Herndon Optimist Youth Travel Basketball (HOYTB) is a highly competitive youth sports program organized under the Optimist Club of Herndon Virginia and a member club in the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League (FCYBL). Skills development, teamwork, and sportsmanship are our priorities.

Although we encourage each player to concentrate on a primary and secondary position, we don't train specific positions--we train basketball players. The long-range goal is to develop each player into a versatile athlete who has the skill and knowledge to play basketball at a high level of competition.

The HOYTB program is more competitive and demanding than our house basketball program (Haley Smith Basketball).  Participants play on teams where the skill levels are more consistent and play against stronger competition than in the house basketball program. Players are chosen through a competitive tryout process and there are no minimum playing time rules as there are in our house program. Coaches determine the frequency and length of each player's time on the court during games.

Participant Eligibility

**** DO NOT REGISTER UNTIL A HEAD COACH SELECTS YOUR CHILD FOR THE TEAM ****

Youth in grades 4 through 8 who have a parent or guardian residing within the Fairfax County zip codes of 20170, 20171, 20190, or 20194 are eligible to play in the HOYTB program. In addition to these zip codes, each team is allowed two players that reside in Fairfax or Loudoun Counties but are not within the zip codes allocated to HOYTB by FCYBL.

Coach and Team Assistant Eligibility

Coaching and assisting a team are volunteer positions. Head Coaches must be at least 21 years old and Assistant Coaches and Team Assistants must be at least 18 years old.

All adult volunteers must complete a background check and a youth abuse prevention online training course and exam before leading or assisting in any HOYTB activity.

In addition, Head and Assistant Coaches must:

• Complete a Fairfax County Volunteer Building Director (VBD) online training course and exam
• Attend the FCYBL coaches clinic if requested to do so

The team Head Coach receives one free registration for his/her child on the team (game uniform fees are still required) and coaching supplies. 

Season Schedule

Open gym days are made available starting mid-September to enable players to meet the coaches and dust off their basketball skills before team tryouts begin. Team tryouts are held in late September through early October. Registration is not required to attend open gym or team tryouts. Click HERE to access the Basketball Event Calendar; click on the event name for location, days, and times of teams' open gym and tryouts.

Team practices begin shortly after tryouts are completed. Generally, practices are held in Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) gyms in the Herndon area twice a week for one and half hours.  HOYTB assigns the team's practice location, nights, and times.

Regular season games begin late November or early December. Games are normally played throughout Fairfax County, but occasionally in Loudoun County. FCYBL sets the game schedule. Games are played on both weeknights and weekends.

The regular season concludes with playoff and championship games in late February-early March.

Note: Basketball practices/games are canceled when FCPS closes schools for inclement weather or other reasons.

Fees

• Registration Fee: $175
• Game Jersey Fee: $80; Game Shorts Fee: $70; Returning HOYTB players do not need a new uniform unless a new size or replacement is needed; Indicate need for jersey/shorts during the registration process; Jersey/shorts sizing information is available on the Basketball Documents-Links web page
• Participant must provide own socks, sneakers, and water bottle

Payment Options

• Credit/Debit Card
• Electronic Check/Funds Transfer (ACH)

Discounts / Financial Aid

• Family Multi-Participant Discounts: Each additional family member receives a $15 discount
• Athletic Scholarship: Fairfax County residents only; Request financial aid and provide supporting documentation during the registration process; Payment for game jersey/shorts is still required
• Head Coach Discount: Registration fee waived for one child per Head Coach; Enter head coach discount code during the registration process; Payment for game jersey/shorts is still required

Refunds

• If a participant withdraws and notifies HOYTB Registrar before November 15th, Registration Fee will be refunded
• If a participant or family is removed from the program for refusing to follow the FCYBL/HOYTB Code of Conduct or Fairfax County/HOYTB health and safety rules/protocols, no fees will be refunded
• If Fairfax County cancels our access to gym space, the amount of fees refunded, if any, will depend on the costs already incurred by the sports program

Registration for the Winter 2024-2025 season opens July 5th.

Note: Regrettably we had to increase our registration fee for the upcoming season because the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors significantly raised the cost of gym permit fees.

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We have the following travel basketball teams for the Winter 2024-2025 season:

· Boys Grade 4-5 (B5)

· Boys Grade 6 (B6)

· Boys Grade 7 (B7)

· Boys Grade 8 (B8)

· Girls Grade 6-7 (G7)

· Girls Grade 8 (G8)

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Open gym starts the week of September 9th - check the Basketball Event Calendar in early September for team location, dates, and times.

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Team tryouts start the week of September 30th and complete by October 11th - check the Basketball Event Calendar in early September for team location, dates, and times.

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Games start the weekend of November 23rd. There are no games during the FCPS Winter Break period. Playoff/championship games complete no later than March 15th.