How to Use a Basketball Scorer's Booklet During a Live Game

Across the country, thousands of youngsters and parents are engaged in youth basketball programs that team kids with the values of teamwork, hard work and having fun. Organized youth leagues would not exist today without the help of thousands of parents across the nation who has helped out with the scoring booklet used during the basketball games.

The basketball scoring booklet is usually pretty standard and contains a space to fill in the players' names and jersey numbers for each team. Each team is on a separate page and each game always starts on the left hand page so that you can keep track of scoring for both teams when you unfold the booklet and lye it flat on the table.

When keeping track of score, always use a pencil because you never know if you will need to erase something. For example, let's say that a player shoots the ball, is fouled in the act of shooting and his shot goes in. You would naturally pencil in a 2 point field goal for that player and then wait for the player to take his one foul shot. However, the referee declares that the foul occurred before the act of shooting and therefore, the team that just shot the ball takes the ball from inbounds and there will be no foul shots awarded. You would then have to erase the 2 point field goal you have just marked down.

On top of each team name, you should also write down what color the referees will be referring to each team such as "white," "gold," "black," etc. The colors are indicative of each team's jersey color.

The scorer's booklet has numbers 1 through 150 on most booklets. Each number is enclosed in a box. When a team hits a field goal, you cross out that number on the top box. For example, as tip off starts, a team scores a three point field goal. You would then cross out numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the top of the page for that team. On the right hand page, you will cross out the numbers on the top every time a team scores. These numbers on top of the page will keep track of the running score of the game.

On each page, there should be a section to write in the players' names and jersey numbers. On that same horizontal row, you will need to keep track of how many points each player scores for their individual statistics. Only some youth leagues keep track of rebounds, assists and blocks. For a player rebound, you can write the letter "R" in that row. You can write in "A" for assist and "B" for block. At the end of the game, you can total up the amount of points scored by each player. The easiest way of keeping track of a player field goal worth two points is by putting an "X" in that player's row. The rows are also categorized by 4 quarters that are in the game of basketball. So if a player scored a field goal in the second quarter, you would put the "X" in the second quarter box for that player. If your youth league counts 3 point field goals, you can put the number "3" in that player's row for scoring points.

Next to each player's name should also be 6 boxes for fouls. Most youth leagues use high school and college foul rules which allow for 5 fouls per player before fouling out of the game. If a player commits a foul, you will need to cross out that foul number next to that player. This will keep track of how many fouls each player has during the game. You will need to notify the referee once a player has 5 fouls and has fouled out of the game. At the bottom of the page for each team is also a "Team Fouls" row in which you will need to record the total amount of fouls per team. The way this works is that each time in the first half that the same team commits a foul by any player, you cross off that number in the corresponding number. So for example, if two players on the "Bears" have 3 fouls each, you will need to cross off the 6 boxes in the Team fouls box. The "Bears" would then have 6 team fouls if no other player on that team has committed a foul. When a team gets to 7 team fouls, it is a 1 and 1 situation in which the other team automatically takes one foul shot whenever the other team fouls them, even if it isn't in the act of shooting. If the player makes the shot, then they get to shoot again but if they miss, then either team can get the rebound. The best way of recording foul shots on the scoring booklet is by having a small "0" in that player's scoring row. If they make the foul shot in, then pencil in the circle but if they miss the shot then do not fill in the circle. This will also help coaches determine a player's free throw shooting percentage.

Time outs can also be recording at the bottom of the page by penciling in an "X" in that teams time out box in the appropriate quarter at the bottom of the page. Technical fouls usually are hand written somewhere on the bottom of the page.

At first keeping track of the booklet score can seem overwhelming but if you get enough practice then you will find it is much easier than you think and any parent can do it.