UPDATE - 12/28/20
NOTE THAT THIS YEAR WE ARE ONLY RUNNING A PROGRAM FOR 7TH GRADE SELECT BOYS. WE ARE NOT RUNNING ANY PROGRAMS FOR OTHER GRADES FOR EITHER BOYS OR GIRLS.
THE INFO THAT FOLLOWS SHOULD BE READ IN CONTEXT OF YOUR CHILD PARTICIPATING IN THE 7TH GRADE BOYS SPRING SELECT PROGRAM.
OUR HOPE IS TO RE-ESTABLISH PROGRAMS FOR OTHER BOYS AND GIRLS GRADES. OUR SENSE IS THAT FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR BOTH BETTER COACHING AND MORE REASONABLY PRICED PROGRAMS
***************************************************************************************************
Outline of Our Program:
"We are an instructional, skill based teaching program, that seeks equal playing time and encourages kids to play multiple sports".
Season:
Our program for all but the youngest kids begins in early January (one day per week on the weekend) where we practice indoors at GoodSports in Wall. Note that other programs for the same cost run from the end of March to beginning of June. This indoor time is invaluable. Not only are the kids provided a chance to run around in the winter time..but we can organize them so that when we get them outside in early March, they are not standing around freezing..not having fun. When we get outside they are ready to play.
Distinction between Grades, Players and Skill sets:
We break out kids out after 4th grade into both Travel and Select, where families can tailor to their own obligations, as well as to the increasing demands of the sport (see outline of Travel and Select below).
BOYS:
Unique Aspects by Grade:
- Boys & Girls Kindergarten thru 2nd Graders are grouped together.The program, at this very early stage of development, is designed to provide initial skills; allowing kids to advance in the sport. If you refer to our Coach Contact Tab, you will see that given the number of coaches that this is designed to provide a lot of one on one instruction.
- Boys 3rd Grade - While grouped with 4th Grade, the 3rd grade child is transitioning away from pure skill teaching to scrimmage play against other town teams. After K thru 2 this child has decided that he likes the sport and wants to now apply his or her skills in game play.
- Boys 3rd/4th Grade - At this level all the way through 8th Grade we now break the kids out into two skill levels, "Travel" and "Select". Both are discussed in detail below. Important to note is that both are designed to offer "Full" game schedules against other towns. We break the kids out at this grade point, as some kids have now been with us for 3 years and are more advanced, while other kids are only now starting the sport.
- 5th thru 8th Grade - All the same as that for 3/4. The primary difference is that at 5th grade we have noted an additional break in talent where we now further segment the kids down to their individual grades. So we have 3/4 combined, and then from 5th thru 8th grade we have both combined grades - 5/6, 7/8, but now also break out the more advanced kids (Select) into separate 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade groups.
- 3rd to 8th Grade Select- This represents approximately 15-17 kids that are objectively selected from the entire universe of kids from each grade level. As noted, we begin this separation at the 3/4 Grade level. As size and other physical and skill attributes are often not great between a good 3rd grader and good 4th grader..our Select Group is combined at this age. All grades beyond this are by individual grade (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th). Selection is over several days, and is done by both coaches of the teams and by other coaches not part of that team's grade (to assure impartiality). Please note that many of our own coaches have kids that are not on the Select Team. No special circumstances are granted here. For all Select Teams, we expect this to be the child's n#1 Spring Sport. Given the size of the squads (15-17) we can ill afford conflicts..just not fair to the child denied this spot who was willing to make the commitment. Note that the child who is equally talented but can not make such commitment, will still grow/advance nicely in the Travel Program...where he may be the superstar on the team. Select has about the same number of games as that of Travel, but may have 1-2 more tournaments. Tournaments represent an additional cost to the program, so $120 will be assessed each player who is chosen to be on a Select Team.
- 3rd to 8th Grade Travel - This represents everyone who did not make the Select Teams or based on a child's inability to make the necessary commitment chooses to be on this squad. The same plays and drills are run here. The goal is to develop skills, and passion that might translate into results and commitment to advancing to the Select Team. As noted this squad plays approximately the same number of games as that of Select, and also attends tournaments. The quality of coaching is the same.
Girls:
"We are fully committed to growing the girl's program to the same size as the boy's, whereby we provide all the same resources".
The girl's program is much like that for the boys. Distinctions are noted below:
- Girls program begins at Kindergarten. Same as Boys K2 (see above)
- Our teams are grouped together by K2, 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8th grade girls where the two grades are combined together (unless they make a Select Team then the team will be by individual grade...see discussion on Select below) . Our coaches, we believe, are the best around. Few women have played the sport in college that reside in the area. We have found the ones that did, and pay them to coach, so as to entice them to come with us and stay with us. They are simply the best, and few other programs are set up to pay their coaches....so we get and retain the best.
Select and Travel Teams - Like the Boys programs above we break out the kids into ability levels. See the narrative for the Boays above on Select and Travel. Similarly, given the additional tournaments that the Select players participate in, should your child make this team, you will be asked if they want to join. If so, they will be required to pay an additional $120 to pay for costs.
- All teams have full game and tournament schedules.
