Ashland Optimist Basketball
Grades 1-6 | Boys and Girls | Winter 2026-27
Ashland Optimist offers a recreational basketball league for boys and girls in grades 1-6 in the Southern Boone school district. Players of any skill level are welcome for all age groups. Emphasis will be on instruction and development of basic skills. Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship and respect for the officials. See below information for each age group.
An essential element of youth basketball is the involvement of parents, especially those who can take on the role of coaching a team. Please consider volunteering your time to coach your player’s team to ensure all athletes are able to play. If you are a parent/guardian interested in coaching, please indicate this on your player’s registration form.
Interested in refereeing? Let us know at AshlandOptimistBasketball@gmail.com
1st/2nd Grade
Registration deadline: November 20
Registration cost: $40*
All games will be in Ashland against other Ashland Optimist teams.
1st and 2nd grade play 3v3 basketball on a reduced-size court with 8’ baskets. Games are refereed by the coaches, who will be on the court at all times. 1st and 2nd grade are on combined-age teams, but boys and girls will play separately. Teams are assigned randomly.
Practices are once a week beginning the week of November 29th. Practice times and rosters will be assigned after the coaches meeting (November 23). Games are on Saturdays in January and February. All practices and games are in the Southern Boone Primary Gym. Teams will play two games per Saturday.
1st/2nd Grade Optimist Basketball Rules
Specific game dates are:
January 9
January 16
January 23
January 30
February 6
February 13
February 20
February 27** weather makeup date only
REGISTER FOR 1ST/2ND GRADE OPTIMIST BASKETBALL
3rd/4th Grade
Registration deadline: November 20
Registration cost: $55*
All games will be in Ashland against other Ashland Optimist teams.
3rd and 4th grade play 5v5, full-court basketball with paid referees. 3rd and 4th grade are on combined-age teams, but boys and girls will play separately. Teams are assigned randomly.
Practices are once a week beginning the week of November 29th. Practice times and rosters will be assigned after the coaches meeting (November 23). Games are on Saturdays in January and February in the Southern Boone Middle School Gym. Teams will get to play two games per Saturday if gym time allows. If there are too many teams for each team to play two games every week, teams will get an equal number of game days with two games.
3rd/4th Grade Optimist Basketball Rules
Specific game dates are:
January 9
January 16
January 23
January 30
February 6
February 13
February 20
February 27** weather makeup date only
REGISTER FOR 3RD/4TH GRADE OPTIMIST BASKETBALL
5th/6th Grade
Registration deadline: September 25
Registration cost: $55*
5th and 6th grade play 5v5 basketball against other mid-Missouri teams in the Mid-Missouri Youth Basketball Association (MMYBA). Boys and girls play separately. 5th and 6th grade play separately, but there may be some combined teams playing as 6th grade teams depending on participation numbers.
Practices are on weeknights beginning the week of October 5th in Southern Boone gyms. Practice times and rosters will be assigned after the coaches meeting (September 28) and will remain the same for October and November. In December, practice times will be reassigned due to 1st-4th grade beginning to practice. Priority will be given to younger teams for earlier practice times.
Games are on Saturdays in November and December and teams will have the option to participate in tournaments in January and February. Games are hosted in various school gyms in mid-Missouri. Ashland will host each week, but not all Ashland teams will play in Ashland each week. Teams will play two games per Saturday.
5th/6th Grade MMYBA Basketball Rules
Specific regular season game dates are:
November 14
November 21
December 5
December 12
December 19
REGISTER FOR 5TH/6TH GRADE MMYBA BASKETBALL
Interested in refereeing? Let us know at AshlandOptimistBasketball@gmail.com
*Please email AshlandOptimistBasketball@gmail.com for information about scholarships for those with financial need or with three or more players per family.
Questions? Contact our Youth Basketball Coordinator Madeline Bloss at AshlandOptimistBasketball@gmail.com
