View full size image of Goldenball team of young girls pose and smile in their jerseys after a game. 
About Goldenball
Goldenball Youth Basketball League Mission
The purpose of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Goldenball youth basketball program is to encourage our youth, regardless of ability, to learn the fundamentals of the game. Develop a sense of fair play and good sportsmanship. Experience the satisfaction of team play and individual cooperation. To have fun and enjoy playing the game of Basketball. Goldenball is a recreation program based on good sportsmanship and the development of basketball fundamentals.
Goldenball is a team registration-based program for 3rd-7th grade. We rely on volunteer coaches to register a team, select players, and manage the details of their squad. We take a limited number of teams for each grade, and a waitlist is formed once we meet the capacity the league can accommodate. The Goldenball program is team registration-based program, and we do not have the capacity to register individuals. Please talk to parents to form your team and decide on a volunteer parent/coaches. We also recommend checking with your Sun School Coordinator or PTA at your school to see if they are able to help form teams.
League Game Schedules - First Half
Head coaches will be emailed once they are posted. Please make sure you email in your Team Roster form prior to the start of league games. If you have a coach that has not completed the background check and coaching forms through GET CONNECTED please have them do so promptly.
Get Connected:
Goldenball Volunteer Registration in Get Connected
Coaching
Volunteer coaching is a big task, and our program could not run smoothly without your efforts. Here are some tips for keeping your team organized. For more detailed information see the attached guidelines and league rules.
- Have a parent meeting prior to the start of the season. Assign designated parents to help keep score during games as well as be the home book when scheduled as the home team/visiting team.
- When you obtain your score sheets from either the coaches’ packet or online, fill it out with your players’ names and make 8-10 copies, so that you have them filled out prior to the start of each game.
- Team roster, which is included in your coaches’ packet, must be filled out and submitted by email to the Sports Office prior to the start of the first game.
NOTE: If you plan on coaching more than one team, you are required to have an assistant coach for each team. The assistant coach must attend one of the coaches’ meetings. We will continue to try and work with scheduling issues, however, with the rising number of teams, it has become more difficult to accommodate requests. Coaching three or more teams is not permitted.
League Play and Practice
Eight games played on Saturdays, January 17 through March 7, 2026. The league is divided into two halves, the first 4 weeks, followed by a realignment, and no break between halves. Games are played at various Portland Public Schools and PP&R community centers. Game sites may vary from the first half to the second half. (Look under practice description for practice location list).
Jerseys: Our program does not supply jerseys as part of your team fee. We do require a minimum of matching t-shirts with 6” numbers on the back (please no 3-digit numbers on jerseys). If looking to purchase jerseys, we provide a flyer in the coach’s packet of a local company to contact. Please have your players obtain shorts without pockets to comply with the National Federation of State High School Associations rules and for the safety of all players.
Ball Sizes: for the 2025-2026 season we have made some changes to the ball sizes per age group. Please see the updated chart below.
| Grade | Gender | Ball size |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd | Boys and girls | 27.5" (size 5) |
| 4th | Boys and girls | 27.5" (size 5) |
| 5th | Boys and girls | 28.5" (size 6) |
| 6th | Boys and girls | 28.5" (size 6) |
| 7th | Boys | 28.5 (size 6) |
- Once your team is registered, you may secure a practice permit by contacting the PP&R Sports Office: jennifer.rounseville@portlandor… or blaine.rethmeier@portlandoregon.gov. We guarantee one 55-minute practice time slot per week, per registered team. We have limited sites at Portland Public Schools. A gym list will be included in your coach’s packet.
- Practice times are available Monday-Friday: 6-6:55 p.m., 7-7:55 p.m. , and 8-8:55 p.m. Practice permits at most locations begin on November 3, 2025. Contact the sports office at 503-823-5124 or 503-5126 to book a practice time.
- Once you obtain a practice permit from the PP&R Sports Office, please contact the school office pertaining to the permit to inquire about any special gym/school entry instructions.
- There is no practice if the school is closed for any reason.
- No spectators are allowed at practice.
- Practice times will not be issued to teams that are not registered in the 2025-2026 Golden Ball season.
Goldenball Resources