Founded in 2008 by long-time Stamford residents and current St. Luke's School (New Canaan, CT) boys' Varsity basketball coaches, Brian Kriftcher and Lenwood Latta, Stamford Peace is dedicated to the philosophy that “basketball is a privilege” – representing a reward for consistent effort and achievement in children’s core responsibilities in the classroom, in the community, and at home.
The Stamford Peace program offers a first-rate basketball educational experience emphasizing the development of strong fundamental and high quality competition, as well as establishing a culture of excellence among our players and in our overall approach to the game. Stamford Peace is built on a foundation consisting of teamwork, discipline, leadership, and sportsmanship. Rather than focusing exclusively on wins and losses, the goal of Stamford Peace includes using the game of basketball as a vehicle through which to positively influence academic achievement, community service, and other life skills within Stamford and other lower Fairfield County communities.
Stamford Peace presently has teams for boys and girls grades 2 thru 11. Generally, the teams play a highly competitive Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournament schedule throughout the spring and summer months. Recent teams have traveled to the New Jersey Shore; Pittsburgh, PA; Akron, Ohio; Hampton, VA; Memphis, TN; Albany, NY; Newport, RI; Springfield, MA; King of Prussia, PA; and Orlando, FL. In addition, they may also participate in other area basketball tournaments and leagues from time to time.
We are very proud of the recent achievements of the Stamford Peace program – both on and off the court. In 2012, Stamford Peace teams won Connecticut AAU State Championships in 7 different age groups. and five of them competed in the AAU National Championships. Previously, in 2011 our 7th grade boys team earned 3rd place and our 8th grade girls team earned 6th place, respectively, in the AAU National Championships. Stamford Peace is poised to build upon its success of the past 5 years.
Stamford Peace's founders have funded substantially all of the program's costs since its inception, including the cost of uniforms, practice gym rental, tournament entry fees, etc., defrayed only by the modest registration fees paid by participants. Program participants (many of whom are from families of modest economic circumstances) pay a fraction of what similar travel basketball or other sport programs charge. In the future, we expect to enlist players and their families to help the organization raise funds and obtain other local sponsorships in order to continue to make Stamford Peace available and affordable for all.