NYS completes successful winter basketball season

Niwot Youth Sports started the Winter Recreational Basketball season in December with record registration numbers and lots of excitement for its third season partnering with Rocky Mountain Youth Basketball (RMYB). On Saturday, March 9, the season ended with four team championships and four team runner-up champions at the Rocky Mountain Youth Basketball End of Year Tournament held at local gyms in Longmont, Frederick and Niwot.

NYS had 29 teams enter the tournament, including seven girls and 22 boys teams, competing against over 100 RMYB teams.

NYS coach Kyle Wente took both his boys 1st/2nd-grade Golden Eagles team and boys 3rd/4th-grade Knights teams to their respective championships in the 1st/2nd-grade Orange Division and the 3rd/4th-grade Blue Division.

Also in the 3rd/4th-grade boys age group, NYS Cowboys coach Travis Walker, assisted by coaches Bobby Powell and Rod Bolls, came away with the boys 3rd/4th Yellow Division title after defeating two tough and talented RMYB teams in back-to-back games.

Finally, in the super competitive boys 5th/6th-grade division, NYS coaches Brad Schildt and Erik Olson won the 5th/6th Orange Division championship with their Timberwolves squad. Leading the way were team leaders Gavin McVeigh, Tristan Schildt, and Lincoln Olson, each contributing to victories earlier in the week and then in the final Saturday evening, the last game of the tournament.

Several www.niwotyouthsports.org/" target="_blank">Niwot Youth Sports teams made it all the way to their division championships, with a few losing heartbreakers at the buzzer. Overall, eight of NYS's 22 boys teams played in championship games, which is a testament to how hard working and talented NYS athletes truly are.

In the 1st/2nd-grade age group, the Purple Division runners-up were the NYS Cobras, coached by Colin Gallagher, and the Green Division runners-up were the Buckets, coached by Brian Lierman. NYS was thrilled to have over 15 first-time parent coaches in its league this season.

In the 3rd/4th-grade age group, the competitive Bison team coached by John Getter, Jeremy Deems and Galen Scheidenhelm almost came away with the top Red Division victory, and played an incredible season against all of RMYB's top teams. And in the 5/6th-grade age group, coach Jordan Coombs took the boys Blue Division runner-up with his Raptors team.

On Sunday, March 10th, RMYB hosted the End of Season Celebration at Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Niwot. Awards for champions and runners-up were awarded, as well All-Star Players, one or two players per team, chosen by their coaches to represent NYS in a series of All-Star games held the week before.

Finally, NYS selected coaches of the year based on parent and NYS/RMYB commissioner feedback. Two coaches were selected as the 2024 girls NYS coaches of the year, Rob Herchert and Kim Kozma. Rob coached the Rainbow Warriors and Kim coached the Nittany Lions and the Lady Nuggets.

Both Herchert and Kozma went above and beyond their usual coaching duties to help out at evaluations at the beginning of the season, and Kozma organizes NYS coaches throughout the year to ensure they have met all of their coaching requirements.

The 2024 NYS Boys Basketball Coach of the Year was Todd Stoneman, who led the Hornets in the 5/6th-grade boys division to a great season and unanimously glowing parent feedback.

Another exciting development for NYS is a series of summer camps that will be co-hosted by NYS and Niwot High School. Camps will be led by NHS coaches and current players and will be held on the Niwot High School campus. Dates and details are below.

Please contact NYS board members with any questions. Sign-ups are open now at http://www.niwotyouthsports.org.

NHS/NYS Boys Basketball Camp

Dates: Tuesday May 28 through Thursday May 30 **3-day camp**

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily

Price: $125 (includes camp t-shirt)

Ages: 1st-8th grade

Sign up here: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/421985

NHS/NYS Girls Basketball Camp

Dates: Monday June 10 through Friday June 14

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily

Price: $175 (includes camp t-shirt)

Ages: 1st-8th grade

Sign up here: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/421986

NHS/NYS Baseball Camp

Dates: Monday June 10 through Friday June 14

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily

Price: $175 (includes camp t-shirt)

Ages: 1st-8th grade

Sign up here: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/421974

NYS Board Members - email with any questions:

Jessica Walker: jessica@niwotyouthsports.org

Galen Scheidenhelm: galen@niwotyouthsports.org

Pat Longseth: pat@niwotyouthsports.org