fall 2022
introducing the hooptown youth league, llc
Check your game schedule below!
hooptown youth league, llc
A major upgrade to Spokane area grade school youth basketball starting in Kindergarten. The formation of the Hooptown Youth League, LLC. is to help provide more opportunities for youth participation at all levels. Their will be three levels: Recreational, Competitive, and Advanced Competitve for youth participants Grades K-6th encompassed all in one league. The Hooptown Youth League, LLC is a wholly owned affiliate of Spokane Hoopfest Association, a 501c3 non-profit.
League rules
K, 1st grade, 2nd grade
- 30 minutes running clock (15 minute halves), stopped every 5 minutes for subs
- Teams will play on a 8ft Hoop and a size 5 (27.5) Junior ball
- No stealing the ball while a player is dribbling or holding the ball. Players can only steal the pass
3rd grade
- 32 minute games (four 8 minute quarters)
- Teams will play on a 9ft hoop with a size 6 (28.5) ball
- Everbody must guard a player and no zones or pressing is allowed
4th-6th grade
- 32 minute games (four 8 minute quarters)
- Regulation hoops (10ft) with size 6 (28.5) ball
game locations
Centennial Middle School - 915 N Ella Rd, Spokane, WA 99212
Chase Middle School - 4747 E 37th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223
East Valley Middle School - 4920 N Progress Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Evergreen Middle School - 14221 E 16th Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99037
Flett Middle School - 4800 Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205
Garry Middle School - 725 E Joseph Ave, Spokane, WA 99208
North Pines Middle School - 701 N Pines Rd, Spokane, WA 99206
Salk Middle School - 6411 N Alberta St, Spokane, WA 99208
Selkrik Middle School - 1409 N Harvest Pkwy, Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Shaw Middle School - 4106 N Cook St, Spokane, WA 99207
The Warehouse - 800 N Hamilton St, Spokane, WA 99202
Yasuhara Middle School - 2701 N Perry St, Spokane, WA
Coaching Resources
Videos
Click the link below to view informational videos from the Hooptown Youth Basketball Clinic. Gonzaga, Eastern, and Whitworth coaches talk practice, coaching young kids, and answer questions.
Notes
Click the link below to view a comprehensive note sheet from the Hooptown Youth Basketball Clinic.
Jr. Nba App
Click the link below to download the Jr. NBA App. Includes resources for coaches at all levels. Practice plans, instructional videos, and more!
Important dates
Wednesday, October 5th - Teams & Coaches finalized
Sunday, October 9th - Coaching Clinic in the McCarthey Center at Gonzaga University
Monday, October 17th - Practices Begin
Saturday, October 29th - Boo Ball Fall Classic (enter as a club + including tournament fee)
Saturday, December 17th - Santa Slammer Winter Classic (enter as school team or club + including tournament fee)
January 7-8th - Hooptown Youth League, LLC end-of-year tourney
Game Schedule:
Game 1- November 5th
Game 2- November 12th
Game 3- November 19th
Game 4- December 3rd
Game 5-December 10th
Game 6/7- January 7th (Could play January 8th as well if in 3rd grade and higher)
participating school districts
Spokane Public Schools, Central Valley, Mead, West Valley, East Valley, Freeman, Cheney, Liberty Lake, NW Christian, Deer Park, Medical Lake, Reardan, Davenport, 9 Mile Falls District.
Divisions
Recreational: For players at any skill level who want to play for fun, including beginners. The only division for K - 2nd grade.
Competitive: For the player that has prior team basketball experience, knows the rules, has strong skills for their grade level and desires to play in a competitive league and in tournaments.
Advanced Competitive: For the player that has played several years of organized competitive basketball, has a very high skill level/game knowledge for their grade and desires to play at the highest possible level in Spokane. Teams will be one team per grade per high school.
league costs
Regular
Recreation - K through 2nd grade - $50
Recreation - 3rd through 6th grade - $100
Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $125
Advanced Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $125
Qualified Discount fee
Recreation - K through 2nd grade - $30
Recreation - 3rd through 6th grade - $50
Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $50
Advanced Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $50
Scholarship Player Fee
Recreation - K through 2nd grade - $30
Recreation - 3rd through 6th grade - $30
Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $30
Advanced Competitive - 3rd through 6th grade - $30
hooptown youth league, llc
attributes of the new league
1. School district & AAU basketball join with a new organization - Hooptown Youth League, LLC
2. Players will register as individuals for recreation, competitive or advanced competitve
3. Reduced costs & easier on parents
4. Involvement from our basketball community
5. Three interrelated sessions of basketball
6. Advanced competitve teams will be formed starting in the 3rd grade for each high school area
7. Information related to try outs for tournament teams and private basketball facilities, camps, clinics, etc to be provided to all kids by school districts & Hooptown website
hooptown youth league, llc
why YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND TEAMS ARE DECLINING:
1. Growth of entertainment alternatives (social media, TV, mobile apps, gaming)
2. Two years of reduced or no sports
3. More sport specialization making it difficult to play multiple sports
4. It's hard to find a team to play on, at the competitive level, when teams form prior to registering to play
5. "Super teams" win big and discourage too many teams/players from continuing
hooptown youth league, llc
THE PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY ACUTE FOR GIRLS:
1. One area high school (and former state champion) had only 8 girls try out for their 2021/2022 Varsity Team
2. There were no 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th grade girls' teams participating in the Spokane AAU League
3. EWU women's coach could not find a team for her 6th grade daughter
4. The upcoming Warehouse summer league has no 7th grade girls teams
Hooptown YoUth league, llc
THINGS THAT AREN'T CHANGING
-7th and 8th grade remain in traditional AAU program
-High School programs and the Spokane Youth Sports high school rec league
-Grade school children can still play for coach or club organized teams in tournaments through-out the year and especially in the expanded winter tournament season
Hooptown Youth League, llc
HOW DOES THIS HELP OUR MOST SKILLED GRADE SCHOOL PLAYERS?
1. More kids playing and coaches teaching the game will produce more skilled players & youth coaches
2. Reconfigures grade school basketball to allow highly skilled players to more easily play other competitive sports in addition to basketball
3. 5th & 6th try-out teams will likely be as good as existing AAU teams with excellent coaches, benefiting from an earlier connection to high school coaches
4. More likely to connect skilled players within neighborhoods - relationships that become important as kids progress through their school years
*And... this doesn't eliminate current coach assembled teams for tournament play which is the most important aspect of the very best youth teams
Hooptown youth league, llc
what benefits are achieved from these changes?
1. Increase youth participation at all skill levels
2. Improve our competitive AAU league
3. Inspire kids to improve and keep playing
4. Make it easier for kids to play more often
5. Make sure kids don't get left out
6. Build life skills - fitness, leadership, and teamwork
supporters
Hooptown Youth League supporters include but are not limited to the following:
school districts
- Spokane
- Central Valley
- Mead
- West Valley
- East Valley
- Freeman
- Cheney
- Liberty Lake
- NW Christian
- Deer Park
- Medical Lake
- Reardan
- Davenport
- 9 Mile Falls District
local high schools - Coaches/supporters
- Sean Mallon, Ferris Boys Basketball Coach
- Jazmine Redmon, U-High Girls Basketball Coach
- David Wagenblast, Mt. Spokane Boys
Basketball Coach
-KC Ahrens, Deer Park Girls Basketball Coach
- Tim Gaebe, Shadle Park (Retired Coach)
- Brett Ward, Medical Lake
- Felice Orrell, CV Girls Basketball Coach
- Jase Wambold, LC Boys Basketball Coach
- Ty Fowler, East Valley Boys Basketball Coach
- Chad Hand, Deer Park Boys Basketball Coach
local universities - men's/women's coaches
- Lisa Fortier, Gonzaga WBB
- Stacy Clinesmith, Gonzaga WBB
- Jordan Green, Gonzaga WBB
- Craig Fortier, Gonzaga WBB
- Brian Michaelson, Gonzaga MBB
- Stephen Gentry, Gonzaga MBB
- Gary Bell, Gonzaga MBB
- Joddie Gleason, EWU WBB
- David Riley, EWU MBB
- Kenny Love, Whitworth WBB
- Damion Jablonski, Whitworth MBB
club teams
- Eastern Washington Elite
- Spokane Dawgs
- Northwest Blazers
- Tommy Williams, OHF AAU
- Bill Ehlers, Rebels AAU
community organizations
- Spokane Hoopfest Association
- Spokane AAU Club
- NBC Camps
- Shoot 360
- Farias Dribble Skills Camp
- John Draine, Draine Train
CURRENT/FORMER PROS
- Eric McClellan
- Davonte Lacy
- Haiden Palmer
- JP Batista
- Casey Calvary
- Zach Gourde
- Shaniqua Nilles
- Richie Frahm
Operating Committee
Dan Dickau - Shoot360
Shawn Stetson - NBC Camps
Tom Psomas - Founder of Spokane AAU
Helen Higgs - Retired Whitworth Women's Coach
Stephanie Splater - Spokane Public Schools
Jamie Niles - Hall of Fame Coach West Valley
Nate Alford - St. Als
Rick Betts - Hoopfest Founder
Le'Andra Myers - Spokane Public Schools
Ramon Farias - Founder Lil' Dribblers
David Pendergraft - GU Basketball
Chad Hand - Deer Park Head Coach
Jase Walmbold - LC Men's Basketball
Nicole Symons - Coeur d'Alene Women's Head Coach
Felice Orrell - Central Valley Women's Head Coach
Steven Stockton - Hooptown USA
Hooptown youth league, llc
league faq's
Please click the link to see how you can volunteer to coach, be a referee, and more.
Major SPONSORS
Thank you to our Hooptown Youth League, LLC Sponsors
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
