Youth basketball organizations across America help to shape young basketball player’s fundamentals and give them real experience on the court. They are a great way to give children an opportunity to enhance their basketball skills, while at the same time giving them a great time to play the game with their friends. Here in northern Virginia, two youth basketball organizations reign supreme: Great Falls and McLean Youth Basketball
Great Falls
Great Falls Youth Basketball provides an enjoyable and competitive environment for both boys and girls interested in playing basketball from first grade all the way through high school. The lower grade programs are focused more on building basic fundamentals and essentials for playing the game, while middle and high school teams are more competitive and focused on winning. “It was a great experience for me because you get have fun and make some buckets with the bros.” When asked if he would change something about the league, freshman and Great Falls youth basketball All-Star Joe Ulepic replied, “Personally, I think that you should be able to coach your own grade, I think it would be fun and its stupid that you can’t.” There is no doubt that there is certainly some rivalry between Great Falls and McLean Youth Basketball, as there is always some trash talk going on between the two. “I think we’re way better. We’d whoop McLean any day,” said freshman Spencer Beckwith, another former Great Falls All-Star.
McLean
Every team or league must have a rival, and for Great Falls that is McLean. The McLean youth basketball league unites the young players across town who enjoy playing the game. A common question between players of both leagues is, if Great Falls played McLean, who would win? Senior Rashad Shakib said, “Of course McLean would win. It wouldn’t even be close.” Many players share Rashad’s view, including junior Christian Reed, who said, “We would definitely win. We have really good players, myself included.”
So in conclusion, until Great Falls and McLean actually play each other the question of who would win will always be a lingering question. The players from both leagues will always just smack talk, a factor that only enhances the rivalry between the two leagues.