There are no standings, no championships. Just 315 boys — and several girls — from grades 3 through 6, representing 11 area school districts, divided among 34 elementary school-age basketball teams. Designed to foster a higher level of competitive skills, the Westmoreland County Elementary School Basketball League began play in December and recently completed its initial season under its new name. What began as an in-house YMCA youth basketball program in Mt. Pleasant has evolved into a travel league designed to establish quality feeder systems for area high school basketball programs. “This league has opened a new chapter in area youth travel basketball programs,” said league director Don Porter Jr., who has been involved with and coordinated recreation, YMCA, travel and AAU basketball programs for some 20 years. “In meeting and getting to know area high school coaches, we found there was a need for stronger, more competitive feeder programs that would elevate the skill level above that of local recreation leagues. My personal goal was and is to make Westmoreland County a stronger, more competitive basketball area, stronger and more competitive than it already is.” In his seventh season as boys varsity basketball coach at Hempfield Area High School, Bill Swan sees the value of the more competitive atmosphere the league has created, while not sacrificing the recreational spirit of youth league participation. “This is one of the greatest things we’ve done for area basketball,” said Swan, who noted that all 17 of his varsity players this year have gone through this system. “We’ve essentially had this concept for seven years, ever since I came to Hempfield, and I can see the increased skill level and competition around the league. This gets the kids used to playing against other schools, but at the same time we don’t want it to become a school-rivalry type program. There’s plenty of time for that when these kids get to the high school level.” Realizing that area high school coaches — and coaches in the area youth leagues — supported the increased competitive nature of the travel league, last summer Porter started the ball rolling to create a more widespread and permanent program for this season. After in-house teams were selected in areas based on the local school districts, Porter explained, each of the in-house leagues held tryouts for the travel teams. Hempfield Rec operates an in-house league in which all participants must be Hempfield residents. In the WCESBL, Hempfield kids play on Hempfield teams in their respective age groups, with the same being true for kids in Mt. Pleasant and each area involved. Team sizes are based on numbers in each grade level. For example, Jeannette had enough players only for a sixth-grade team, Porter noted, adding that Franklin Regional also fielded only one team. Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Plum and Yough each had three teams in the league. Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Greater Latrobe and Penn-Trafford each had four teams, and Aquinas Academy in Greensburg, representing Greensburg Central Catholic, also had four teams. Greensburg Salem assistant basketball coach Chris Neurohr is also quick to point out the added values of the league. “Don, Bill and I kicked around the idea and started this concept of getting better kids from each area in each age group and developing a more competitive league,” Neurohr said. “It has worked very well. With Bill coaching at Hempfield and my involvement with Greensburg Salem, Don spends most of the time organizing the league. This is a well-organized, well-run program. These kids are learning a more competitive type of basketball, the type of competition they will find as they get older and face teams from other areas, not just around Westmoreland County. “The idea is to get the kids’ competitive juices flowing more than they would in traditional, recreational-type, local programs.” Neurohr pointed out that all but one member of the Greensburg Salem eighth-grade middle school team has come through this system. “This program is already paying dividends for us,” Neurohr added. “Our objective was and is to pull better kids from the rec programs and put them in more competitive situations, and it’s working quite well.” Games were played Saturday and Sunday nights at various high school gyms and at the Greensburg YMCA. Each team played an eight- or nine- game schedule. Additionally, some teams eventually move to other post-season travel tournaments. “We’ve had an extremely successful year,” Porter said. “We’ve had a great season, in terms of numbers and based on the positive feedback we’ve received from parents and from others involved in various ways. “Our objectives of teaching skills, teaching kids to play at a higher level, and enabling them to better understand the game have all been met. We’re already looking to bringing more teams into the program.”

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