Kellogg YBL registration this week, not just for players either

PINEHURST — The Kellogg Youth Basketball League is set to begin sign-ups this week for the coming season. 

League coordinator Jodi Sawyer is looking for a little bit of everything this year to make sure the league runs smoothly, including players, coaches and referees.  

The Kellogg YBL program gets kids as young as kindergarten an opportunity to get on the court and begin learning the basics of playing basketball.

This year there is a planned Starters league (K- second grade), Skills league (third and fourth grades), and Competitive league (fifth and sixth grades). 

Advanced second- and fourth-graders can make the jump to the higher divisions if necessary. 

The league runs on volunteer time, which is in high demand and Sawyer knows can be limited.

“We need volunteers for coaching as well as referees for games,” Sawyer said. “This year the Starters do not need refs. In years past we’ve struggled to find coaches and refs (especially) for the competitive group.”

This can be due to a number of things, but with the Silver Valley being a fairly basketball-crazed community this is the perfect opportunity for anyone looking to share some of their passion for the sport. 

The Starters’ season begins in early October and runs for about four weeks, which allows for the gym to be open for the other leagues, including the high school, later in the fall. 

Sawyer always tries to work around other sports and their schedules and this year has even found a team from outside the state to come in and provide some extra competition.

“Older groups will start later as we wait for them to finish their football seasons,” Sawyer said. “This year Wallace, Kootenai, and a team from Montana have reached out to us to play during our six-week season.”

For Sawyer, a mom of six kids who all played in different sports, having these seasons is important for the early development of athletes as well as giving them the opportunity to find out how much they enjoy a particular sport.

“At the kindergarten level we start them with the absolute basics. It gives them a general understanding of the game and some rules,” Sawyer said. “Starting them this young helps them grow as a player each year so by the time they reach school ball age they are prepared for that next level of competition and also gives them the opportunity to make a decision if they even like the sport. It teaches them how to take directions or instructions from a coach, teamwork, and sportsmanship and they have fun learning. It’s fun to watch them grow as players and individuals.”

Sign-ups are Thursday, Sept. 30, at Pinehurst Elementary School from 5 through 6:30 p.m., Sawyer will also have a signup sheet for coaches, referees and score-keepers.

The signup form is also available on the Kellogg Youth Basketball League Facebook page.