A new men’s basketball league is about to dribble into Whitehorse.
The Yukon Men’s Basketball League will conduct a draft Oct. 24 and is set to tip-off on Oct. 26, but there’s still time to get on a team, says league organizer Colin LaForme.
“We’re going to try and make the teams even,” said LaForme. “If people want to join they have to the 24th - even afterwards if people want to sign up, we’ll put them on a team.”
“We’re trying to make it a fun, social league,” he added. “You come out, play basketball, and go for a social event afterwards.
“We want people to come out and have fun. It’s one of the greatest sports for cardio that’s out there ... People can come out no matter what skill level they are. We have guys that haven’t ever touched the ball and guys who have played semi-pro or pro. So it’s a complete range of athletes.”
For the past few weeks the fledgling league has held drop-in nights twice a week. With between 20 and 40 players coming out most evenings, LaForme hopes to start the league with about five or six teams.
Whitehorse is already home to a number of basketball leagues. The Whitehorse Women’s Basketball League has been around more than a decade and consisted of four teams last season. There’s also the Filipino league, the Yukon Pinoy Basketball League, founded in 2007, which had seven teams last season with more than 150 players. There are also high school and elementary school leagues that start early in the New Year.
“Some of the older gentlemen have been saying it’s been about six or seven years since there was a men’s league in town,” said LaForme. “I’ve been in town for three years now - this will be my fourth winter - and there’s been men’s drop-in. Guys come out and scrimmage now and then. But there are more than enough guys in town that play.
“The Filipino league is only letting Filipinos in this year, so we got some of those guys to join our league.
“It’s a great winter sport. You’re inside and that’s a great winter sport if you ask me.”
The league will take place Sunday and Tuesday evenings at Porter Creek Secondary School this winter. The cost per player is $150 for the season, including 10 regular season games, a jersey and playoffs.
For more information, contact LaForme at colinlaforme@gmail.com or visit the league’s website at yukonmensbball.wix.com/yukon.
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com