Youth Basketball League - New Canaan YMCA

Youth Basketball League (Grades K-8)

WHERE OUR COMMUNITY’S KIDS LEARN TEAMWORK AND SPORTSMANSHIP

The New Canaan YMCA’s Youth Basketball (Y-Ball) league provides kids with the opportunity to develop skills and a love for the game of basketball. Y-Ball runs from December through April for kids in grades Kindergarten through eighth grade. The program is led by volunteer coaches and provides a fun and engaging opportunity for kids to develop skills, teamwork, and knowledge of the game in both a practice and game environment. Practices are held during the week and games are held on Saturdays. Everybody plays in Y-Ball and everybody has fun!

The league is open to boys and girls in grades K-8 and is broken out into the following structure:

Co-ed: K & 1st grades

Boys’ League: 2nd grade, 3rd & 4th grades, 5th & 6th grades, and 7th & 8th grades.

Girls’ League: 2nd grade, 3rd & 4th grades, 5th & 6th grades, and 7th & 8th grades.

2024-2025 Registration & League Dates

Registration Begins: Monday, August 12, 2024
Registration Ends: Friday, November 22, 2024*
K-8 Practice Begins: Monday, December 2, 2024
K-8 Season: Saturday, December 7, 2024-Saturday, April 1, 2025

*Register today by contacting Deb Isidro by email or at our Member Services Desk. Any participant in grades K-8 not registered by Friday, November 22, will be placed on a waiting list and will not be guaranteed a spot in the program

Please Note: League schedule follows the NCPS school calendar. Games and practices will not be held on the following dates: 12/23/24-1/1/25; 2/17/25-2/21/25

Weekly Practice Schedule

Teams practice one hour, one evening a week (Monday – Thursday). Practice days, times and locations are determined based on gym availability as well as coaches’ availability. Players will have an opportunity to indicate a day of the week they are UNABLE to attend a practice. Efforts will be made to honor unavailable days selected but are NOT guaranteed. Teams will have one game per week on Saturday. Games are 60 minutes and will be posted on the New Canaan YMCA’s League website.

Mandatory Evaluation

Each grade will be evaluated individually. Player evaluations will be broken up into small groups.

The evaluation will consist of more game-like competition and less skill drills to get a more accurate reading of their basketball ability in a game.

Evaluation Dates:

Monday, November 4:

4:00-5:00 PM: Boys 7th/8th A – H
5:00-6:00 PM: Boys 7th/8th I – P
6:00-7:00 PM: Boys 7th/8th Q – Z

Tuesday, November 5:

5:00-6:00 PM: Boys 5th/6th A – H
6:00-7:00 PM: Boys 5th/6th I – P
7:00-8:00 PM: Boys 5th/6th Q – Z

Friday, November 8:

4:00-5:00 PM: Boys 3rd/4th A – H
5:00-6:00 PM: Boys 3rd/4th I – P
6:00-7:00 PM: Boys 3rd/4th Q – Z

Saturday, November 9:

10:00-11:00 AM: Kindergarten A – M
11:00 AM-12:00 PM: Kindergarten N – Z
12:00-1:00 PM: 1st A – H
1:00-2:00 PM: 1st I – P
2:00-3:00 PM: 1st Q – Z
3:00-4:00 PM: Girls 5th/6th A – M
4:00-5:00 PM: Girls 5th/6th N – Z
5:00-6:00 PM: Girls 7th/8th A – Z

Sunday, November 10:

12:00-1:00 PM: Girls 2nd A – Z
1:00-2:00 PM: Boys 2nd A – M
2:00-3:00 PM: Boys 2nd N – Z
3:00-4:00 PM: Girls 3rd/4th A-M
4:00-5:00 PM: Girls 3rd/4th N – Z

Practices begin the week of December 2nd. Once rosters are posted, player transfers/changes will only be approved by the Sports Director in extenuating circumstances.

***Please understand that due to the magnitude of this program, we cannot honor any special requests for team placement with individual coaches or other players.***

The goal of the Y-Ball program is to develop the whole basketball player; providing each participant with an opportunity to improve basketball skills, develop gameplay, and build friendships, all while having fun and fostering a love for the game.

High School Basketball League (Grades 9-12)

The high school league is designed for students in grades 9-12 to enjoy playing the game with friends in a fun, non-competitive environment. Teams are led by volunteer high school captains. The registration deadline and season start date for this league are later to accommodate the high school team tryouts. Please note, according to CIAC rules, high school team members are not eligible to play Y-Ball.

Following the registration deadline, team captains will host a draft to select teams. Teams in this league do not have formal practices. Games (with officials) take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Saturdays throughout the season, December through April. If you would like to be a captain please send an email to Sports Director, Lenwood Latta, at [email protected] for additional information.

2024-2025 Registration & League Dates

Registration Begins: Monday, August 12, 2024
Registration Ends: Sunday, December 15, 2024
Season Begins: Saturday, January 13
Season Ends: Saturday, February 10

Please Note: League schedule follows the NCPS school calendar. Games and practices will not be held on the following dates: 12/23/24-1/1/25; 2/17/25-2/21/25

Volunteer Coaches

Interested in becoming a volunteer coach? Please reach out to the Y’s Sports Director, Lenwood Latta [email protected]. Please indicate which grade level and gender you prefer to coach. Coaches’ responsibilities include attending practice during the week and coaching a team during games on Saturdays throughout the season. Coaches must complete a New Canaan YMCA volunteer registration through the New Canaan YMCA HR Department before the first team practice.

For more information, contact Lenwood Latta [email protected].

Y Ball Coaching Clinic: NEW DATES

Take your coaching to the next level. Gain valuable tools, knowledge, inspiration and confidence you need to transform your coaching and get the results you want as a coach. The coaches’ clinics will be held on Tuesday, November 12^th and Thursday, November 14^th from 6-7:30pm in the YMCA gym. Dates and times subject to change.

RSVP to Lenwood Latta at [email protected] or 203-920-1634.

Registration Information

2024-2025 Registration

Registration is required for all players and may be completed through the Y’s membership portal online. Required forms must also be completed and submitted by Friday, November 22 in order to participate in the Youth Y-Ball league (grades K-8) and by Sunday, December 15 to participate in the High School Y-Ball League (grades 9-12).

Fees

New Canaan YMCA Member: $325*
Non-Member: $525

*New Canaan YMCA membership must be valid throughout the duration of Y-Ball season, which ends on Saturday, April 1, 2025. If the membership expires during basketball season, it must be renewed, or the non-member fee will be charged.

Refunds & Credits

Click here to access our Refund Request form.

Contact

For additional information about Y-Ball, contact Lenwood Latta, Sports Director, at 203-920-1634 or by email.