It’s Time to Register for Saucon Valley Youth Basketball

There is something about walking through the chilly winter air on a Saturday morning and into the Middle School gym or perhaps the Elementary School Cafeteria or even the gym of another school somewhere else in the Lehigh Valley.

Perhaps there is a bit of a flurry and the air is crisp and quiet… Until you walk through the doors and the whole world suddenly comes alive. The sounds of cheers and whistles echo through the hall. Basketballs can be heard in all directions, bouncing off the floor, knocking off the backboard or falling through a net. Teams anxiously stand around, unsettled, waiting for their game and trying to figure out who their opponent is. Other teams laugh and talk excitedly about the game they just played, even if it was a loss. Parents, friends and even little sisters and brothers study the scene and all the kids, sometimes looking just a bit rumpled in their black and red uniforms. They look on with pride…and amusement.

This is the Saucon Valley Youth Basketball program, and while the scene varies slightly from venue to venue and division to division, at the end of the day the story is the same: boys and girls, learning not just the game of basketball, but also about sportsmanship and being part of a team. Wins don’t always come easily and losses are inevitable, but fun is always out on the court.

Last year, following the 3rd and 4th grade boys Rec League Championship game between two Saucon teams and during the traditional postgame handshake, I noticed one of the boys on the losing team shaking each of the other boys’ hands, smiling and congratulating his friends from school on the winning team. You would have thought he was on the winning team. This is Saucon Valley Youth Basketball. Regardless of the standings or hardware, everyone is a winner.

Saucon Valley Youth Basketball registration for the 2017-2018 season is now open.

Just go to http://www.svyb.org/registration/ and sign up your child to be a part of the excitement! Whether your son has never touched a basketball or your daughter is the next Diana Taurasi, all skill levels are welcome to come out and be part of a team.

SVYB is dedicated to developing fundamental basketball skills in boys and girls. In the first and second grade level, coed teams play other Saucon Valley coed teams, playing on eight-foot baskets while the coaches let the kids get away with a couple of extra steps on the way to the hoop. Games are played in the elementary school cafeteria and there is something special about watching a kid score their first basket in a game.

On Saturday mornings through the winter, the middle school gym is filled with cheers as the third and fourth grade teams play their games across all three courts. The boys and girls teams play teams from Southern Lehigh and Bethlehem City, as well as each other, with the competition culminating on Super Saturday, when a boys and a girls team are crowned champions.

The fifth and sixth grade division is much like the younger division, but games are played in Broughal Middle School in Bethlehem. Again, boys and girls play teams from Southern Lehigh and Bethlehem City with a champion being crowned at the end of the season.

For a higher level of competition, there are travel teams in the two older divisions, where they play teams from around the Lehigh Valley. Last year, the boys third and fourth grade travel team won the league’s championship, playing in the high school gym. Tryouts for the travel teams occur toward the end of October.

With a focus on fun, Saucon Valley Youth Basketball is a great way for your kid to learn the game and sharpen their skills. For more information, check out the league website (http://www.svyb.org) for an FAQ, rules and costs.

Registration closes Oct. 10, so don’t miss out on one of the most exciting games in town!