What is the mission of Chatham Basketball Club?
The mission is to provide Chatham youth of all playing abilities a fun, safe, fair environment to play the best sport ever invented. We emphasize the teaching of the sport, and we are a non-profit organization of volunteers in Chatham. At both the Chatham Basketball Club level, and on the courts with our coaches, our program is driven by the many volunteer parents in Chatham with great basketball experience and passion.
What programs are offered?
The Chatham Recreation Basketball League is open to all Chatham youth in grades 3-8, with no tryouts required. Across all the grades, there are approximately 750 players in the Recreation League. The league runs approximately late November to late February, with approximately 10 games, plus playoffs. The games are typically held on Saturdays, with occasional weekday games in the playoffs. The7-8 Grade League is run by the Chatham High School varsity coaches (Todd Ervin and Joe Gaba) and the CHS players. Grades 4-6 is game play, coached by parents. Grade 3 is a developmental year, emphasizing skill work, with intra-grade scrimmaging toward the end of the season.
Our Chatham Travel program is open to all Chatham youth in grades 4-8, with tryouts required, typically in late September (see Travel FAQs for full description of this program). There are up to two boys and two girls teams per grade, typically with 10-12 players per team. Teams will play in the Jersey Basketball Association (beginning in 2014-15), and will have a mix of home and away games. All of our Chatham Travel players are also required to play in the Chatham Recreation League.
Why was the Chatham Basketball Club formed?
Similar to the other Chatham youth sports, the Chatham Basketball Club was formed to allow greater volunteer input/action in the program. It is also a recognition that without these clubs, the Chatham Recreation department would need to be staffed significantly higher to serve the community's growing need/demand for youth sports in Chatham. Essentially, our volunteer group has taken on the task of making basketball decisions to best run these programs. We work closely with and have a great relationship with the Chatham Recreation department, as well as the Chatham Joint Recreation Athletic Committee, which helps oversee all Chatham sports programs.
How do I:
Volunteer to become a Recreation League Coach?
If your player is in grade 3-6, indicate on the Recreation League signup form that you would like to be a Head Coach, or Assistant Coach. The Recreation League Director receives this list, then allocates Coaches to teams, at time of team formation. At the start of each Recreation League season for grades 3-6, Grade Leaders are also chosen who serve as the Coordinators with the grade's teams/coaches. Coaches are not needed for Grades 7-8 Recreation League, as this program is run by the CHS coaches/players.
Volunteer to become a Travel Team Coach?
Travel Coaches are chosen after the Travel Tryouts are complete and teams announced in early October. If you have basketball playing and/or coaching experience and interest in being one of the Head or Assistant Coaches in the program, please contact Basketball Director Phil Perone
Volunteer to join the Chatham Basketball Club?
Please contact a board member.
What seasons do you offer programs?
We only offer our Travel and Recreation League programs during basketball season. We strongly believe that athletes develop by playing multiple sports, and children should attempt many sports to find where their skills and passion lie. There are many great well-run Fall and Spring sports programs in Chatham, and we don't want our program to cause conflicts with these sports. For those players who seek additional basketball outside of basketball season, there are many strong local programs/leagues, as well as summer basketball camps.
