Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 Nipmuc Youth Basketball Season!! As many of you may know, we entered last season without any clear leadership in place and were scrambling to get all the logistics worked out in the days leading up to the start of the season for both the travel and in-town programs.  We are in a much better place as an organization heading into next season and as a result we are very excited to be able to distribute this information well in advance of the season to allow for more planning and coordination.  This is a long email, but please read through in its entirety as we have made many changes based on the experience of this past season as well the feedback we received in the end of season survey.   Our goal is to be completely transparent in our program offerings, our travel tryout process and our mission.   Please see our website for more information as well --- www.nipmucyb.com

Travel Tryouts - Sunday, 10/15, and Sunday, 10/22.  More on this below, but players are expected to attend both days of tryouts. 

Travel Team Selection - Week of 10/23

Travel Season Start - Practices will start either 11/6 or 11/13 with games starting on Sunday, 12/3, and running until late February/early March depending on playoffs

In-Town Season - Begins on Saturday, 12/2 and ends Saturday, 2/17

Travel Registration Late Fee Deadline - 10/1 - after this date, registrations will incur a $15 late registration fee

Travel Registration Deadline - 10/13 - no more travel registrations will be accepted after this date

In-Town Late Fee Deadline - 11/1 - after this date, registrations will incur a $15 late fee

In-Town Registration Deadline - 11/12 - no more registrations will be accepted after this date except for the HS division 

We are currently looking for someone to take on the following positions within NYB:

1. Fundraising Coordinator

2. Concessions Coordinator

Our organization is entirely reliant on volunteers to coach our in-town and travel teams.  As you will see in greater detail below, we are altering the structure of our in-town program to provide a more robust experience for our youngest players and for those who may not be interested in the travel program or who do not make a team.  Players across all grades will be assigned a team next season with a dedicated head coach and assistant coach so we will need even more individuals willing to step in and help out at practices and games.  However, we feel this new structure will eliminate much of the chaos that existed in some groups and allow more personalized attention for our players and a better environment to learn and have fun.  Additionally, we will be providing much more support to our coaches so even if you have limited experience with basketball we could use your help! There will be a preseason coaches meeting for all volunteers in both the in-town and travel programs.  Additionally, we will be providing a weekly curriculum with drills, suggestions, tips, etc to alleviate the stress of planning developmentally appropriate sessions.  

Nipmuc Youth Basketball offers two programs, an in-town program and a travel program.  Our travel teams compete in the Central Massachusetts Youth Basketball League (www.cmybl.org).  

NYB's travel program is our most competitive offering and is open to Boys in Grades 3-8 and Girls in Grades 4-8.  ***Please note that the CMYBL does not have a Grade 3 Division for Boys or a Grade 4 Division for Girls.  We still encourage boys in Grade 3 and girls in Grade 4 to try out for a travel team if they are interested and they would simply attend the tryout for the grade above them (Grade 4 Boys or Grade 5 Girls).  

1. All players interested in participating in our travel program must attend tryouts.  The tryouts are scheduled for Sunday, 10/15, and Sunday, 10/22, between 1pm and 9pm.  Players are expected to attend both tryouts.

2. Each session will be 75 minutes and the exact schedule will be finalized in the Fall. 

3. There will be a minimum of 4 evaluators at each tryout session.  Each evaluator will submit an individual evaluation to the NYB President and Travel Coordinator for their respective group without collaboration with the other evaluators.  

4. No evaluator will evaluate their own son/daughter's age group.

5. All evaluators have minimum qualifications of high school playing experience and head coaching experience at the youth or high school level.  

6. There will be a brief meeting with parents prior to the tryout session in the lobby or cafeteria, but parents will not be allowed in the gym during the tryout.

7. All players will be evaluated using the same criteria to ensure consistency and fairness.

1. No coaching assignments will be made until after teams are selected.

2. The NYB Board and Tryout Evaluators will hold a team selection meeting the week of 10/23.

3. Tryout Evaluations will be the primary determining factor on team placement.  

4. Coaches complete an end of the season evaluation so we also have this data from the previous year.  However, this information will only be used in situations involving sick or injured players, tiebreaker scenarios where players' tryout evaluation scores are the same and other possible extenuating circumstances.    

5. If we do not have any volunteers for a particular team after teams are finalized, we will reach out requesting volunteers.  If we do not have anyone willing to coach then we would not be able to field that particular team.  

6. Families will be notified by NYB via email whether or not they made a team and what team they are on.  Coaches will then follow-up with additional information.  

1. Travel teams practice 2 times a week, typically for 75 minutes each session.  

2. There is also a Saturday session for travel players where all players in a particular grade will come together for an additional skills session.  The High School basketball programs will also be involved and help out with these Saturday sessions.

3. Games are typically on Sundays with some occasional games on Saturdays due to gym availability, league scheduling and changes due to weather.  

Uniforms:

All players are required to purchase a uniform.  Information will be sent out immediately after notification of team selection with instructions on ordering.  Next year, we are changing the uniform design so all players will need to purchase one, but in future years you only need to purchase a new one if you are a new player, lost your old uniform or outgrew it.  

Our in-town program consists of multiple groups including players who are not yet old enough for travel, players who are not interested in making the commitment involved with travel teams, players who do not make a travel team and high school students who do not play for the high school program.  Our structure and goals for each group varies slightly with the overarching mission of providing a positive environment to have fun and play basketball transcending all groups.  This is the area where we have made the most changes heading into next season.

3. Grade 3:
1 team practice/skill session during the week and games on Saturdays
Volunteers Required: 1 Age Group Coordinator, 4 Head Coaches & 4 Assistant Coaches
Players will be assigned teams with designated coaches
Saturday Games
4 v 4 Games
Coaches will also ref these games while coaching
Suggestions and guidance will be provided to coaches on appropriate practice plans/drills/etc...

4. Grades 4-8th
***Travel players may participate, but are not required to participate and you would need to register for both options during registration.
There could be conflicts with the travel commitment and in-town commitment and travel would take precedence in those situations.

The first session on Saturday, 12/2, would be an evaluation to try and balance teams as best as possible.
All players will then be assigned a team with a Head Coach & Assistant Coach
Players in Grades 4-5 and Grades 6-8 will be separate divisions.
We will have 4 teams in each division.
Teams will have one practice a week and then a scheduled game on Saturday with an official.

5. Grades 9-12
No player who participates on a Freshmen, JV or Varsity team is eligible to participate in the NYB in-town program.
This program will start with an evaluation to create 4 balanced teams.
All players will be assigned a team with a head coach and assistant coach.
Games will be played on Saturdays with 2 officials. 

6. Uniforms:
All in-town players will receive a color coded t-shirt for their respective team at all grade levels.

Lastly, if anyone is interested in purchasing some Nipmuc Youth Basketball gear, please check out our online store at 

We are looking forward to a great season this winter!! Please register as soon as possible to assist in our planning process for the upcoming season.  

Thank you!!

Nipmuc Youth Basketball Board of Directors