Craig Raucher-The Staten Island Basketball Youth Group

Throughout the long 44 year history of the Staten Island basketball League (www.sibl.us)  we have always had men playing in our league. Over the past several  years however we would receive calls weekly from parents on Staten Island  seeking a place for their child or children to actually learn how to play basketball or to join a team. On Staten Island their is  no place where you can send a young person to actually learn how to play basketball. No place that will teach you how  to dribble, how to shoot, how to pass or how to rebound. No place exists on the Island to teach you how to warm up, how to stretch or how to work out. Their are expensive private tutors but that is a one on one situation and basketball is a team game.

If a parent puts their child on a church team or in a YMCA or JCC league and that child does not know how to play basketball it becomes a very embarrassing and  negative experience with far reaching effects.. The child may play only a few minutes per game and when they actually get on the court they are embarrassed and other kids make fun of them. This negative experience generally has far reaching consequences where that child develops low self esteem and loses confidence. Therefore when basketball becomes an enjoyable and enriching experience it has the opposite effect on a child especially during their formative years. Basketball in a  team setting is a metaphor for building life skills: teamwork, interaction, friendship, communication and  a common goal. All key life  building block skills in a positive enriching environment.

In January 2024 we launched our first children’s youth group which is every Sunday afternoon from 12-2. We currently have 25 plus girls and boys aged 8-12 .We have children form many minority groups and from distant countries. We teach all of the skills needed to play basketball and we end our sessions with some full court casual games. We are seeking to grow our group and expand the hours and days.

More about me you can explore with Craig raucher