The Farmland Basketball League has been playing town team basketball since the winter of 2008-2009. The league is made up of teams representing small towns in eastern Nebraska, giving area men a chance to play fun, competitive, organized basketball, plus earn bragging rights over those chumps down the road. Think of a basketball version of the Dodge County Baseball League, which has been thriving in and around Dodge County for more than 60 years.

Here's a general idea of the rules the league follows:

• Games are played on Sunday afternoon/evenings during basketball season. (Late Nov.- late Jan.)
• In general, the league is intended for small towns represented by a Class C-1 high school or smaller.
• Games are played according to high school rules.
• Certified NSAA basketball officials will be used in all games.
• Half of each team's games will be played in their home gym.
• The top four teams during the regular season play a single elimination season ending tournament.
• For a more detailed list of league rules, you can take a look at the FBL constitution.

This league is intended to bring together basketball players representing their local community. We want to avoid team hopping and "free agents." In order to do so, the FBL operates under the following guidelines:

• Players must live within the school district of the town they are representing. For example, anyone playing for North Bend must have a permanent residence within the bounds of the North Bend Central School district. (Note that players do not have to be graduates of the high school in the town they represent.) Schools representing more than one town (i.e. Logan View or Scribner-Snyder) will follow the same guidelines and be able to draw from their entire school district.
Rationale: When players are driving from Lincoln or Omaha and investing more than two hours on the road even for home games, the chances that they might not show up is much greater. We think there are enough available players in the various communities to form a good nucleus of a team. We also think it will be more fun when the contests are between people who actually live in the communities and not a test of how well they can recruit from around the state.

EXCEPTION: Teams are allowed a certain number of exceptions to the residency rule, depending on the size of the town. These out-of-district players must be graduates of the school in the town they represent.

Towns with Class D schools: (Dodge, Scribner-Snyder, etc.) Would be allowed two out-of-district players.

Towns with Class C schools: (North Bend, etc. )Would be allowed one out-of-district player.

Towns with Class B schools or two or more schools (Blair, West Point, etc): No exceptions. All players will have to live within the school district of the town they play for.

Again for clarification: Out-of-district players must be graduates of the school in the town they play for. Players living within the school district of the town they play for do not have to be local graduates.

• Players must be at least 21 years old by Nov. 1 preceding the season.
Rationale: Again, we are trying to avoid having towns build their teams around college kids who may or may not make the trip home to play. Plus this will give the young whippersnappers a couple of years to fatten up and slow down after high school. :-)

• Current members of a college basketball team may not play. 'Nuff said. They may play after they graduate (or their eligibility runs out) and establish a permanent residence in the town they will play for.

Estimated league dues for 2010-2011 are about $200. Included in that figure is a $100 forfeit fee which teams are refunded as long as the don't forfeit any games. The rest of the money goes to pay for tournament officials and the trophy. Local costs include $100 per home game to pay for officials. Teams are encouraged to recruit sponsors to cover their costs. Also, the home team keeps a free will admission taken at games.

If you are interested in organizing a team to represent your town for the 2010-2011 season, or just want more information, please contact Nathan Arneal at farmland@northbendeagle.com.

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