CAVS Annual Winter Classic Tourney 2011: A Huge Success

Picture this: 91 Teams….and only around 6-7 gyms available…at best. 

However did we DO it? 

For starters, we lost two courts in the 99^th hour at Pierce College because of a maintenance emergency. Chatsworth (as you know) has been closed until January for remodeling. 

We found out (a little too close to comfort) that our once-reasonable gym fees had tripled, if not quadrupled and real estate companies (instead of the direct schools) were all in the mix trying to stir the Kool-Aid. Guess nobody told them.

You have to be a Kool-Aid drinker to actually appreciate it.

If we lost you on that, we'll call you back later.

However, the CAVS pulled the 2011 Annual Winter Classic Tourney, December 3rd-4th, 2011, off. 

Not only did they pull it off, CAVS 11U brought their championship home. 

CAVS 13U even finished as 2nd Place Champions in the final battle against the Playmakers.  I can’t hate on the Playmakers. They are pretty well-coached and they get after it. It is what it is.

CAVS 13U also played up as 14U and even made it to the final rounds in that division before relinquishing the semi-final win to NIT---which is, I must admit, a pretty good 14U team. Really can’t hate on them, either.

Okay…enough of that stuff, the REAL win happened in the Semi-Final game for the 13U division.  Remember how CAVS 13U finished 2nd to CA Heat at their Thanksgiving Tourney, November 19th & 20th, with the score of 47-45? Well, low and behold…CAVS 13U once again met CA Heat center court for the semi-final rounds this past weekend.  Yep. This rivalry will probably never end. 

CAVS 13U no doubt defeated CA Heat. 

Retribution. Enough said. Really.

So.....

With hardworking parent and staff volunteers, cooperative referees, parents showing up in droves and talented young players, the CAVS Winter Classic 2011 was a HUGE success, with the promise of being even larger in 2012. YEP.

I truly wish we could have photographed every team during their game play, but that was like…impossible. However, we did collect some great photos at some of the gyms and we have uploaded them all to our Facebook site HERE.  Enjoy!

Next year, we should probably do coffee, hot chocolate and tea for the Winter Classic in greater abundance than Gatorade. Don’t get me wrong. We can have Gatorade and water, too, but it was so cold in some of those gyms that you could probably freeze meat in the lobbies. Heck, SOUP probably wouldn’t be a bad idea.

THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this year’s Winter Classic Tourney 2011 something that folks will be talking about for a while! Special “Shouts Out” to all those who should have been helping, giving love and service for the kids, but instead showed up and didn’t do a doggoned thing!! Did you think we forgot or just didn’t see you? Oh…we SAW you. YOU didn’t do ANYTHING. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Niente. Squat. You KNOW who you are. We see you!! 

Whatevs.

***We will see everybody in June, 2012, for the massive CAVS Summer Classic Tourney where things will be HOT in more ways than one!!!

This time…it’s gonna be nothing like you’ve ever seen before!  

GAME ON!!!

CAVS 11U Win The CAVS Winter Classic Tourney 2011

Nope. We don't have the official write-up for you just yet. Well, right now, we don't need one! Just know that CAVS 11U balled out this past weekend at the CAVS Winter Classic Tourney 2011, December 3^rd & 4^th and brought home the championship.  WAY TO GO CAVS 11U!! 

Okay. This is probably the shortest blog post you are ever going to see. 

Don’t get used to it.

In fact, we will dedicate this rarity to our 12U Team Manager, Denise Irving, who doesn’t like long blocks of text. Here’s to you, Denise! Enjoy while you can!

Next stop….CAVS Feed The Homeless, Thursday, December 8^th, 2011!!! GAME ON!!!

CAVS Youth Basketball Players Team Up With Rescue Mission To Feed The Homeless | PRLog

(OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE LINK):

CAVS Youth Basketball Players Team Up With Rescue Mission To Feed The Homeless | PRLog

Southern California CAVS Youth Basketball Team Members will serve hot meals and provide Christmas toys to homeless families through the Hope of The Valley Rescue Mission, on Thursday, December 8th, 2011, from 6:30pm-7:30pm.

PRLog (Press Release) - Dec 06, 2011 - On Thursday, CAVS Youth Basketball youth, ranging in age from 8-14, fully-dressed in game uniforms, will take responsibility in providing food, beverages and toys to homeless families. Parents will only be allowed to observe.

CAVS Youth Basketball joins celebrities such as Cedric The Entertainer, Former NBA player Jalen Rose, R&B music legend Jeffrey Osborne, actor Quinton Aaron (”The Blind Side”) and more in support of the Hope of The Valley Rescue Mission, which strives to meet the needs of every hungry and homeless man, woman and child in the valley. 

 Jeffrey Osborne sings the Woo Woo song to a fan.

  Jeffrey Osborne and Quinton Aaron - Jalen Rose and Hope of The Valley Rep

 The Homeless enjoy their meal, while Jerry West poses with Ken Craft.

  Cedric The Entertainer poses with Ken Craft and Event Attendee with a killer smile

Hope of The Valley has served over 40,000 hot nutritious meals, distributed over 16,000 articles of clothing, provided over 9,000 hygiene kits, 850 showers and numerous referrals for shelter—all in their first 24 months of operation, which originally began in 2009. 

The CAVS organization chose the Hope of The Valley Rescue Mission to aid in helping the less-fortunate, because both organizations share aggressive plans to help those in the San Fernando Valley, particularly, who could benefit most from their processes of “giving back”.

“This experience is much-needed for all of the youth in our communities—not just CAVS youth. Quality community service and volunteer hours collectively show young boys and girls that the world is not perfect and they should always be appreciative and thankful for what they have.” says CAVS Youth Basketball President and Founder, Darryl McDonald. 

CAVS Youth Basketball, in its own right, has provided professional athletic training, financial scholarships, personal and academic development, moral and social support to thousands of young boys and girls throughout the San Fernando Valley, ranging in age from as young as 4-17 for over 24 years. Such a history has yielded a consistent track record of keeping youth supported, off of the streets and free from illegal substances and activities, enabling them to become sound, productive members of the community. Many of these boys and girls have advanced to high school, college and professional sports levels--some even returning to the program years later, with their own kids.

Feeding the homeless is just the beginning for CAVS Youth Basketball.

Aside from being the first youth sports organization to begin hosting an interactive, “Annual Online Open House” , the CAVS also hosts two major youth basketball tournaments annually—one of which successfully wrapped at the beginning of this month with 91 teams to raise funds for youth enrichment--and is on track to becoming a number one leader in youth sports organizations.

  CAVS 13U prepare to battle with the 14U NIT Team in the 2011 CAVS Winter Classic Tourney

For 2012, CAVS Youth Basketball is set to expand its steadily-growing athletic program to provide educational tutoring in core subjects such as reading, math and science, community volunteer services, overall youth mentoring, an athletic league for girls and additional scholarships for underprivileged youth.

The CAVS organization plans to post photos and stories of Thursday's event for the homeless on all of their social networks and websites in hopes that other youth sports teams will follow suit and will host an additional toy drive for the M.E.N.D. (Meet Each Need With Dignity) charity next week, at the CAVS Christmas Party on December 14th. “Together, we can change lives—especially if we teach our youth to reach out and help those in need.” stated CAVS Team Manager, Erika Aldridge.

“Unselfish works yield great results.”

Thursday’s dinner location is:  7400 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood (corner of Tujunga and Valerio, one block north of Sherman Way)

For more information on CAVS Youth Basketball, all interested parties can visit the organization’s official website: http://www.cavsyouthbasketball.org, Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/CAVSYouthBasketball.

ABOUT CAVS YOUTH BASKETBALL

Founded in 1988, CAVS Youth Basketball is one of the longest-tenured, most respected AAU Youth Basketball programs in the state, featuring uniquely-structured, NBA-style training for boys and girls, 5-15. It is a high-quality, professional program where many past players have advanced to high school, college and professional basketball levels. Achievement is measured not only by athletic performance, but also through personal and academic development, with players across all age divisions holding grade point averages of 3.5 or better. CAVS Youth Basketball gives back to the community by sponsoring underprivileged youth, feeding the homeless, mentoring youth of all ages and volunteering for community outreach events.

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