Ymca Steps Up Basketball Competition

Many parents will notice something new when they sign up their youngsters for YMCA basketball in the next few weeks.

“I think we have some exciting changes,” said Valley YMCA program director Pat Estes.

In addition to regular season competition, fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls teams, and perhaps fourth-grade teams, will be involved in a pre-season jamboree to evaluate talent and place teams accordingly into leagues.

There will also be a post-season single-elimination tournament.

“The jamboree for bracketing, I think, will have the biggest effect on the program,” said Estes. “It should be a real positive.”

Sportsmanship, fair play and equal playing time have been the staples of YMCA activities with little emphasis on keeping score and winning.

Now the YMCA will offer the best of two worlds.

“That sounds good,” said Karen Martin, whose daughter has played three years in the league. “It is real low-keyed which is good and if we didn’t win, that was fine, too.”

Her complaint was that her daughter’s team played in a tournament against teams way above its abilities.

While parents like Martin and coaches enjoy the lower-keyed approach, which includes less practice commitment and teams made up of school classmates, there were requests to upgrade the basketball league.

“As a coach, I’ve always felt whether in the Y or any league, they should try to give kids an opportunity to play, depending upon what their needs are,” said Jim Droppers.

He was on a committee of past and present YMCA league coaches who met to formulate change.

Droppers coached his seventh-grade son for three years before moving this year into AAU.

“I left the league with real mixed emotions,” he said. “I liked the philosophy but at the same time knowing if my son had the opportunity to move to another level of basketball he’d have to get into more competition.”

That was the conflict that the committee struggled to resolve.

“We wanted to make it so it was a mix of offerings,” said Droppers who would prefer his third-grade son remain in the Y program.

Among changes in recent years were that fifth through eighth grade teams went from half-court to full-court games. This year fourth graders will also play full-court.

The organization is also negotiating to provide certified officials for the older age groups.

“We will still require that everyone plays a minimum of half the game,” said Estes.

“They will have the luxury of signing up and playing with classmates instead of trying out.”

Placing teams in leagues according to ability, said Estes, “is probably the single best thing you’re going to see.

The YMCA will continue its policy of man-to-man defense only and will assign gym times for the coaches.

Cost to accommodate the longer season, will rise slightly, said Estes, from the current $50. He hasn’t determined the amount

“Even if it increases, it will still be less than AAU,” said Droppers

The pre-season jamboree will be in mid-November, league play will continue until Feb. 1 and end with the tournament over two weekends. Returning players and students at all Valley schools will receive their registration brochure within the next two weeks.

Kindergarten through third grade leagues will remain coeducational and non-competitive. The season will begin as customary in February.

“Changes won’t be astronomical at first,” promised Droppers. “But they will be good for the Y program.”

, DataTimes