Little Rookies and coaches building team enthusiasm on the court. Credit: Mark Pattis

By Mark Pattis 

Basketball is back at the Dell JCC in the form of Little Rookies youth basketball! After a multi-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and the Generations project construction, youth basketball is once again electric on Sundays. 

Every Sunday, approximately 80 children, ages kindergarten to second grade, and 16 high school coaches convene on the court. Even with the space being shared with the temporary fitness facility as the Generations expansion project construction concludes, the energy fills the entire space. 

For many young children, this is their first experience with the game of basketball. The goal on the program is to create a fun environment that inspires the youth to want to continue to play the game for years to come. It is all about skill-development and learning how to be a teammate. Putting the ball in the basket is exciting though the coaches emphasize passing, defense, cheering for teammates, being a good sport, attacking loose balls, and more. 

Led by JCC Athletics CoordinatorTommy Romano, who is a former college basketball coach at Pima College in Tucson, Arizona and past P.E. teacher, this program has not only grown quickly, but it has established itself as one of the best youth leagues in the Austin area. 

Todd Waldman, JCC member and parent of a Little Rookie says, “The JCC’s new Little Rookies basketball league is the best league I’ve seen in Austin yet for our kindergarteners. All the coaches are paid, and there are so many of them – the coach to player ratio of one to two or three kids is amazing. Romano uses a very well-coordinated and seasoned approach, focused on plain ol’ fun, skill building, and proper sportsmanship. My little guy loves the experience. He was super excited to be part of a team for the first time, and we feel lucky as parents that this league is now offered to our community!” 

The combination of skill development, structure, and fun is a recipe for success and a breath of fresh air for youth sports. “We were really intentional about building and teaching the fundamentals for the first six weeks before starting to play games. Our overall goal was to introduce the game in a fun way and instill a passion for continuing to play,” Romano said. 

Brooks Weaver, JCC aquatics and athletics director, brought this program from the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, which he led for numerous years. One unique aspect of the Austin league is the coaches. There are 16 paid high school coaches, many of whom participated in the JCC Maccabi games. Led by Romano and Weaver, the coaches are trained to teach basketball skills, as well as learn to be role models and leaders. “I’ve absolutely loved watching the children overcome obstacles and learn how to play basketball as a team game. I feel as though I have been learning leadership skills alongside them,” said Coach Cadence Carpenter, a senior at Anderson High School. 

Next year, the JCC plans to expand its youth basketball offerings through 8th grade. 

Taking the program off the court and on to the filed, Little Rookies will continue in the spring with Little Rookies flag football for grades K-4. To learn more, visit shalomaustin.org/youthsports.