IST's 2011 / 2012 Basketball Club has three squads, one for fun and two which play in the citywide league. Any JS student may join.
Ages 6 - 8 Beginners and social players
Ages 7 - 9 Beginners and competition players / League team
Ages 7 - 9 Experienced and competition players / League team
Students must be at the gym, changed into their IST Activity Uniforms (please scroll down), ready to begin practice. Students not in correct attire will not be permitted to join the practice. Shoes with non-marking soles are required.
The IST Basketball Club Captain (coaches, fixtures, league liaison) is Mr David Rutledge.
League play is separate from and additional to the weekly Club practices. Club players do not have to join a league team; league players must attend the weekly club practices.
Most games are at the downtown Family Lohse YMCA or Tortolita Middle School. The IST Activity Uniform with non-marking indoor shoes is mandatory. Please do not be late as they will start without you; coach Mr David Rutledge wants you there at least 15 minutes early for the team talk and warm-up.Players must be registered with the League and have paid the IST Basketball League Fee.
Only League team players need to complete the League Commitment in addition to the general Club Commitment above. Note that the League Commitment is due before the League begins!!
Please contact the IST Basketball Club Captain with any queries or concerns about the League.
IST Basketball 2010/2011 Year in Review
It has been an amazing year for the IST basketball club. The club was founded last year although this was the first time the school had entered the team into the YMCA Citywide league. It was the first time the vast majority of the students had played in a competitive league of any kind and the children were a little intimidated and out of their comfort zone early in the season.
Despite some heavy losses and disappointment, the children remained enthusiastic and commitment to the team and maintained their enjoyment for the game. This positive attitude lead not only to improved performance but allowed these wonderful kids to take advantage of everything that playing in a competitive sports league offers.
The children improved so much that they actually made the third round of the playoffs in their second season and ended up having to forfeit just two games away from the grand final due to the school's participation in the Southern Arizona Language Fair.
It was amazing for me as a coach to see the amazing transformation of the students' skills and the resilience they showed in the face of adversity throughout the year was something I did not expect to see from children so young.
The highlights of the year included a victory over Greenfields in the inter-school challenge held at Greenfields school in late November. Our first ever victory in the YMCA was special while our three thrilling playoff victories will be something all students, coaches and parents will remember for a very long time.
Above all else I have loved every minute of working with these amazing kids and watching them improve and enjoy themselves as they learned the game of basketball. I am very confident much of the team will be returning next year and I am hopeful there will be a few more big name inclusions for next semester's league.
I have really enjoyed working with children who are both athletic by nature and students who have never played sport before. I am so glad all of these kids got so much from the season and I am working hard to put things in place over the off season to make next year even better.
Thank you IST management, families and parents for making this year such a success and a huge thank you to each and every member of the IST basketball club for making this season so special, see you next season!!
Go IST!!!!
David Rutledge Basketball Club CaptainThe excitement continues to build for the IST basketball club in 2010. After a very successful inaugural season, I am very excited to get things going again this year. With Regular matches organized with other Tucson Independent Schools and the addition of some special “Gala Day” basketball tournaments, the students will benefit from an increased opportunity to put the skills and techniques they have been learning at practice into game situations. It was a thrill to see how much the kids improved throughout last season and I cannot wait to see the students’ enjoyment, passion and love for the game continue to grow in 2010/2011.
Basketball is a great sport for younger kids to get involved in. It allows children to develop key skills that they are able to apply to other areas of their daily lives including hand-eye coordination, balance, teamwork, leadership, decision making and problem solving skills. It also provides students with the opportunity to stay active, build their fitness and enjoy some positive physical activity with their friends in a safe, controlled and comfortable environment. Also, those who join the basketball team this year will be creating history as they will be part of the inaugural team that will represent IST in the first ever TAIS sports programme.
The basketball programme is mainly focused on the foundation skills of the game and building an enjoyment for basketball and for sport in general. I firmly believe that the best way to improve skill level in sport is to first establish a genuine passion and enjoyment for the game, which is and will always be the main target of the IST basketball program.
I am sure the vast majority of players from last season will return this year and I am really hoping we can continue to build upon the success of our first year through the addition of more students from all grade and ability levels in the junior school. I encourage those families who are unsure about which clubs to choose for the upcoming semester to use the diagnostic period (first two weeks of school) as an opportunity to try out the basketball club and to see if it is the right fit for you and your child.
I cannot wait to see a huge turnout for our first practice in what will no doubt be an exciting and action packed year for IST basketball!!
David Rutledge Club Captain
It has been a wonderful year for the IST Ambassadors basketball team. Although we have found it difficult to schedule matches against other schools, we did have our first ever game this year and the kids have really enjoyed their time at practice. This has been the first year that we have had a basketball program at IST and we plan to build on this next year with more matches and hopefully a larger playing roster.
We have already scheduled some matches against other Tucson schools and have also organised some special basketball “gala day” tournaments involving other independent schools within the Tucson area. This will give the kids a chance to apply the skills they are learning at training into a game situation and hopefully they will get the chance to reap the rewards of their dedication and hard work. Hopefully we get the majority of the squad back together again and perhaps even add a few more JS students to the roster.
I have loved being the coach of such a wonderful group of kids this year and I have really enjoyed watching them develop their skills and knowledge of the game. Thanks everyone for an outstanding season, I cannot wait to see everyone back next year for what is shaping as a very exciting year for IST Basketball!
David Rutledge Club Captain
Click here for the 2009/2010 Staff v Student match report.
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