Are You Ready to Hoop It Up?

Games don't begin for two more months, but anyone wanting to play in the Barrington Park District's basketball leagues this winter needs to register by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5.

The park district program offers leagues for everyone, from first-graders through adults, with games commencing on Jan. 9, 2011. Competition will take place on Sunday afternoons and evenings at two locations, the park district's Fitness and Recreation Center at Langendorf Park and at Barrington High School.

Kent Hengels, a recreation supervisor at the park district, enters his second winter as the leagues' coordinator. Among his duties are scheduling practices and games, securing the volunteer coaches and paid game officials, and hiring the game-day scorekeeping staff. He's optimistic about what the season will bring.

"With minimal spots on the feeder/travel basketball teams, our recreational league provides the opportunity for kids of all skill levels to play basketball," Hengels said. "I think everything went great last year.  Everything I heard from parents and coaches was positive, and I'm already seeing a lot of returning players and coaches."

The setup for the different leagues varies by age. Here are the particulars:

Developmental League, grades 1-2: Players are introduced to the fundamentals of the game. Parent-coached teams receive a half-hour of instruction each Sunday before participating in two 15-minute halves with on-court guidance. All games are played at the Fitness Center. Duration: eight weeks. Resident fee: $87 per player.

"At that level, my main concern is making sure these kids have fun and want to play basketball again in their future," Hengels said. "I feel that if we crammed basketball skills and drills down their throat every week, a lot of these kids would be turned off to the sport."

Boys and Girls Leagues, grades 3-8: All players are required to attend an evaluation session on Nov. 7 or 14 at Barrington Middle School Prairie Campus. Players are formed into age-appropriate teams by grades (3-4, 5-6 and 7-8). Under the direction of volunteer coaches, players attend one practice during the week and play in an officiated game each Sunday. A season-ending tournament determines a champion. Practices take place at various District 220 schools. Games are played at the Fitness Center and high school. Duration: 10 weeks. Resident fee: $132 per player.

As for what to expect from the evaluations … "Come relaxed and play some basketball," Hengels said. "Everyone is rusty from not having played in a while, and you are not trying out to make the team -- you're already on the team. Just show us what you're capable of doing so we can makes things fair and fun for everyone."

High School League, grades 9-12: Boys and girls form their own teams to compete in officiated games. A season-ending tournament determines a champion. Games are played at the high school and Fitness Center. Duration: 12 weeks. District 220 student fee: $105 per player.

"The high school league is a terrific idea as these kids do not have basketball intramurals in their high school," Hengels said. "These kids are able to form their own teams, choose their team names, and coach themselves during the season."

Adult League, ages 18 and over: Players form their own teams to compete in officiated games. A season-ending tournament determines a champion. There's a cash prize for the winner. All games are played at the Fitness Center. Duration: 13 weeks. Resident fee: $410 per team.

"Last year, we had two very talented teams, two above average teams, one average team, and one below average team," Hengels aid. "Most of the games were very competitive. It definitely helps in this league to have played together in the past."

For information on registering, visit the park district's office at 235 Lions Drive, go online to barringtonparkdistrict.org, or call (847) 381-0687.