Village Council Passes Ordinance Creating Adult Basketball League

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 16, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT

Delaynie Potts

Village Clerk-Fiscal Officer and Assistant to the Executive

Telephone: (740) 742-2121, Ext. 1000

delaynie.potts@villageofrutland.org

RUTLAND, Ohio — An adult basketball league will soon debut at Rutland Civic Center, following an ordinance recently passed by the Rutland Village Council and signed into law by Mayor Tyler M. Eblin.

Ordinance 2026-10, sponsored by Councilor Dakota Smith, creates the Adult Recreational Basketball Program, open to all persons aged 18 years and older. The program will be held from November 1 through March 31 annually, while the Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services may conduct a pilot league to evaluate the public receptiveness, participation and cost effectiveness of the adult recreational basketball program.

According to the program regulations, as set forth in Section 150.20 through 150.28 of the Rutland Municipal Code, each team will consist of not less than five adult members, but not more than eight adult members. Teams may register to participate in a program season with the Director by completing a prescribed form and remitting a non-refundable registration fee in the amount of $200.00.

Each organized team must furnish its own uniforms, which must be at minimum consistent in nature among all organized team members. Organized teams are permitted to display upon uniform shirts and shorts any logo, mascot or sponsor appropriate for the public view; however, illustrations which are inappropriate or offensive to the ordinarily prudent person are prohibited.

Basketballs and other supplies for the purposes of competitions will be provided by the Village; however, each organized team must furnish its own basketballs and other supplies for the purpose of practice and preparation.

Each organized team under the adult recreational basketball program may utilize the facilities of the Rutland Civic Center, as may be available, for practice, subject to the building's reservation rates.

Competitions among organized teams under the adult recreational basketball program will be held each Saturday at Rutland Civic Center during the program season. The scheduling of all competitions will be under the direction of the Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. The competition style which will be exercised will be the double-bracket form of elimination.

The Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, subject to the  approval of the Mayor, may employ by contractual agreement, a number of referee officials necessary to the proper conduct of competitions and the enforcement of the rules thereof. Each referee official employed will be compensated in the sum of $25.00 per each competition officiated.

To ensure the orderly conduct and safety of those participating in the program, the Rutland Municipal Code provides a procedure for the expulsion of teammembers or teams as a whole.

Any member of an organized team, having been charged with a technical foul, may be restricted from further participation in a competition, not to extend beyond such competition, at the discretion of the referee official.

Any member of an organized team, having been charged with two or more technical fouls, may be expelled from the organized team, at the discretion of the Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, for the duration of the program season.

"The Village of Rutland is pleased to announce the Adult Recreational Basketball Program as a new recreational program at Rutland Civic Center," comments Mayor Eblin. "The program is centered on improving recreational enjoyment for families and friends while improving the health and quality of the community as a recreational service of the Village of Rutland."

Mayor Tyler M. Eblin signed the ordinance into law on June 10, 2026. Mayor Eblin explains preparations are currently underway to organize a pilot league, to be implemented this summer, and publish registration forms. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.