Taunton teens hone skills, forge friendships at new Old Colony YMCA basketball league

Article published by Ed Baker, The Taunton Daily Gazette.

TAUNTON — Taunton High School student Jayden Lopes, 17, said he and his friends joined the Old Colony YMCA's new teen basketball league because they already play the game regularly at the YMCA.

"I hope to gain at least a couple of new friendships and have some good bonds with them," he said.

"Everyone here is a really good person. When we play basketball, it's the best of times."

Old Colony YMCA Membership Program Director Stephen Perakslis said the new basketball league allows teens to develop their playing skills free of charge.

"Our goal is to give our teens a safe place to play and enhance their basketball skills," he said. "They may want to work on their free throw shooting or non-dominant hand dribbling."

Perakslis said the basketball league has six teams and 54 teens registered to play.

Each team will play every Thursday with the first game tipping off at 4:30 p.m. The next games will be at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Perakslis said all teams would be eligible to participate in playoff games during May.

"A championship game will be held on May 25 with a celebration for everyone involved," he said.

Perakslis said he and his staff created the league because they saw many teens playing basketball at the YMCA after school and during the evening.

"The teen population was on our basketball courts playing one-on-one games, three-on-three games and half-court games," he said. "We wanted to give them something more organized and friendly competition."

The league's first games were played on Feb. 16 after a pre-game ceremony with Mayor Shaunna O'Connell.

Taunton High School student Jalen Skerritt, 13, said he joined the league "to have fun."

"I had not played in a league in a long time," he said. "I hope to have good chemistry when I play and a good bond with the new people I meet."

Taunton resident Karen Boudreau said her son Christian, 15, joined the basketball league because it "gives him opportunities to socialize and make new friends."

"He likes to be active," she said while her son played basketball with his teammates. "He likes to come here to work out."

Basketball coach to help players tryout for high school teams

Basketball coach Joshua Banks said he became a league coach to help players successfully try out for a high school team.

"My plan is to get them good enough so that they make a high school team next year, and my roster will be completely different," he said.

Banks said the players on each squad would be allowed to choose a name for their team during the weeks ahead.

"Right now, it's just teams one through six," he said.

Banks said he gained a vast knowledge of basketball as a player on teams at UMass Dartmouth and Bristol Community College during the previous decade. His basketball career had pretty much ended when the YMCA gave him an opportunity to start coaching, he said.

Perakslis said the players could receive guidance about improving their playing skills from YMCA basketball instructor Joshua Davis, who played collegiate basketball at UMass Dartmouth and semi-professional basketball "before injuries stopped his playing career."

"He is driven to relay his basketball knowledge to the next generation," Perakslis said.

Taunton mayor awards $6,500 grant to YMCA basketball league

Perakslis said Old Colony YMCA received a $6,500 donation to finance the league from the Mayor's Worthy Cause, a fund that Mayor Shaunna O'Connell manages.

"Being able to get grants from the mayor was absolutely amazing," he said. "Her leadership has inspired us to think creatively and open up opportunities for everybody, not just for youth, teens and families, but for everybody who uses our facility. We would not be able to run this league without the mayor."

O'Connell said the grant was given to the YMCA because "our kids need to have quality after-school programs and activities that support their health and well-being."

"I'm grateful to have a partner like the YMCA that for so many years has served as a recreational hub for our youth and adults," she said. year, new events and programs are created, and the Mayor's Worthy Cause supports ongoing programs."

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Taunton Branch

Taunton teens hone skills, forge friendships at new Old Colony YMCA basketball league

Taunton teens hone skills, forge friendships at new Old Colony YMCA basketball league

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