Questions

Tryout Registration fee Tryouts are free for all registered participants.

2025-26 Season fee for 2nd - 8th graders: $495 Fee for all rostered players. Due upon roster acceptance boys that make a team. Fee covers the cost of player equipment bag, shooting shirt, uniform, gym rental/custodial fees for games and practices, league/tournament fees, referee fees, equipment, and insurance.

Dayton Metro Division I teams have an +$100 fee in order to provide additional training and practice opportunities.

The basketball fees must be paid in full (payable to South Dayton Knights) at roster acceptance. To inquire about financial assistance, please contact the SDK Board. Financial assistance must be approved prior to the player being committed and rostered. All financial assistance still requires a down payment to the agreed to payment plan.

Yes. The South Dayton Knights program is open to all boys in grades 2–8 who have an interest in being a future member of the Alter High School community. While priority during the selection process may be given to players attending "traditional" Alter feeder schools, we welcome participation from boys across the Dayton region.

Families should approach the SDK experience in good faith as part of a broader commitment to the Alter community—recognizing that our program is designed to support and strengthen the Alter High School basketball pipeline.

Please note: Per OHSAA regulations, 7th and 8th grade boys who play for their public school team are not eligible to play for SDK during the regular season.

We are hoping to have, at minimum, a Division 1 team and a Division 2/3 team in each grade level. The number of players on each team will be based on the tryout numbers and skill level of each respective grade. The program will try to place kids on teams that will be developmentally appropriate for each player. Depending on 2nd grade tryout numbers, SDK may have an additional 2nd developmental team that may be formed.

Yes, and previous players have no advantage over other players. In some cases, a previous player's performance history is taken into consideration.

Also, the Alter High School basketball staff wants to express that SDK players do not have an advantage over other players when trying out for the high school teams.

Tryouts will be conducted by the SDK Director or SDK Co-Director(s). From time to time, the SDK Board will bring in local basketball trainers to conduct the skill session.

Evaluations are completed by independent coaches, former high school, college, and professional players as well as top trainers and skill evaluators from across Southwest Ohio.

The goal is for all players to be contacted within 5-days of our last tryout date. We will contact everyone that tries out, regardless of if they make an SDK team or not. Please remember that contacting players, offering spots, and gaining acceptances and declines does take some time to accomplish. Our goal is to have everyone contacted by the Wednesday after the second tryout. Please be prepared to have a decision on whether your child will accept a spot or decline a spot when contacted. Players/Parents will be contacted either by phone or email. Please make sure that you have the email address that you use most frequently listed on your registration.

While there are exceptions, SDK utilizes parent coaches for grades 3-6 and non-parent coaches for grades 7-8. We take great pride in our coaching staff and ensure they have the proper tools to be successful. Most of our coaches have extensive backgrounds playing basketball and are required to attend a coaching clinic and concussion training prior to the season.

2nd - 6th Grade: All SDK teams in the 2nd-6th grade divisions will play in the Dayton Metro League. All 2nd - 6th grade teams will participate in the Dayton Metro Tournament at the end of the season. Teams may also elect to play in an additional tournament during the season, at the discretion of the coaching staff. SDK will pay the entry fee for one additional tournament per team.

7th - 8th Grade: These teams are not in a formal league and will be scheduled for 15-25 games, including some weekday games. Our home courts are Alter High School and Southdale Elementary.

Once teams are formed, coaches will inform teams of practice schedules and locations. SDK typically uses Southdale Elementary and other local gyms.

2nd - 6th Grade: Expect 15-20 regular season games during the months of Dec-Feb and 1 tournament over Thanksgiving, Christmas, MLK, or President's Day. There is also an end of year league tournament which typically runs into the first weekend of March.

7th & 8th Grade: Expect 20-25 regular season games during the months of Dec-Feb and 1 holiday tournament over Thanksgiving, Christmas, or President's Day.

SDK is a select basketball program and playing time is based on the coach's discretion. Please contact your respective coach for playing time details.

Not directly, but Alter's administration is updated on the policies/planning of the program and aid in obtaining gym time for practices and games. SDK may use an Alter facility on occasion. In addition, SDK coaches have an open invitation to engage the Alter coaching staff for information, questions, suggestions, etc. With those minor exceptions, the SDK is managed completely independent of Alter High School.

Yes. We also require each player's family to carry their own medical insurance.

SDK coverage includes: Medical payments for participants up to $25,000. This coverage pays for the medical and dental expenses incurred by a participant when an accidental injury occurs while participating in covered sports activities. The coverage is provided on an excess basis, responding after all other medical coverage available to the participant has been exhausted. If no other medical coverage exists, the coverage becomes primary. A $100 deductible applies to each claim, and the benefit period is two years from the date of the accident. Also, general liability coverage for up to $3,000,000 — which protects the organization against liability claims for bodily injury and property damage arising out of premises, operations, products, and completed operations.

SDK follows Ohio's youth sports concussion law (Ohio Revised Code 3707.511).

Before a player can practice or play, a parent or guardian must sign the Ohio Department of Health concussion information sheet. The signed sheet is valid for one year. Every SDK coach must hold an Ohio pupil-activity permit or have completed approved concussion training within the past three years.

If a player shows signs, symptoms, or behaviors of a concussion or head injury during a practice or game, his coach, the referee, or a supervising SDK official will remove him. He may not return that same day.

He may not return to any practice or game until he has been assessed by a physician or other licensed health care professional and SDK has received written clearance that it is safe for him to return.

Lindsay's Law is Ohio's law on sudden cardiac arrest in youth athletes (Ohio Revised Code 3707.58). SDK follows it.

Each year, before a player can practice or play, both the player and a parent or guardian must sign the Ohio Department of Health sudden cardiac arrest information sheet. SDK coaches complete sudden cardiac arrest training approved by the Ohio Department of Health.

A player who faints during or after a practice or game must be removed from activity. SDK coaches will also remove a player who shows other warning signs, such as chest pain, dizziness, a racing heartbeat, or unusual shortness of breath.

A player who has been removed may not return until he has been evaluated and cleared in writing by a physician (MD or DO), a certified nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, or a certified nurse midwife.