SEYMOUR
Basketball is back for fifth graders in Seymour Community School Corp.
After a long layoff, the program makes its return this fall for both boys and girls at all five elementary schools in Seymour.
Seymour High School athletic director and high school boys basketball coach Kirk Manns says the administration is fully behind the program’s return and believes it will be a huge positive for the kids, the schools and the community.
“It develops not only their skills but their interest in the game, and it gets a lot of the kids doing something physically active,” Manns said. “As I understand it, it was a big hit with the community … and having school pride is always a good and positive thing.”
Manns said the boys season will start Oct. 14 and will conclude Nov. 9 with a single-day basketball tournament. The girls season will follow a similar schedule.
There will be two games a week played at Cortland Elementary School, and the season-ending tournament is expected to be played at Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium.
Game dates are set for Oct. 14, 15, 22, 24, 28 and 29 and Nov. 5, 7 and 9.
In addition to providing kids another outlet to play basketball, it’s going to be a net positive for the high school programs long term.
Feeder programs are the lifeblood of high school teams, and Manns contends you have to give kids chances to play basketball when they’re in elementary and middle school if you expect them to play in high school.
“You have to provide opportunities for kids to play to have interest in your sport,” Manns said. “It’s no different than soccer youth leagues or [Little League] baseball. Kids frankly won’t develop a passion for basketball without opportunities.”
Practices and tryouts are set to begin Sept. 30. Details on tryouts will come from the elementary schools, Manns said.
The return of fifth grade basketball returns alongside another year of Seymour Youth Basketball at the Boys and Girls Club of Seymour.
The cost for kindergartners is $20 and involves one night per week with instructional stations and games. First and second grade registration for both boys and girls is $40 and includes one practice and one game a week with an end-of-season tournament.
Registration costs for third and fourth grade players is $50 and also includes one practice and game a week as well as an end-of-season tournament.
Registration forms can be mailed to Boys and Girls Club of Seymour, 950 N. O’Brien St., Seymour, IN 47274. You can also drop by the Boys and Girls Club between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to sign up.
Seymour Swish travel basketball tryouts for boys in grades 3 through 6 will take place on the following dates in the Seymour High School auxiliary gym:
- Third grade – Monday, Sept. 23
- Fourth grade – Tuesday, Sept. 24
- Fifth/sixth grade – Wednesday, Sept. 25
All tryouts will take place from 7 to 8:15 p.m.