Basketball

2025/2026 Information

It’s that time of year to start making plans to join the Adult Basketball League! We hope your team will once again be represented in one of the league offerings.

If you have any questions, please contact Katie Todd at 515-239-5367 or by email.

Welcome to the league—we hope you and your teammates have a fun and exciting season ahead!

Basketball Leagues Available

Type	Game Days & Times	Levels	Location	# of Games
Men's Officiated	Sundays: 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays: 7 to 10 p.m.	A, B & C	ACSD GYM	10-12

League will start Sunday, Oct. 26.

Fees

Fees will be $46 per game, plus a $50 tournament fee. The number of games will be determined by team managers at the managers meeting. After the meeting, managers will be notified of the total amount owed. All fees must be paid by Friday, Oct. 18.

Non-resident Fees

The Ames Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council have established a $15 non-resident fee for all adult athletic league participants who live outside the Ames city limits. Because non-residents do not pay city property taxes but still use city facilities and programs, this fee helps offset those costs. The $15 fee must be paid for each league in which a non-resident participates and should be submitted along with league fees.

Notes

Actual league assignments may vary based on the number and type of requests received.
Past team performance may be considered when the Parks and Recreation Department finalizes league placements. While we will do our best to accommodate requests, we cannot guarantee all will be met.

Team and Player Eligibility Requirements

All players must be at least 17 years old. Players who are currently competing for a high school, junior college, college or university team are not eligible to participate in the Parks and Recreation Adult Sports Leagues in the same division of play while their season is ongoing.
Participants who have played at the collegiate level within the past four years may only compete on a team in the “A” level of play.
A player may be rostered on only one A, B or C team.
Space is limited, and priority placement will be given to resident teams. A “resident” team is defined as one with more than 50% of its members residing within the City of Ames or the Ames Community School District.

Manager Meeting & Dates to Remember

Registration and Roster Deadline: Sunday, Oct. 5
Manager’s Meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 7
Final League Fees Due: Wednesday, Oct. 15
League Season Begins: Sunday, Oct. 26
Postseason Tournament (Anticipated Start): Monday, Feb. 16

Each team must have a representative at the managers meeting, as all decisions regarding league structure, the number of games to be played, and final league fees will be made at that time.

Rosters are due by the time of the meeting. They can be emailed to katie.todd@cityofames.org or delivered in person or by mail to the Community Center at 515 Clark Avenue.

Team Registration

Roster Form(PDF, 200KB)

Levels of Play

Different levels of play are offered to provide teams with varying abilities and competitive interests an opportunity to compete under fair and balanced conditions. However, determining the best fit for a team can sometimes be challenging. The following is a general guide based on staff observations of league play over the past several years.

If you have a new team or questions after reviewing the information, please contact Katie Todd at katie.todd@cityofames.org or 515-239-5358.

Men's A

Highly competitive. Players have strong skills and several years of adult playing experience, often including competitive play at the high school or college level. Teams typically have played together previously and run organized sets.

Men's B

Competitive. Players typically have experience playing competitively in high school or in adult leagues. Participants generally range in age from 17 to 35 and older.

Men's C

Semi-Competitive. Players may have played in high school or in adult sport leagues in prior years. Generally, participants are between the ages of 25 to 45+. In addition, this league has also served players that have not played basketball for several years but enjoy the sport recreationally or through pick-up games and want to get active in an organized league. This league stresses fun, camaraderie, and fitness with less emphasis on winning.

Open Gyms

Many of you have been enjoying pick-up basketball at the Community Center with friends. As fall and winter approach, we encourage even more of you to take advantage of the facility. Hours vary depending on Parks and Recreation scheduled programs, but general Community Center hours are posted and available upon request.