Q&A with Basketball

Please tell us how and when the program launched?

In 2010, a few Greenwich families (Kockenmeister, Anderson, and Yu) got together and decided to launch a girls basketball league as they couldn’t find a Greenwich league for their daughters. They had been participating in the Stamford league but wanted to find a way to tap into demand for a girls league in our town. The goal was to provide an opportunity for girls to play in town that would be focused on instruction and development.

As members of the OGRCC, they approached the community center and asked if they would partner with them to start the first Greenwich Girls Basketball league. The OGRCC always welcomes new ideas for programs and was eager to assist. Andrew Yu, Keith Kockenmeister, and Jason Anderson quickly gathered lots of volunteers taking on roles as coaches, gym schedules, uniform organizers, team assignors and more. The result was the launch of the OGRCC Girls Basketball League in 2010.

They had tremendous demand even in the first year with more than 120 sign-ups, and the program continues to grow every year. Andrew Yu, a Board Member and the Basketball Director of the OGRCC’s Girls Basketball league is instrumental in continuing to maintain and develop this popular program. Today we have more than 200 participants, and we even had a waitlist. Gym space capacity is the only thing holding this program back from growing even further!

Program overview

The Winter League available for 2 – 8th grade runs November through March each year. Team selection, practice times, and game schedules are finalized and disseminated after evaluations and before the first practice usually at the end of October/early. November. Evaluations are held each year to help make teams fair and competitive.

NOTE: Due to the pandemic, we are still waiting for exact dates/times/locations. Thank you for your patience.

What makes this program unique?

• Developing youth girls from ages 7 and up until their high school years.
• The quality of volunteer coaches. A chance for parents to interact with their children and volunteer as coaches.
• Varsity basketball players act as role models to the younger players both helping to volunteer and coach in games.
• Our league often is known to be a feeder into the middle school and high school girl’s basketball teams

Are there any interesting success stories from this program?

As with any volunteer program, we are only as successful as our coaches. Because of the continued commitment from our volunteers, we have coaches who start coaching in the 2/3 Grade division and continue in the older divisions. While we focus on fundamentals, we also ensure that coaches pass along the tenets of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Since its inception, the GHS Girls Varsity Basketball team has been a vital part of the program. Ether as coaches, refs, or running volunteer clinics, the program could not have enjoyed its success without their participation. The Varsity players also are true role models for the younger players. If history repeats itself, today’s second graders will be competing for that varsity spot in seven or eight years, and hopefully, we have laid the groundwork for their future success.

What is your future vision for this program?

Our goal is to maintain our focus as an instructional basketball league. However, to raise the profile of the sport in town, we realize that certain players will outgrow our league and look to play at a higher level. We have partnered with High-Rise Basketball Academy/Greenwich Select to offer a travel basketball option for those looking to play at a higher skill level. By growing basketball in town, this will be mutually beneficial to both our programs.

Any interesting facts/drills/equipment that you would like to share to improve basketball skills?

For many of our players, the league is their first foray into the sport. As with any new activity, repetition is highly recommended to improve basic skill sets. Most girls can dribble (somewhat) with their dominant hand. Conversely, dribbling with their non-dominant hand can be challenging. Performing a simple dribbling drill with the non-dominant hand 10-15 minutes a day will dramatically improve this skill.

Lateral movement – Instinctively, most new players try to position themselves facing their opponent, but will rely on their hands to defend. While obviously, you would use your hands to steal the ball, block a shot, etc. defenders should learn to use their feet to put themselves in the best position to play proper defense.

Fun Historical Facts:

Girls Basketball was popular in 1961: According to an old annual report – “1961 Basketball at the OGRCC – The center sponsored three teams in the Greenwich Town Leagues, The Binney Bruins, open to boys up to 18 years old played in the intermediate league. They were coached by Ed Bilek. There was such a large turn out for the girl’s team that two teams were formed, the Shangri-la’s and the OGRCC’s. The Shangri-la’s ended the season in second place.”

In 1969 the OGRCC held a fun exhibition game to celebrate basketball. Members of N.Y. Giants Football team and the outstanding local OGRCC “young men’s” team put on an amazing show. More than 400 attendees at Eastern Middle School cheered them on.