Registration is now open for the 2024-2025 Nipmuc Youth Basketball Season at www.nipmucyb.com!! We continue to fine tune our programming to provide the best possible experience for our basketball players at all levels.  The earlier families register, the more planning we can do in advance of the season to ensure we have proper gym times/locations and equipment.  This email is lengthy, but it breaks down the programs at the various age groups and also important dates for deadlines, tryouts and start dates so you know what to expect.  Our goal is to be completely transparent in our program offerings, our travel tryout process and our mission.   Please see our website to register and for additional information --- www.nipmucyb.com

I. Important Dates and Deadlines:

Travel Tryouts - Sunday, 10/20, and Sunday, 10/27.  More on this below, but players are expected to attend both days of tryouts.
Travel Team Selection - Week of 10/28
Travel Season Start - Practices will start either 11/11 or 11/18 with games starting on Sunday, 12/8, and running until late February/early March depending on playoffs
In-Town Season - Begins on Saturday, 12/7 and ends Saturday, 2/15

Deadlines:

Travel Registration Late Fee Deadline - 10/1 - after this date, registrations will incur a $15 late registration fee
Travel Registration Deadline - 10/15 - no more travel registrations will be accepted after this date
In-Town Late Fee Deadline - 11/1 - after this date, registrations will incur a $15 late fee
In-Town Registration Deadline - 11/20 - no more registrations will be accepted after this date except for the HS division 

***Payment for travel is not due until after teams are selected - you will notice the cost is listed, but you will not be charged at checkout.  Payment for in-town is due at the time of registration.

II. Volunteers and Coaching:

We are always looking for volunteers to assist with the operations of NYB.  We have some new board members headed into the 2024-2025 season and we have a few at-large members who will be assisting in various capacities as well.  We are currently looking for the following positions:

1. In Town Coordinator - Grades 4-12

2. Fundraising Coordinator 

Head Coaches & Assistant Coaches:
Our organization is entirely reliant on volunteers to coach our in-town and travel teams.  Players across all grades will be assigned a team next season with a dedicated head coach and assistant coach so we need many individuals willing to step in and help out at practices and games.  We provide a lot of support to our coaches in terms of lesson plans, ideas, etc.. and plan to do even more this season so even if you have limited experience with basketball we could use your help! There will be a preseason coaches meeting for all volunteers in both the in-town and travel programs.  Additionally, we will be providing a weekly curriculum with drills, suggestions, tips, etc to alleviate the stress of planning developmentally appropriate sessions.  

Please consider volunteering as an age group coordinator, assistant coach or head coach.   

III. Program Offerings:

Nipmuc Youth Basketball offers two programs, an in-town program and a travel program.  Our travel teams compete in the Central Massachusetts Youth Basketball League (www.cmybl.org).  

1. Travel Program:

NYB's travel program is our most competitive offering and is open to Boys in Grades 3-8 and Girls in Grades 4-8.  ***Please note that the CMYBL does not have a Grade 3 Division for Boys or a Grade 4 Division for Girls.  However, we encourage boys in Grade 3 and girls in Grade 4 to try out for a travel team if they are interested and they would simply attend the tryout for the grade above them (Grade 4 Boys or Grade 5 Girls).  

Travel Tryout Process:

1. All players interested in participating in our travel program must attend tryouts.  The tryouts are scheduled for Sunday, 10/20, and Sunday, 10/27, between 2pm and 8pm.  Players are expected to attend both tryouts.
2. Each session will be 75 minutes and the exact schedule will be finalized in the Fall. 
3. There will be a minimum of 3 evaluators at each tryout session.  Each evaluator will submit an individual evaluation to the NYB President and Vice President for their respective group without collaboration with the other evaluators.  
4. No evaluator will evaluate their own son/daughter's age group.
5. All evaluators have minimum qualifications of high school playing experience and head coaching experience at the youth or high school level. 
6. There will be a brief meeting with parents prior to the tryout session in the lobby or cafeteria, but parents will NOT be allowed in the gym during the tryout.
7. All players will be evaluated using the same criteria to ensure consistency and fairness.

Team Selection Process:

1. No coaching assignments will be made until after teams are selected.
2. The NYB Board and Tryout Evaluators will hold a team selection meeting the week of 10/28.
3. Tryout Evaluations will be the primary determining factor on team placement. 
4. Travel coaches complete an end of the season evaluation so we also have this data available from the previous year.  However, this information will only be used in situations involving sick or injured players, tiebreaker scenarios where players' tryout evaluation scores are the same and other possible extenuating circumstances.   
5. If we do not have any volunteers for a particular team after teams are finalized, we will reach out requesting volunteers.  If we do not have anyone willing to coach then we would not be able to field that particular team. 
6. Families will be notified by NYB via email whether or not they made a team and what team they are on.  If a player does not make a travel team, he/she still has the opportunity to participate in our in-town program.  Coaches will then follow-up with additional information.  

Time Commitment for Travel:

1. Travel teams practice 2 times a week, typically for 75 minutes each session. 
2. The Girls HS program also runs clinics every Saturday for our travel teams (and our in-town programs) and we are hoping to incorporate this opportunity for the boys as well and are currently working with the HS staff to coordinate. 
3. Games are typically on Sundays with some occasional games on Saturdays due to gym availability, league scheduling and changes due to weather.  

Uniforms:

All players are required to purchase a uniform, but if your uniform from the previous year still fits, there is no need to buy a new one! Information will be sent out immediately after notification of team selection with instructions on ordering for those that need to purchase one.  

2. In-Town Program:

Our in-town program consists of multiple groups including players who are not yet old enough for travel, players who are not interested in making the commitment involved with travel teams, players who do not make a travel team and high school students who do not play for a high school program.  Our structure and goals for each group varies slightly with the overarching mission of providing a positive environment to have fun and play basketball transcending all groups.  

1. Grades Pre-K thru 1st Grade

   1. Saturday Only Sessions for 60 minutes

   2. Volunteers Required for each group (Pre-K, K and 1st Grade):

   3. Players will be assigned a team with a designated head coach and assistant coach.  

   4. Weekly practice plans will be communicated to coaches.

2. Grade 2:

   1. 1 team practice/skill session during the week and games on Saturdays

   2. Volunteers Required:

      1. Age Group Coordinator

      2. 4 Head Coaches & 4 Assistant Coaches

   3. Players will be assigned teams with designated coaches

   4. Weekly practice plans will be communicated to coaches

   5. Saturday Games

      1. Games will start as 3v3 and work up to playing 5v5 by the end of the season.

      2. Coaches will coach and ref these 3 v 3 games (we are working on having HS players help out with reffing).

3. Grade 3:

   1. 1 team practice/skill session during the week and games on Saturdays

   2. Volunteers Required:

      1. 4 Head Coaches & 4 Assistant Coaches

   3. Players will be assigned teams with designated coaches

   4. Saturday Games

      1. Games will start as 4v4 and progress to 5v5 as players become more comfortable with spacing, passing, etc...

   5. Suggestions and guidance will be provided to coaches on appropriate practice plans/drills/etc...

4. Grades 4-8th

   1. ***Travel players may participate, but are not required to participate and you would need to register for both options during registration. 

      1. There could be conflicts with the travel commitment and in-town commitment and travel would take precedence in those situations.

   2. The first session on Saturday, 12/7, would be an evaluation to try and balance teams as best as possible.

   3. All players will then be assigned a team with a Head Coach & Assistant Coach

   4. Players in Grades 4-5 and Grades 6-8 will be separate divisions (this could change based on registration numbers, but that is our goal).

   5. Our goal is to have 4 teams in each division.

      1. Teams may be coed depending on registration numbers.

      2. Teams will have one practice a week and then a scheduled game on Saturday with an official.

5. Grades 9-12

   1. No player who participates on a Freshmen, JV or Varsity team is eligible to participate in the NYB in-town program. 

   2. This program will start with an evaluation to create 4 balanced teams.

   3. All players will be assigned a team with a head coach and assistant coach.

   4. Games will be played on Saturdays with 2 officials.  

6. Uniforms:

   1. All in-town players will receive a reversible jersey to wear at practices and games.

We are looking forward to a great season this winter!! Please register as soon as possible to assist in our planning process for the upcoming season.  

Thank you!!

Rich Cormier - President
Erin Gates - Vice President
Anita Peterson - Treasurer
Bart van Luling - Secretary
Matt Gates - Registrar
Jenn Santosuosso - Concessions & Gameday Coordinator
John Sheehan - In Town Coordinator (PreK-Grade 3)
Open Position - In Town Coordinator (Grades 4-12)
EJ Zanchi - CORI/Coaches Coordinator
Brenda Boudreau - Social Media/Photography/SpirtWear
Dave Lachapelle - Operations
Open Position - Fundraising Coordinator
Justin McGann, Ryan Whitehead & Steve Kenney - At Large