Dear ,

The West Hartford Girls Basketball League is incredibly excited to officially tip off the season tomorrow with Opening Day on Sunday, January 4th. After months of preparation, planning, and anticipation, our gyms will once again be filled with the energy, enthusiasm, and teamwork that define the WHGBL experience.

Please note the following Opening Day locations:

• Minors and Seniors Division games will be played at Conard High School - PLEASE NOTE:  For Minors Division Games, Conard Court A is closest to the gym lobby entrance, Court B is farthest from the gym lobby entrance.  Seniors Division Games are played on the Main Varsity Court, which sits between Minors Division Courts A and B.

• Juniors Division games will be played at Sedgwick Middle School

We strongly encourage everyone to read this entire newsletter carefully, as it contains extremely important information related to Opening Day logistics, expectations, and league operations.

📰LEAGUE LINES

👕WHGBL Apparel Store — Now Open
We are excited to announce the launch of our brand-new WHGBL Apparel Store. This is a trial run with a new vendor, and for now, a limited number of items are available for purchase. This is your opportunity to proudly display your WHGBL spirit at games, around town, and beyond. A strong initial response will allow us to expand the store with additional styles and items later in the season. We encourage all families, players, coaches, and supporters to consider making a purchase and helping us grow this offering.  To see the new apparel site, click this link:  WHGBL APPAREL STORE

ℹ️New “Divisions” Section on the Website
The league has added a new “Divisions” dropdown menu to the WHGBL website. This section will showcase game scores and standings for the Juniors and Seniors Divisions throughout the season. Please note that the Minors Division will not display scores or standings, as the league does not track them at that level in order to maintain our developmental focus.

📸Photo Day Reminder — Sunday, January 11
WHGBL Photo Day will take place on Sunday, January 11, one week after Opening Day.

• Team photos will be taken 30 minutes prior to each team’s scheduled game (see photo schedule at the bottom of this newsletter)

• All players are required to be present for their team photo

• Parents will have the option to purchase individual photos of their daughter (see photo pre-order form at the bottom of this newsletter)

Additional details regarding Photo Day logistics and ordering information are provided at the bottom of this newsletter.

🏀COACHES’ CORNER

📖Opening Day Preparation
All coaches should contact their players and parents in advance of Opening Day to confirm that players arrive at their designated gymnasium at least 30 minutes before game time. This allows for proper warm-ups and a review of game logistics.

Any player arriving later than 10 minutes before game time will not be listed on the Rotation Sheet and must check in with the scorer's table first upon arrival. Coaches should emphasize that being on time is a sign of respect for teammates. If a player anticipates being late, families should notify the coach as soon as possible.

🧭Pre-Game Logistics

• Minors and Seniors Divisions (Conard High School): Teams may warm up in the small gym in the rear of the building, if available.

  • Minors teams, before their game, should enter the main gym with approximately 6 minutes remaining in the prior game.

  • Seniors teams, before their game, should enter the main gym with approximately 4 minutes remaining in the prior game.

  • Players should sit on the floor directly behind the bench they will occupy for their game.

• Juniors Division (Sedgwick Middle School): Teams may warm up in the small gym adjacent to the main varsity gym.

  • Juniors teams, before their game, should enter the main gym with approximately 4 minutes remaining in the prior game and stand along the wall closest to the small gym.

💺Game Seating and Uniform Display
The home team bench is always on the LEFT when facing the court.
For Juniors and Seniors teams with reversible jerseys:

• Home team must wear the WHITE side of their jersey

• Away team must wear the COLOR side of their jersey

🧹Bench Area Appearance and Safety
Player, coach and official safety is a top league priority. All team and player equipment must be kept under or behind the bench area. There should be nothing placed in front of the bench, including water bottles, clothing, or basketballs, that could create a tripping hazard.  It's a good idea to assign an Assistant Coach or give players on the bench the responsibility for keeping the bench area clear.

🧭Post-Game Logistics
Following the post-game handshake, coaches must immediately clear their bench area. Team meetings may not be held at the bench. Coaches should direct players to the gym lobby for any post-game discussion. Parents and spectators are asked not to cross the court and should meet their child in the lobby so as not to damage the court and to allow the next game to begin on time.

📑Rotation Sheets
Rotation Sheets are due at the scorer’s table no later than 10 minutes before game time. Coaches are strongly encouraged to click this link to review the ROTATION SHEET VIDEO TUTORIAL on the league website.
Head Coaches should assign an Assistant Coach to manage substitutions. That Assistant Coach should keep a copy or photo of the Rotation Sheet and have the next five players ready at mid-quarter substitutions. PLEASE REMEMBER: substitution stoppages are not timeouts, and play should resume immediately.

☯️Coaches Ethics and Court Decorum
All Head Coaches must click this link to review the COACHES CODE OF ETHICS section under the Resources → For Coaches area of the website, as well as the Court Decorum section of the Guidebook.  Click this link to see the COURT DECORUM section of the Coaches Guidebook.

❓Questions or Issues
Any questions or concerns from players, parents, spectators, or coaches should follow the league’s Chain of Communication, found in the Parent’s Handbook section of the website. This ensures the fastest and most effective resolution.  Click this link to see the CHAIN OF COMMUNICATION

⚖️RULES REMINDER

↕️No Clear-Out Plays
Team play is required in the Minors and Juniors Divisions and during the first half of Seniors Division games. Teams may not clear the court for isolation one-on-one plays.

🙎‍♀️Girl-to-Girl Defense
Girl-to-girl defense is required in all divisions. In the second half of Seniors Division games, teams may play zone defense and apply a full-court press, provided they do not lead by more than 15 points. Please consult the Seniors Division rules addendum for full details.

📏Outlet Pass After Rebound Rule Eliminated
The outlet pass requirement has been eliminated in the Minors and Juniors Divisions following a Rules Committee recommendation and Board approval. While no longer required, the league strongly encourages coaches to continue teaching proper rebounding and outlet fundamentals. A couple of new instructional videos have been added under Coaches Resources – Part 2 YouTube Videos.  Click this link REBOUND-OUTLET DRILLS to see these new videos.

⏪Rules Review
All coaches are strongly encouraged to review their division’s rules addendum on the league website prior to Opening Day.  Click this link RULES to see the rules section of the league's website.

🌟SPONSOR’S SPOTLIGHT

As we prepare to tip off another exciting season of West Hartford Girls Basketball League action, we are using this week’s Sponsor’s Spotlight for a special purpose. Rather than highlighting one of our valued sponsors, we want to take a moment—just ahead of Opening Day—to showcase the sponsorship opportunities that make our league possible. The support of local businesses plays a vital role in delivering a positive, high-quality experience for our players, families, and coaches. The article below outlines how businesses can partner with the WHGBL, gain meaningful visibility in our community, and directly support the development of young athletes—both on and off the court.

Support the Game. Grow Your Business. Sponsor the WHGBL.

The West Hartford Girls Basketball League (WHGBL) is proud to offer meaningful sponsorship opportunities that directly support our players while delivering real value to local businesses. With more than 400 families actively involved in the league each season—and a strong digital presence that reaches thousands of community members—WHGBL sponsorship provides visibility, engagement, and goodwill that extends well beyond the basketball court

Our sponsors are more than advertisers; they are partners in developing confident, disciplined, and community-minded young athletes. Sponsorship opportunities include prominent website placement, email exposure, social media recognition, and—at the Gold Team Sponsor level—team naming rights with branded jerseys worn throughout the season

These benefits allow sponsors to align their brand with values such as teamwork, leadership, inclusivity, and community pride.

The league is currently collecting information from businesses interested in becoming team sponsors for next season, and we also have limited sponsorship opportunities available for the current season. If you own a business—or have a relationship with a local business owner—this is an excellent opportunity to make a lasting impact while strengthening local youth sports.

To learn more or to express interest in the WHGBL Sponsorship Program, please contact the League President at president@whgbl.org.

Together, we can continue to build something special for our players and our community.

💭PARTING PERSPECTIVES

Opening Day represents more than the start of games — it marks the beginning of another season focused on growth, confidence, teamwork, and leadership for every player in our league. We encourage all families and community members to attend games on Sunday and support our athletes.

Before attending, please take a moment to review the Spectator Code of Conduct on the league website. A positive, respectful environment is essential to the experience we strive to provide for our players.  Click this link to see the SPECTATOR CODE OF CONDUCT

We look forward to seeing full gyms, enthusiastic cheers, and another outstanding WHGBL season officially begin tomorrow. Opening Day is almost here — we hope you will be part of it.

See you at the gym,

Shawn Daly

"Teaching leadership skills through the fundamentals of basketball"