Youth basketball is one of the most popular and exciting activities for young people. The game of basketball is fast-paced, takes exceptional talent and requires a lot of practice. When basketball is played by young people at the Little League level, they need a court that reflects dimensions they can handle and allows them to learn the game properly.
Court Size
A standard basketball court for youth players is 74 feet long by 42 feet wide. Little Leaguers don't need to run on full-size basketball courts because it makes the game more difficult. This court is quite a bit smaller than a standard basketball court, which is 84 feet by 50 feet at the high school level. College and professional players use a court that is 94 feet by 50 feet.
Three-Point Line and Free-Throw Line
Youth basketball players almost always use the same court markings as older players. The three-point line is 19 feet 9 inches from the rim. This is the same as high school players. The free throw line is 15 feet from the backboard and 13 feet from the front of the rim. This is the same as high school, college and professional players.
Ball Size and Rim Height
A youth basketball is smaller than a regulation basketball. A youth basketball has a circumference of 28.5 inches. A regulation basketball has a circumference of 29.5 inches and it is used by players who are age 11 and older. Youth basketball players who are 10 and under will use an 8-foot rim in competitive games and practices. Players who are 11 and 12 will use a 9-foot rim in games and practices. Players who are 13 and over use standard 10-foot rims.
Court Markings
Youth players who are 10 and under will not use the standard court markings. For example, the lane on a standard basketball court is 12 feet wide. Players who are 10 and under will use a 10-foot lane. The three-second rule may also be expanded to five seconds if both coaches agree before the start of a game. Youth games consist of two 20-minute halves. The clock is running time for all but the final minute of the first half and the final two minutes of the second half. Standard timing procedures apply for those periods
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