Sports

Sign Up For Garden City Basketball

Regular intramural game day season is expected to start Saturday morning, Dec. 4 and run through March 5, 2011.

(Editor's Note: Garden City Basketball submitted the following release regarding sign ups and the overall basketball program.)

Interested in playing basketball? Applications were distributed through the schools last June, are on Garden City Basketball's website or you may conveniently signup online.

The regular intramural game day season is expected to start Saturday morning, Dec. 4 and run through March 5, 2011. Registration fee is $75.  

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Garden City Basketball believes it has the vision, volunteers and dedicated coaches, and sets the highest standard for youth basketball in the Village of Garden City. 

The focus of Garden City Basketball is its intramural program. Its greater mission is to provide a wonderful experience for all participants so that a love of the life long game of basketball will be nurtured and grow.

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The goal is to have a great program that is fun for the kids. Teams have equal playing time with no tension and no pressure. 

The Garden City Basketball intramural program is held in the St. Paul's Field House.

* Clinics for kindergarten, first and second grade boys and girls – The nationally recognized clinic uses 8- foot baskets and stations of different foundational skills and drills. Professionals recommend staying at a lower basket as not to create poor shooting mechanics in younger players. Basket height at a young age needs to be set for all players – not the limited few who can use the higher basket. If a second grader would like to "play-up" the program always makes this accommodation. Note: This is a clinic and teams are not formed and participants are not called.

* Boys skills instruction/practices/games for the third through sixth grade – This is a new format for the program that combines skills and drills instruction, a team type/game situation practice and a regular game with officials and clocks all into one power packed session.

* Girls skills instruction/practices/games for the third through seventh grade –This is a new format for the program that combines skills and drills instruction, a team type/game situation practice and a regular game with officials and clocks all into one power packed session.

* Boys intramural "Friday Night Lights" for seventh through twelfth grade program that is held in town on Friday Nights. The older boys have now enjoyed 10 years of pick-up with Island Garden refs and Coach Skramko at Stewart School. This is by far the longest running program of its type for this age group in the village. This program was originally formed 10 years ago as an "anti-drug and alcohol" alternative. There were teams, uniforms and formal games. The offering has evolved over the years to what it is today. A format where teenage boys play lots of basketball the way they want to play. Last season the boys generally played about 90 minutes of hoops followed by half court "knock out." All of Garden City Basketball's other programs have their games on Saturday.

* A variety of special events like the JrNBA Skills Challenge, NBA FIT, NBA Nation and NBA Cares.

The Garden City Basketball organization doesn't believe in charging a late fee.  However, it orders uniforms for all participants in October, so please help the planning process by registering now. The village allocates space based upon enrollment, so signing up now makes sure you are counted and that the program receives its fair share of valuable village resources. The program has always held its K-1-2 clinic first, then the girls program and ends with the boys program.

It goes without saying, volunteers are always needed. If you would like to help in any way…please let us know and we'll get you into the mix. Everyone appreciates the coaches but it is the parents that help setup, bring the coffee, take down the banners and provide assistance to participants that makes Garden City Basketball a great program.

There are many choices for basketball including CYO St Joe's, CYO St Anne's, Island Garden AAU Lightning teams, independent teams, the GCAA and, of course, the Garden City Basketball program.   

Visit www.gardencitybasketball.org to obtain more information. Surf the site and check out the following:

* "Background" link for additional general information

* "Application" link for safe and secure online registration or a paper application

* "Clinic" link for the framework of how K-1-2 clinics are performed

* "Teams" link to have an idea how a coach may manage team communication

* "Travel Program" link for information on the various travel options in the village

* "Basketball Links" for a wealth of basketball-focused websites

* Graphic for the AAU to launch the Amateur Athletic Union website, graphic for the Island Garden to launch their website, graphic for the Long Island Basketball to launch their website, graphic for the Jr.NBA/Jr.WNBA to launch their site and graphics for Fundamental Sports Training and the Professional Athletic Performance Center websites for specialized training

If there are any questions, contact John Skramko at jskramko@optonline.net or 516-746-9659.


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