FARMINGTON — The Farmington Parks & Recreation Department recently wrapped up it’s 2021-2022 Junior Pro and Prep Basketball programs for children grades 1 through 6. The Community Center busy with children, bouncing basketballs, swishing hoops, the pounding of feet up and down the court and of course, the cheering of the fans! After missing a season due to COVID, it was wonderful to have a full, busy season again!

Junior Pro basketball had over one hundred 117 children playing this year! Division 1 consisted of four teams, and Division 2 had six teams. There were also 26 first graders registered in the Prep Basketball Program which prepares participants for our Junior Pro competitive league play the following year.

Our Junior Pro Division One and Two teams met every Saturday for games following team practices each week. This year’s volunteer coaches included parents and local elementary school teachers who brought unmatched enthusiasm to their team, and also a close-knit, community-centered feel to the program. The individual attention given by coaches along with weekly practice plans developed by the Recreation Department have proven to be successful for developing the children’s basketball skills.

The Prep Basketball Program met once a week to develop their skills and learn the rules of the sport through fun and engaging drills and games to prepare them for their future roles as Junior Pro basketball players.

This year Ben Ladd and Jennifer Savage were our Program Directors for both the Junior Pro and Prep Basketball programs. This was Ben Ladd’s third year as a program director and Jennifer Savage’s second. They were responsible for overseeing the program as well as organizing game schedules, developing practice plans, and assisting with team practices. They refereed games while also teaching the children during game play.

To wrap up the season, the Junior Pro League held a Division One and Division Two Season Finale. Division One and Division Two teams played a shortened game, followed by a Free Throw Competition, Snowball Throw and awards ceremony. The snowball coming closest to Ben Ladd (who stood in the center of the court) received a grand prize which consisted of Celtics apparel and basketball gear. Both finales are a time of celebration including of photo booths, music, decorations, and awards where players are recognized for their hard work and accomplishments during the season.

Prep Basketball players ended their season with new jerseys, and their first ‘real’ basketball game! The Recreation Department split players into multiple teams and had them use the skills they had developed throughout the season to play in their first official game, followed by an awards ceremony and photo booths.

Each year the Recreation Department presents the Alex Strozier Memorial Coaching Award. The 2022 recipient of the award was coach Cameron McAllister who has coached for 4 years. The Recreation Department wanted to recognize the outstanding patience, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm he demonstrated while coaching. Most of our coaches have children in the program, but Cameron McAllister coaches for the love of the game, and the community, and enjoys seeing some of his past students. Thank you, Cam, for four years of dedication to our community and children.

The Recreation Department also presented the John Boutilier Memorial Award to their favorite fan, who demonstrates enthusiasm and support for all the players and the program. Emily Beaudoin was the 2022 recipient of the award. Emily’s daughter Avery and son Andrew play in the program. You can always find her cheering for the teams from the grandstand, thanking referees, coaches, and staff. The Recreation Department would like to thank Emily for her support of the program and for being exemplary fan!

The Recreation Department would like to thank all the volunteer coaches, Erica Boudreau, Sandy Brown, Seth Landry, Jeremy Meader, Rick Billion, Davin Kangas, Zech Savage, Cameron McAllister, Kathyanne Hart, Gabriel Civiello, Jaime Beaudoin, Kayla Rodzen, Nichole Earnest, Sarah Reynolds, Hunter Meeks, and Lindsay Strout. These coaches put in countless hours of their own free time to help develop a program that is fun and successful for all its participants. This program, and others like it, would not be possible without the efforts of our volunteer coaching staff. We would also like to thank our Program Directors, Ben Ladd and Jennifer Savage for the amount of time and effort they put into this program to make it better each year!

“The Recreation Department strives to create an environment in which athletes can improve their skills, make new friends, have fun, and develop a passion for being active. We are grateful for the time and effort that the community and coaches put into our local youth!”

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