New Player Evaluation Session
When: Weds. August 16, 2023
Where: MD Sports Hall (McBride-Dags Gym)
534 4th Ave
Troy (Lansinburgh), NY 12182
Time: 6:30-8:00 pm
All new players must participate in an Evaluation Session prior to playing in the league. Players will play in pickup games against other new players or some current league players while being observed and ranked by team captains and Board members. The purpose of this session is to give team captains and Wait List Managers an idea of each new player’s skills and how they compare to existing league players. This information is used by team captains when they draft players at the beginning of each season and by Wait List Managers when assigning a sub to replace a roster player for a short period of time. This helps to maintain balance and parity in the league. No players are “cut” or denied an opportunity to play in the league based on ability. Thank you for participating.
See more detailed information below in the Tryout/Ranking tab
The CSBL is the premiere basketball league in the Capital Region for athletes 50 and over. It is a competitive league designed to provide parity and competitive balance. Athletes of all experience and skill levels are eligible to participate. League members range in age from 50 to 80’s. The league is run by a Board of Directors consisting of players serving as a Commissioner and player representatives from both divisions.
The league currently consists of 14 teams divided into 2 divisions of 7 teams each. There are 8 players on each team with 54 players in each division. This creates 108 permanent roster spots. The Colonie division is for younger and more highly skilled players. It is intense and highly competitive. The Albany division is primarily for players 60 and over or players who are less skilled or do not desire as intense a competitive experience. Each player pays a league fee with the amount determined each season by the Board of Directors.
Games are played at Lishakill Middle School at 68 Waterman Ave in Colonie. The league runs from early September thru the end of March and occasionally into early April. All games are played on Saturdays with 6 league games each week. Games begin around 9:00 am and the last game is completed around 6:00 pm. A rotating schedule is setup so that each team will rotate thru the various time slots and play at a different time each Saturday. The gym is closed on school holiday weekends and each team will have a BYE approximately every 6 weeks during the season. There are approximately 18 regular season games followed by single elimination playoffs. Every team participates in the end of season playoffs.
There is an end of season banquet that is open to all participating players at no cost. At the banquet, awards such as gym bags or jackets are given to regular season and playoff champions in each division.
To strive for parity, camaraderie, and competitive balance a draft is held at the beginning of each season. New teams are created for each season so that no team can stack their roster year to year and players get to play with and get to know all of the other players in the league. The Board designates captains for each division for each season. The Colonie division draft is held first. Captains select 54 players in a rotating schedule. Later the Albany division draft is held and captains select the remaining 54 players in a rotating manner to fill their rosters. After the draft, captains will contact players they selected to inform them of their team assignment and schedule.
The league has paid, certified officials and an official scorekeeper for each game. Games are 40 minutes in duration with four 10 minute quarters of stop time play. There is a league website and a weekly newsletter, the Hoopster, which is emailed weekly to each player. The Hoopster is also available on the website, on the league Facebook page, and a limited number of printed copies are available in the gym each week. Team standings and player’s statistics are kept and posted.
Many of the league’s players participate in state and national senior basketball tournaments. These tournament teams are privately organized by interested players.
Eligibility/Registration
Players may register with the league during the year they are 49 years old. To be eligible for the draft the player must be 50 years old by the second Saturday after Labor Day (first day of the season) in September in the year during which such League season commences. A player who turns 50 after such date shall be eligible, on his 50th birthday, to be a replacement player during such league season.
Registration may be completed electronically on the website. There is a Registration tab on the menu. The registration form may also be printed and mailed. New players may designate on the registration form if they wish to be considered for a full-time roster position or only as a part-time replacement player. Each new player is assigned a seniority number when their registration is completed.
Tryout/Ranking
The league strives to achieve team parity and competitive balance. As part of this process each player is given a “ranking” which is done thru a “Tryout “ process. This tryout does not “cut” or eliminate players from eligibility but only attempts to assess the new player’s skill level in comparison to current players in the league. The rankings are based on which division (Colonie or Albany) and draft round (1-7) the player is projected to fit into. This ranking helps guide captains in their draft selections and helps “Wait List Managers” to assign short term substitute players to a team when there are loss time injuries. This ranking will change periodically based on the player’s draft position each season and performance in the league.
Tryouts are conducted at the Lishakill School gym at 9:00 am on the first Saturday after Labor Day. Tryouts are run by team captains and Board members who will observe and rank players. Players will play several pickup games against other new players or select current league players. New players are strongly encouraged to attend this Tryout day. Players must be ranked before they are eligible to play. If you cannot attend Tryout day you can contact the league Commissioner. It will be arranged for you to go to one of a various number of venues during the week where our league players play pickup basketball. There will be team captains or Board members present at that time to observe and rank the player.
Roster/Wait List/Replacement Player
Each player is assigned a seniority number when they register. The draft and replacement player assignments are done based on this seniority number. There are currently 14 teams and 108 available permanent roster spots. Once in the league a player retains his permanent status until he decides to retire or withdraw. At that time the next player on the seniority list is eligible to become a permanent roster player. Once you are a permanent roster player you will not be removed until you decide to do so.
Each season the team captains conduct a draft and select the 108 most senior players for that season to fill team rosters. The remaining registered players are assigned to a Wait List. Players on the Wait List are eligible to be a short term substitute player as often as needed until they reach permanent roster status. Most new players will spend at least one season on the Wait List until they become permanent. Advancement to permanent roster status is dependent on the number of people ahead of you on the Wait List and the rate of attrition from the league.
Each division has a Wait List Manager. His job is to try to fill the vacant spots with a goal of maintaining balance and parity as much as possible. If a player is injured, ill, or will be away for 3 or more consecutive games that team captain can request a replacement player. The captain cannot request or select a specific replacement player. The replacement player is selected by the Wait List Manager based on seniority and ranking. For example, if the injured player happens to be a 4th round draft selection in the Colonie division, the Manager will use the Wait List to select a similarly ranked player with the highest seniority number. If that player is not available for the game dates required, the selection process will continue until a matching player is found to fill that vacancy.
If an opening occurs that matches your seniority and ranking you will receive a call from the Wait List Manager. You will be offered a short-term spot as a replacement player for a specific team for specific dates for at least a 3 game span. You will not be told which team until after agreeing to sub. Sometimes a roster player sustains a season ending injury or illness and a sub may be able to play most of a season. You will pay a fee based on the number of games that you play with that team. After the completion of your assignment you will return to the Wait List. You could be called to sub multiple times during the season. This process will continue until the new player achieves permanent roster status.
The Wait List(sub) Managers are:
Colonie Division – Mark White -518-365-4900
Albany Division – Vince DiGiulio – 518-669-2959
The Challenge Games are the brainchild of former CSBL player and official scorer Bill Gay. Bill cut his basketball teeth on the playgrounds of New York City. Many years ago Bill organized a game between CSBL All-Stars and a group of his all-star basketball friends from New York City. The event was a big hit and has been held almost every year since. It expanded to 2 age brackets (50+ and 60+) and later expanded again to include a game against an all-Star team from the Saratoga Senior League. The games are held on an off-week Saturday during the season and are always a very competitive and fun battle for bragging rights.