by Sherry Bowman-Kluck
It was an energetic evening at the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center on Tuesday, March 4. A large number of young and aspiring basketball players, along with their families, came to celebrate a busy and successful season. The lively group was there to enjoy their annual banquet and pizza party.
Why such a busy and successful season? Kyle Jansen, newly appointed TVYB Director, highlighted and accounted for the various areas of growth and success. He began by recognizing the vision that former TVYB Director Joe Burdick alluded to at last year’s banquet and has been diligently working on for several years now. The goal has been to develop a more competitive attitude, fostering the long term investment of future Berlin School District middle and high school basketball players while still providing the community’s youth with a fun and skills-based program.
Jansen remarked on the many successes that have occurred thus far.
The program served 75 youth this year.
The Berlin Central School is now allowing TVYB to utilize both the elementary and high school gymnasiums for weekday practices and weekend games. As a result, it has promoted growth and development with other basketball leagues in the area, and a significant increase in games were scheduled and played this year. Not having a location for games in the past had impeded the ability to play with neighboring districts. Having a home court with a full-sized gym now allows TVYB to participate in league play. This involves a more competitive program for the third and fourth, fifth and sixth (travel) grade teams and the ability to work more on fundamentals with the first and second grade teams.
Paid officials are now available to referee, making every game a fair and valuable learning experience.
The PVMCC generously donated money to help pay for team jerseys, and, for several years now, they have provided a place for the TVYB to practice free of charge. Jansen later thanked and presented Jeanne Ferland, President of the PVMCC Board, with a framed picture collage of all teams within the program.
Jansen also emphasized that the coaches and volunteers should receive a great deal of thanks and appreciation for volunteering their time to benefit the youth. Gifts of recognition were given to Joel Shorter, Ronnie Brock and Junior Coach James Akers for the first and second boys and girls, Amy Reger and Monica Rokjer for the third and fourth girls, Kristi Culbertson and Gene Kluck for the third and fourth boys, Kyle Jansen for the fifth and sixth girls and Kevin Billert and Nicole Zlotnick for fifth and sixth boys. Trisha Jansen was recognized for helping with game coordination and for doing much of the behind the scenes work. Joe and Kathy Burdick were thanked for their countless hours of dedication and relentless support for TVYB. They plan to remain a fundamental support to the program. Dan Ritter also was thanked for running the time clock for many of the home games.
The evening concluded with the presentation of individual trophies to each player by their team coach, unlimited pizza and plenty of lemonade in celebration of another great season.
