Basketball is a game of skills and rules that take some time to learn. Skills like dribbling, passing, shooting and playing defense are emphasized by coaches in practice. When young girls play in basketball games, officials and referees may give the youngsters a break when they attempt those skills, but they still have to abide by the rules.
Dribbling Rules
The rules and the referees ask players to dribble and handle the ball correctly. Girls who dribble with two hands on the ball at the same time will be called for a double-dribble violation. Double dribble will also be called on girls who stop dribbling and begin again without passing or shooting. Girls cannot dribble across the midcourt line and then move back behind it. This violation is called backcourt or over and back. All of these violations result in possession going to the opponent.
Personal Fouls
Hard physical contact between players is unusual with young girls. Referees will call fouls when players make contact with each other, however. In youth basketball, defensive players cannot make contact with a player with the ball. If a girl who is shooting is fouled, she will get two shots from the free throw line if she missed her shot from the field. If she made the shot, she will get one free throw.
Length and Regulations of Game
In girls basketball, games consist of six 5-minute periods. The game is played with running time, although each team can call two time-outs per half. If the game is tied at the end of the six quarters, a 2-minute overtime period is played. The goal in girls basketball is 9 feet high, compared to 10 feet in games for older players. The free throw line is 12 feet from the basket. In adult basketball, the free throw line is 15 feet from the basket. Girls at this age also use a basketball that is 27.5 inches in circumference, an inch small than the ball used by older players.
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