaming.  Almost all activities will take play at The Philadelphia School. 

Big 10 – Birthdays 9/1/2014 to 2/29/2016 (7.5-8 year olds) All gender

This division will include 3rd graders and older second graders.  The division will likely be between 10-12 teams of approximately 10 players each.  All players will participate in two division-wide clinics in mid-November.  Teams will be selected by draft in the end of November.   Team practices will start the first weekend in December.  The division will play an approximately nine game regular season starting in January followed by playoffs.  This division will play on regulation height baskets.  This division seeks balance skill development and fundamentals with learning basic game play.  Rules such as traveling, and double dribbling will be liberally enforced to allow kids to learn basic game play.    All defenses will be limited to man-to-man with no double teaming.  Most activities will be at Friends Select School.   

Ivy- Birthdays 9/1/2014 to 8/31/2017– (6-8 year olds) Girls only

This division will include mostly 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders.  The division will likely include 6 teams with 10 players each.  All players will participate in two division-wide clinics in mid-November.  Teams will be selected by draft in the end of November.   Team practices will start the first weekend in December.  The division will play other teams in the division in scrimmages starting in January, followed by an end of the year tournament in February.  This division will play on 8-foot baskets.  This division seeks to teach basic skill development and fundamentals.  Rules such as traveling and double dribbling will be taught, but liberally enforced.  All defenses will be limited to man-to-man with no double teaming.  Most activities will take play at The Philadelphia School. 

NBA 9-10 –Birthdays 9/1/2012 to 8/31/2014- (9-10 year olds)- All gender

This division includes mostly 4th and 5th grade players.  The division will likely between 10-12 teams of approximately 10 players each.  Players will participate in one of our one-hour evaluations in mid-November and teams will be selected by draft in end of the November.  The division will have an approximately 9 game regular season starting the third weekend of December followed by playoffs in the beginning of March.  There will usually be one game and one practice most weekends, with two games on some weekends later in the year.  Our games will mostly be held at Friends Select School and practices will likely be at Friends Select and other venues. This league will continue to teach skill development, but players will be expected to adhere to basic basketball rules regarding dribbling, fouling, etc.  All defenses will be limited to man-to-man with no double teaming.  Kids will start to learn basic team offense and defense.  Most activities will take place at Friends Select School. 

WNBA 9-10 – Birthdays 9/1/2012 to 8/31/2014 (9-10 year olds) Girls only

This division includes mostly 4th and 5th grade players.  The division will likely be around 4-6 teams of approximately 10 players.  Players will participate in one of our one-hour evaluations in November and teams will be selected by draft at the end of November.  The division will have an approximately 8 game regular season followed by playoffs.  There will usually be one game and one practice each weekend.  Our games will mostly be held at Friends Select School and practices will likely be at Friends Select and other venues. This league will continue to teach skill development, but players will be expected to adhere to basic basketball rules regarding dribbling, fouling, etc.  All defenses will be limited to man-to-man with no double teaming.  Kids will start to learn basic team offense and defense.  

NBA 11-13 – Birthdays 9/1/2009 to 8/31/2012 (11-13 year olds)  All gender

This division includes middle school age players.  The division will likely be around 8 teams of 10 players.  The division will have an approximately 8 game regular season followed by playoffs.  There will usually be one game and one practice each weekend.  Our games and practices will mostly be held at the Phieldhouse, however a few practices may be held at other venues.  Because this is our oldest league, the league will focus more on team offense and defense and less on individual skill development.  All normal basketball rules will be enforced. 

WNBA 11-13 –Birthdays 9/1/2009 to 8/31/2012  (11-13 year olds) Girls only

This division includes middle school age players.  The division will likely be around 4-6 teams of approximately 10 players.  Players will participate in one of our one-hour evaluations in November and teams will be selected by draft at the end of November.  The division will have an approximately 8 game regular season followed by playoffs.  There will usually be one game and one practice each weekend.  Our games and practices will mostly be held at the Phieldhouse, however a few practices may be held at other venues.  Because this is our oldest league, the league will focus more on team offense and defense and less on individual skill development.  All normal basketball rules will be enforced.

PDSA Basketball Season Schedule

There will be two days of evaluations on two weekend days in November. You only need to attend one day of evaluations. Dates are pending and will be communicated when they are available.

Our seasons start in early December with practices. Games start in late December or early January. Seasons wrap up by the end of February or the very first week of March. The league is off between Christmas and New Year’s.

We are a weekend league. All games and practices will be Friday evenings, Saturday or Sunday. We have 4 or 5 venues that we use. We are still finalizing schedules with our venues, and so we do not know which divisions will play in which venue. Some parents have asked if they can wait to register until days/times/locations are better defined for each league, and you certainly can, but please be aware that most of our leagues sold out last year and had waiting lists.

Sponsors

Again, PDSA is a non-profit, 100% volunteer run organization. The registration fees are not sufficient to fund the cost of running our basketball league. If you are interested in sponsoring a team, please reach out to me, or there will be an opportunity to sign up as a sponsor when you register your child(ren).

Philosophy

Our leagues welcome a wide range of skill sets, from beginners to high level travel players. Coaches (especially in our younger leagues) are encouraged to work on player development as much as winning and losing. Team rosters consist of 10 players (sometimes less), and each player plays at least half of each game.


With everyone’s help, we look forward to another successful season!

PDSA Girls Basketball Rules
PDSA Co-Ed 6-8 Division Rules
PDSA Co-Ed 11-12 Rules

Payment and Cancelation

All registrations must be paid with a credit card.  Registrations for many divisions fill up quickly so please try to register early to get spots.  If a family is in need of financial assistance to afford thier child's participation in the program reach out to us ASAP (preferably before registration opens) at [email protected].

Registrations can be canceled up until November 15th with a $15 processing fee. After November 15 cancellations are not refunded.