St. John’s Athletics

2025-26 Basketball Program

Notes about eligibility for 2025-26 seasoN

In 2021 St. John’s Athletics joined the Shenandoah Christian Conference (SCC), which introduced a different eligibility system from what SJA used in the past.

The SJA eligibility system was based solely on age, while the SCC system has emphasis on grade-level, with limits on maximum age. Read the detailed Shenandoah Christian Conference eligibility rules. Due to the large homeschool contingent at SJA, many kids are grade-advanced for their age, and these cases can be a complicating factor for registrations and eligibility. SJA will not force student athletes onto older team divisions based on grade alone (e.g., 12 y/o ninth graders will not be required to play high school). If parents of grade-advanced students want to use grade level as a determining factor in registrations, they may do so with an initial registration, however coaches may move them down to a team of age-similar peers if they are not deemed by their coach to be able to play at the upper level.

Following two principles should keep SJA on good terms with our SCC opponents:

1. SJA will not purposefully register advanced-skill student athletes to the limit of the SCC maximum age eligibility while they exceed “normal“ grade-level guidelines, simply to create a competitive advantage in the conference.

2. SJA will seek to place student athletes on teams that are appropriate to their stage of athletic development and within their natural peer group when possible.

Due to SJA’s relatively small size and sometimes inconsistent turnout, and the fact that we rely on volunteers for coaching, we are not always able to field a team in all divisions.

Simply try to follow the general guidelines for the registrations. Any potential for moves between teams to resolve eligibility and/or player level issues will be determined after initial registrations are completed based on circumstances.

VARSITY BOYS

• Grade 8-12 (no player shall have turned 19 before Aug. 1)

• Cost: $195

• Coaches:

  • Head Coach: Jason Loughry

  • Assistant: Nathan Puray

• Primary practice schedule

  • Monday @ Skyline Middle School Gym; 7:45pm - 9:15pm

  • Wednesday @ Skyline Middle School Gym; 7:45pm - 9:15pm

Varsity Boys are normally 10th - 12th grade even though conference eligibility extends down to 8th grade.

If under 10th grade or under 15 yrs old, or have never played JV basketball, do not register for Varsity unless the coach has already agreed to take the player on the Varsity team.

High school graduates will not be allowed to participate. Any athlete on a college team is not allowed to participate. Students may compete in only five years of varsity athletics.

NOTES:

• Coaches are appointed by Vince Criste, the SJA Athletic Director.