Basketball

The St. James Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) Basketball Program is part of a competitive basketball league sponsored and regulated by the Diocese of Metuchen CYM Office. Currently the diocese basketball program involves about 260 teams, over 600 coaches and almost 4,000 student-athletes and their families. Teams travel to other schools and parishes throughout the diocese to play games. The St. James basketball program is open to any interested girl or boy in 4^th to 8^th grades whose family is an active member of St. James Parish and attends CCD or is a current student at St. James Parochial School. Fee based registration takes place at the end of September. Teams are formed and coaches assigned in October, followed by the start of practices in late October. The Diocese of Metuchen CYM basketball league games are played on Saturday's beginning on the first weekend in December and end in the middle of March.

In addition to the elementary school age teams, St. James fields young women and young men’s High School age teams for those in 9^th to 12^th grades. This is also part of the Diocese CYM basketball program. Registration for the High School basketball teams usually occurs in the week after Thanksgiving using the same registration forms and fee structure. To be eligible the HS student-athlete’s family must be an active registered member of St. James Parish. High School games start in January with the young women’s teams playing mostly on Sunday evenings and the young men’s teams play several games a week on both week nights and weekends.

The focus of St. James' basketball program is on the following principles:

to demonstrate Catholic values and sportsmanship in competitive situations;
to actively engage our youth in fun and challenging activities;
to develop fitness, sports skills and teamwork;
to demonstrate Catholic values and sportsmanship in competitive situations;
to help mold and cultivate the whole person - soul, intellect, and body of the student-athletes that participate.

Volunteer adult coaches provide the skill training and guidance throughout the season and many other adults provide helpful services to ensure a quality experience. Our appreciation and gratitude goes out to all who are involved in our CYM Basketball Program.

The St. James CYM basketball program is organized and managed by the Basketball Parents Committee (BPC) led by the Director of Basketball who is the liaison with the Diocese CYM Office, St. James School/Parish leaders, the coaches, other basketball organizations, the parents of our student-athletes and an advocate for youth development.

The BPC are dedicated parents who volunteer their time to perform various support activities, such as, administrative paperwork for student-athlete registration, coaches qualification tracking, and Diocese roster oversight. They manage the acquisition and inventory of uniforms; Snack Bar products and restocking; direct the opening and closing Mass ceremonies; coordinate the ‘SPARKLE’ team that helps maintain the gym facilities during the season, etc. In addition to the BPC, all families are required to volunteer time and effort to operate the program. For example, running the Snack Bar and collecting gate entry fees during games, performing Team Parent duties, being a Practice Parent, and various setup and cleanup activities, as the hands and feet of the ‘SPARKLE’ team, etc.

The Director of Basketball is an enabler of educational opportunities for the participating student-athletes, their parents and families and the coaches. Amongst the Director's duties is integrating our Catholic faith within the context of sporting activities in a visible and meaningful way; defining a wholesome environment for youth enjoyment and sportsmanship; and supporting involvement in the CYM basketball program in order that the qualities and skills developed on the basketball court, not only have value in themselves but they hopefully, lead us to a greater sense of fair play, honesty, justice, hard work, and commitment in the more important pursuits of this life and beyond.

REGISTRATION

CYM Basketball 4^th to 8^th Grades PARENT MEETING & REGISTRATION

Parents of student-athletes in grades 4 to 8 are invited to participate in the CYM Basketball Kick-Off meeting (1 hour) on Sunday, September 20, 2009 starting at 7:00 PM in the St. James School gym.

For Grades 4 to 8, registration for the 2009-2010 CYM Basketball season will start at the meeting on 9/20. At least one parent needs to attend but student-athletes do not have to come. Eligibility for the St. James basketball program is based on being an active member of St. James Parish and attending CCD or a current student at St. James Parochial School.. To ensure your eligible child(ren)’s participation, all registration forms and fees must be returned to the Director of Basketball (Gene Moretti), the St. James School office or the Parish office by 3 PM Friday, September 25, 2009.

For Grades 9 to 12, a separate Parent Meeting and the official Registration period will be scheduled during the week following the Thanksgiving holiday. Eligibility is based on being registered as an active parishioner AND that you cannot be on the roster of any High School basketball team during the 2009-2010 basketball season.

Parents, please consider the COMMITMENT you and your student-athletes are making to a team and the program for the entire season when you sign-up to play. For more information, contact Gene Moretti, Director of Basketball by email at emoretti@att.com No refunds will be given after the close of registration.

VOLUNTEERS:

Adult Coaches needed: New coaches should contact Gene Moretti for details. Returning coaches will be contacted with information about meeting dates and times soon. All coaches should attend the Kick-off meeting on 9/20.

Adults needed for Basketball Parents Committee: It takes a lot of effort to startup this program. We need a dozen short term (few hours for couple weeks) volunteers to help with the startup administrative activities – entering data into Excel spreadsheets, tracking paperwork, etc. No basketball knowledge required. This is the most demanding time of the season, so please offer your help now. Get to know some other people and give us the push we need to play another season of basketball. Thanks.

PRACTICES & GAMES:

Practices start in late October. A coach will contact you about when your child’s team will begin and on what days and times practices will be held. During the month of November there are no CYM Basketball league games so each team are scheduled for three (3) practices a week. One of those will be on Saturday until games start. Diocese CYM Basketball games begin the first Saturday in December and occur on consecutive Saturdays until mid-March, except for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday weekends. Game schedules are published by the Diocese CYM Office around Thanksgiving. Therefore, each team will be scheduled for two practices a week (Monday to Friday and Sundays) and one league game per week (Saturdays) from December to March. Your child’s practices are usually the same day and time every week, except when the gym is closed or make-up practices are arranged by the coaches.

FORMS & LINKS:

REGISTRATON: Starts on 9/20 and ends 9/25. Click on the following link for the 4th to 8th Registration Form to sign up your student-athlete(s) for CYM Basketball: Official2009-2010_Player_Registration_Form.pdf

Eligibility Requirements to participate in the Diocese of Metuchen CYM Basketball league:Eligibility_Requirements_08-09.pdf

Diocese REQUIREMENTS for COACHING and VOLUNTEERS that come in CONTACT with YOUTH – both are required for Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches and all volunteers working with children.

1) VIRTUS: Protecting Our Children training: To maintain eligibility ALL coaches and adults who volunteer with children are REQUIRED to attend VIRTUS: Protecting God’s Children Training. Pre-registration online is always appreciated. Free classes scheduled throughout the diocese are listed on the diocesan website: http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/youth-ministry-sports/ OR VIRTUS website: https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/reg_list2.cfm?theOrgID=17046&theme=0

2) Criminal History Background Checks: To maintain eligibility all coaches and adults who work or volunteer with children are also required by diocesan regulations to receive criminal history background checks. For details please contact the Director of Basketball for current practices and procedures.

Diocese of Metuchen Sports website: http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/youth-ministry-sports/

Diocese of Metuchen CYM Basketball Schedules (updated around Thanksgiving for the upcoming season): http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/youth-ministry-sports/schedules/

Official Diocesee Permission, Rosters and Waiver Forms: http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/youth-ministry-sports/permission-slips-rosters-and-waivers/

Play off schedule (updated at the end of February): http://www.diometuchen.org/deptsministries/youth-ministry-sports/playoff-schedules/

Host site directions and contact information: http://www.yandyam.com/YM/sports_hostsites.html

The following are links to other useful documents and websites:

State Physical Examination Form – same as one you provide to your child’s school each year. We need a copy on file. http://www.state.nj.us/education/districts/ppeq.pdf

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