Welcome to the West Hartford Girls Basketball League

***REMINDER***

PLAYER ASSESSMENT FOR NEW DIVISION PLAYERS THIS SUNDAY

There will be a “Player Assessment” for any registered WHGBL player who is either new to the Juniors Division or new to the Seniors Division this Sunday, November 17th. This assessment is NOT a tryout and the assessment is NOT mandatory. The assessment is meant to assess a player’s skill level so they are either assigned (in the Juniors Division) or drafted by the Head Coaches (in the Seniors Division) onto the appropriate team in the league.

For players that are new to the Juniors Division (either players who are in 5th grade this year or 6th grade players who have never played in the league before), the assessment will be on Sunday, November 17th at the Sedgwick Middle School large gymnasium. Check-in is at 10:30am where players will receive a temporary basketball jersey for the assessment. The assessment for the Juniors Division will be held from 11:00am - 12:30pm.

For players that are new to the Seniors Division (either players who are in the 7th grade this year or 8th grade players who have never played in the league before), the assessment will be on Sunday, November 17th at the Sedgwick Middle School large gymnasium. Check-in is at 12:30pm where players will receive a temporary basketball jersey for the assessment. The assessment for the Seniors Division will be held from 1:00pm - 2:30pm.

All players must bring their own basketball and water bottle and be sure both are clearly marked with the player’s name so that they don’t get lost.

Parents are not allowed to remain in the building during the assessment. Parents can drop off and pick up their player at the appropriate time or wait in their car in the parking lot of Sedgwick Middle School.

PLAYERS IN 3RD GRADE AND 4TH GRADE SHOULD NOT ATTEND THE ASSESSMENT!!! Also, players in the 6th grade and 8th grade who played in the WHGBL last year, should NOT attend the assessment.

For questions contact the WHGBL President, Shawn Daly at president@whgbl.org.

Coaches, visit our new Training Resources Page!

Watch Our President's Welcome Message!

BE A HERO: DONATE TO OUR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS AND OUR FEE WAIVER PROGRAM

Did you know that the WHGBL has two scholarship programs? The league has a University/College Scholarship Program and a Basketball Camp/Clinic Scholarship Program!

The University/College Scholarship Program

The first program provides a $1,000 scholarship to any qualified high school senior in West Hartford who will be attending a university, college or post-secondary technical school.

The WHGBL would like to increase the scholarship program. Rather than increase registration fees, the league would like to ask for donations to the program.

Please click this link - to learn more about the University/College Scholarship Program

The Basketball Camp/Clinic Scholarship Program

The second program provides a scholarship for a partial or full payment of registration fees, up to $500, for any basketball camp/clinic of choice. The basketball camp/clinic must be held between March 10, 2025 and December 1, 2025.

The WHGBL would like to increase the scholarship program. The league seeks donations to the scholarship fund to help with this effort.

Please click this link - to learn more about the Basketball Camp/Clinic Scholarship Program

Please donate to our scholarship fund!

WHGBL Registration Fee Waiver Program

The WHGBL believes that athletics offer many positive benefits for students and the league does not wish to place any undue burdens on parents/guardians who cannot afford to pay the registration fee for their children.

To ensure that we help those who are in need, we have a process in place to request a partial or full waiver. Of course, waivers are based on the ability for the league to cover these fees.

You can click this link - to learn more about the fee waiver program

Please donate to the fee waiver program!

Eligibility to Participate in the West Hartford Girls Basketball League

To be eligible to participate as a player in the West Hartford Girls Basketball League, one of two criteria must be met:

  1. The player must reside in the town of West Hartford; or

  2. The player must attend either a public, private, or parochial school in West Hartford

  3. In addition, the player must be currently a student enrolled in grade 3 - 8.

Registration for the WHGBL 2024 - 2025 Season Now Open

Registration for The West Hartford Girls Basketball League s now open for the upcoming 2024 - 2025 Winter Season. Regular registration is open from Monday, September 16, through Thursday, October 31. The registration fee is $150, which covers uniform costs, equipment costs and costs for league game officials.

Please look below at the “Important Dates to Remember” for this season.

Also, please be sure to check out the “Parents Info” section of this website and be sure to review the “Parents Handbook” for additional information. Don’t forget to view the “FAQs” section under the “About” drop down menu on this website. Over the years, we’ve found there are common questions that get asked repeatedly. If you have a question, chances are the answer is already in our FAQs section.

Want to stay up-to-date with the lastest information about our league? In addition to this website, be sure to follow us and “like” our Facebook and Instagram pages. You can click on the Facebook and Instagram logos at the top of this website to view and follow those pages.

We can’t wait to see your daughter on the court and you in the stands cheering her on!

Important Dates to Remember

We are excited to announce the important dates for the 2024-2025 season.

We would like to remind you that these dates are subject to change at any time. As we all know, unforeseen circumstances may arise throughout the season that require adjustments to our schedule. To ensure that you have the most up-to-date information, we strongly encourage everyone to regularly check our website for any updates or changes.

We understand that keeping track of schedules and changes can sometimes be challenging, especially with busy family routines. However, your commitment to staying informed, will greatly contribute to the success of your child's basketball experience this season. Please be sure to write these important dates down, so you and your daughter stay aware.

EventDateDate
First day of regular registrationMonday09/16/2024
Last day of regular registrationThursday10/31/2024
Late registration beginsFriday11/1/2024
Late registration endsSunday11/10/2024
Minor division players are assigned to teamsSaturday11/16/2024
Assessment day for new juniors and Seniors playersSunday11/17/2024
Senior’s division draft dayMonday11/18/2024
Juniors division players are assigned teamsThursday11/21/2024
Uniform order dateFriday11/29/2024
First week of practices beginMonday12/2/2024
Season opener: All divisionsSunday1/5/2025
WHGBL Photo DaySunday1/19/2025
Regular season ends - JuniorsSunday2/23/2025
Regular season ends - SeniorsSunday3/2/2025
Regular season ends - MinorsSunday3/2/2025
Juniors Division PlayoffsSunday3/2/2025
Seniors Division PlayoffsSaturday3/8/2025
WHGBL Skills CompetitionSaturday3/8/2025
Juniors & Seniors ChampionshipSunday3/9/2025

No Earrings, No Necklaces, No Bracelets, No Exceptions

The WHGBL makes player safety one of its highest priorities. In addition, as mentioned above, the league follows NFHS basketball rules. Players are prohibited from wearing any jewelry of any kind at any WHGBL practice or game. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. Parents should NOT have their daughters pierce their ears during the season if they are concerned the piercing will close up upon removal of earrings for practices and games. There is absolutely NO workaround for this. Players may not tape over earrings or leave studs in. A player must remove all jewelry prior to stepping onto the court for any practice, exhibition game, regular season game, playoff or championship game. All coaches, league administrators and referees are trained to monitor this. This includes but is not limited to “friendship bracelets” rope bracelets and similar items. Definitions of jewelry are at the discretion of coaches, league administrators and referees.

PLEASE NOTE: Medical ID bracelets and necklaces are NOT defined as jewelry. However, a referee, coach or league administrator may require that a Medical ID bracelet be taped down if the item is too loose on a player.

Production Day: Our Training Video Shoot

The West Hartford Girls Basketball League is dedicated to providing a positive and development-focused environment for young athletes. One of the ways we ensure that our coaches are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively teach our players is through certification training videos.

We organized a video shoot on June 7th, 2024 at Sedgwick Middle School to record training videos for our coaches. The purpose of these videos is to provide a standardized curriculum for all coaches in our league, ensuring that each player receives consistent instruction regardless of their team. By certifying our coaches through these training videos, we can guarantee that they have the necessary tools to help players develop their skills and reach their full potential.

Our focus on teaching the fundamentals of the game sets us apart from other leagues. We believe that building a strong foundation in basic skills such as dribbling, shooting, passing, and defense is crucial for player development. By using players from our teams in these training videos, we are able to demonstrate proper techniques while also showcasing the talent and dedication of our young athletes.

Having certified coaches who are knowledgeable in how to develop players' skills not only benefits the individual player but also contributes to the overall success of our league. When coaches are well-trained and confident in their abilities, they are better equipped to create a positive and supportive learning environment for their players.

We are thrilled to be partnering with Productions for Change, a non-profit video production company that specializes in working with non-profits, for our training video project. The benefits of working with local experts in non-profit video production are immense. Not only do they understand the unique needs and goals of organizations like ours, but they also bring a level of passion and dedication to their work that is truly inspiring.

Tom Mazzarella, the founder and lead producer at Productions for Change, has many years of experience in the field and has been instrumental in leading the entire process from start to finish. His expertise and creative vision have helped us bring our training videos to life in a way that is engaging, informative, and impactful.

Working with Productions for Change has allowed us to tap into a wealth of knowledge and resources that we may not have had access to otherwise. Their commitment to social change and community development aligns perfectly with our mission at the West Hartford girls basketball league, making them the ideal partner for this project.

Collaborating with Productions for Change has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Our board has forged a valuable partnership that will continue to benefit our organization in the future. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with such talented professionals who share our passion for making a difference in the lives of young athletes.

WHGBL has 3 Divisions

  • Minor Division: 3rd and 4th Graders

    Teams: Bantams, Bears, Blue Jays, Bobcats, Bulldogs, Cardinals, Hawks, Stags, Terrapins and Tigers

    Practices are scheduled for a one 1-hour session per week with a start time between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Each Head Coach in conjunction with town facility availability chooses the date and time of their team’s practice. There is no practice when the West Hartford Public schools are closed for the day or the week. All games are played on Sundays starting the first Sunday after New Year’s Day at Conard High School. Games start at 10:00 am and end at 1:00 pm.

  • Junior Division: 5th and 6th Graders

    Teams: Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, St. Johns, Syracuse, UConn and Villanova

    Practices are scheduled for two 1.5-hour to 2-hour sessions per week with a start time between 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Each Head Coach in conjunction with town facility availability chooses the date and time of their team’s practice. There is no practice when the West Hartford Public schools are closed for the day or the week. All games are played on Sundays starting the first Sunday after New Year’s Day at Sedgwick Middle School. Games start at 12:00 pm and end at 4:00 pm.

  • Senior Division: 7th and 8th Graders

    Teams: Dream, Liberty, Lynx, Mystics, Sparks, and Wings

    Practices are scheduled for two 1.5-hour sessions per week with a start time between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Each Head Coach in conjunction with town facility availability chooses the date and time of their team’s practice. There is no practice when the West Hartford Public schools are closed for the day or the week. All games are played on Sundays starting the first Sunday after New Year’s Day at Conard High School. Games start at 12:45 pm and end at 6:00 pm

Championship Games and Award Ceremonies

Would you like to see the televised broadcast of our championship games since 2022?

Click the button to see our “Broadcasts and News” section of our website