New Year, New Adventure

I'm horrible at updating this thing (obviously), but needed a place to document my efforts to get a travel basketball league going here in North Hall County.

Little back story - Jake quit the basketball team last Friday, after reaching his last straw.  The new JV coach has an obvious favorite post on the team and has been nothing but negative to Jake since he started.  Jake actually likes the guy, has remained positive despite the obvious favoritism (kid is 6'4" - which is about the only thing he's got going for him.  First year player, didn't even make the team last year.  But..he does play football.  Always a boon if you're at North Hall).  Anyway, on Friday, Jake didn't take a charge in a game and the coach thought he should have and was LIVID.  After the game, he embarrassed Jake in the locker room and demoted him to C-Team. That was the last straw.  Jake was humiliated and said he wouldn't do it...that he was quitting.  And he did.  Now, for those that don't know...I am the Secretary of the Tip Off Club.  I have been praised for the work I've done for that club, and have put in countless hours for them.  I am also the Communication Chair and manage two FB pages, an Instagram page and the Concession Stand calendar.  I resigned my position on Sunday, after giving it much thought - and sent out a carefully worded email to the rest of the club.  Not one, single person reached out to me - OR Jake.  Talk about feeling unappreciated.

Anyway, I immediately started searching for a travel league for him.  Unfortunately, there seems to be virtually NOTHING for kids in his age group.  Suwanee Sports Academy has a Fall League (but they are halfway through their season) and Dobbs runs one too - but again, halfway through their season.  Hall County has nothing.  I contacted the YMCA and they have nothing.  But after sharing some emails with the Program Director, Corey, he has agreed to try and start something up in the Spring.  I'll be documenting my correspondence & progress here, for anyone interested.  I am focusing on boys' leagues right now, because I think that's where the biggest need is.  If I find out girls need/want something, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

*******************************************************************************************
YMCA Correspondence (last updated 01/09/2014):

Yes ma’am I will get the ball rolling on this. I know that the Boys and Girls club will start having sign up soon for this age group. I will also host a reg. here for the Spring for the ones that don’t play baseball during this time. Let’s see what we can do to keep their dream and passion for the game going and staying competitive. I am totally with you. Thanks.

Corey Collins

From: Lisa Taylor [mailto:lktaylor71@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2014 10:50 AM
To: Corey Collins
Subject: RE: Basketball

Oh gosh. ..that's definitely not the case.  My son LOVED basketball.  It's the only sport he plays and the only one he wants to play.  Some kids just get tired of the politics and favoritism in school sports, some are cut after years playing (I know of two Juniors this year...separate schools...cut after making the team year after year but told they aren't good enough for Varsity and too old for JV/C-Team).  7 kids that made the team at North Hall have quit since last year due to coaches who belittle,  embarrass, degrade and play favorites.  These boys need an outlet probably morseo than any other age group. They have nowhere to go to play the sport they love...in a competitive environment.   They can play recreationally in pick-up games but they need more.

I will help you in any way possible to get something going. Just let me know what I can do. 

Lisa

On Jan 9, 2014 9:09 AM, "Corey Collins" <corey.collins@gamountainsymca.org> wrote:

Good Morning Mrs. Taylor. I hope all is well. On the older age groups I
run my league from 5-14 and the reason I don't try to run one for this
older age group is because of school ball. And I feel like if the kids
don't make the school teams I think that we will not have a enough to
have a league for that age or they are just not interested in playing
since they didn't make the school team. But I am more than willing to
try to put it together with help from you and other's and see where we
can go with it. Thanks.

Corey Collins
JAW Sports Director
770-297-9622 ext 369

-----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Taylor [mailto:lktaylor71@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 5:03 PM
To: Corey Collins
Subject: Re: Basketball

Corey,

Do you ever have leagues for that age group?  I'm thinking of starting
something up here in North Hall because there seems to be a lack in
basketball leagues for that age group for some reason.  I am not sure
where to start, but am doing some research online and planned to talk
with the folks at the North Hall Park tonight.  I wondered if we could
get a travel league going with the Y, Dawsonville, White Co, Forsyth,
etc.

Lisa

On Jan 7, 2014, at 9:14 AM, Corey Collins wrote:

> Good Morning Mrs. Taylor I hope all is well. We don't have a program
for
> 15-18 Basketball session at the this time but if anything comes open I
> will keep you informed. Thanks.
>
> Corey Collins
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lisa Taylor [mailto:lktaylor71@gmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2014 7:06 PM
> To: Corey Collins
> Subject: Basketball
>
> Do you have any basketball programs for boys 15-18?  I have searched
> online all evening long and it seems there are tons of programs for
14U
> or adults 18+.
>
> Thanks,
> Lisa

***************************************************************

Correspondence with Matt Payne, from Cumming Parks & Rec (last updated 1/10/2014):

From: Matt Payne <mpayne@cityofcumming.net>

Subject: RE: High School Basketball League

Date: January 10, 2014 10:23:57 AM EST

To: Lisa Taylor <lktaylor71@gmail.com>

Please send me any questions you have, I would be glad to help.

-----Original Message-----
From: Lisa Taylor [mailto:lktaylor71@gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 10:19 AM
To: Matt Payne
Subject: Re: High School Basketball League

It helps immensely!  And I think you're right about all of that.  I have a
LOT of interest up here...but they want something easy.  Hence the reason
I'm doing all the legwork.  Do you mind if I email you with questions as I
proceed?  Do you run leagues in the Spring/Summer as well?  I'd like to
start up a Spring League here.

Thanks again,

Lisa

On Jan 10, 2014, at 10:10 AM, Matt Payne wrote:

Hey Lisa-

Unfortunately, the league we designated as the high school team entry 

league didn't make this winter. That was the league where an adult 

would enter a roster of players and pay the registration fee.

Our recreational high school league has very successful. That is the 

league where individual players register and we put them on teams through

a draft.

We had 16 13&14 teams and 16 15-18 teams for a total of over 300 boys.

I have come to the conclusion that these guys want to play very bad 

but don't really want the drama of already having to find their own 

team, thus allowing us to make the teams for them. So, with that, I 

feel that individual registration is by far the way to go. I promoted 

the league through the high schools and local AD's.

I hope this helps!

-----Original Message-----

From: Lisa Taylor [mailto:lktaylor71@gmail.com]

Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 8:59 AM

To: mpayne@cityofcumming.net

Subject: High School Basketball League

Hi Matt,

I am a former resident of Forsyth County and my children have 

participated in many activities through Dobbs Creek.  We currently 

live in North Hall County, and I noticed you started a middle/high 

school basketball league for Forsyth County students.  I was wondering 

if you could provide me details about how to go about doing the same 

thing here in Hall County?  We have a beautiful new Rec building with 

great courts here in N Hall, but it is woefully lacking in programs 

for the 15-18 year old age group.  We've had issues with our new 

basketball coaching staff at N Hall and many boys have quit since last 

year - and are left with no competitive outlet for basketball.  I have 

spoken with the athletic director at the YMCA and he is going to 

spearhead something in the Spring, but I was wondering how to present 

something to North Hall Park.  Who do you play?  Is your league a 

travel league?  Would you be interested in running it again in the Spring,

and playing against us - if I can get something going here?

Thanks for any help!  

Lisa