Valentine’s Day is the time to reflect on all the things we love in life. At Kids in the Game, our love for sports is pretty darn high on that list. Between summer camps, sports clinics, travel teams and school programs, we feel super lucky to be immersed in sports on a daily basis. To celebrate today’s day of love we wanted to share some stories of why our coaches love sports not only today but everyday.

Michael Murphy- Kids in the Game Co-Founder

Why do I love sports? Let me count the ways….I love sports for all the amazing doors they have opened for me in my life. Playing sports have allowed me to travel the World, make new friends and experience new cultures. I have run a road race in Sweden. Played basketball in Fiji and Australia. Coached basketball in Belgium, France and The Netherlands. Played soccer with kids in Denmark. And most recently experienced shooting hoops while wearing flip-flops in The Philippines. All of this because of a bouncing ball and a desire to have fun playing the sports I love. I love sports for everything they have taught me about teamwork, leadership, community, hard work, the pursuit of excellence and achieving goals. All of these positive skills helped me to make sports not only a passion, but a career. My career in sports is not a job, it is a passion. I love to coach, teach and inspire student-athletes around the World. Sports inspire all of us to do great things. All while cheering positively for our favorite teams. All while having fun in a safe environment. I love sports. They are a true love of mine.

Matt Murphy- Kids in the Game Co-Founder

Sports taught me work ethic, goal setting, leadership, teamwork, and how to handle things when they don’t go your way. Sports taught me how to be humble, as I went through periods where I was a starter, scoring points, and winning games and times where I sat on the bench, played terrible, or lost a heartbreaker. Why is that important? Because those are all lessons you need to develop in life to be successful. Life isn’t easy! On top of that, sports naturally develop deep relationships. A majority of my best friends, even today, are those I grew up with playing sports in elementary, high school, or college. That’s why watching our King Kids play sports is so inspiring for me – I know they’ll keep learning those lessons through sport and developing friendships that last forever.

Tatum Boehnke- KING Staff

Not to sound pessimistic but the world’s reality is often a far cry from always wearing rose colored glasses. However, there is this one thing that no matter what seems to bring people of all ages, all races, all genders, and all different backgrounds together: sports. Everyone can identify with that anxiety, that excitement, that pit in their stomach when going for it on 4th and 1. Cities can rebuild their identity with one swing of the bat. Nations can unite and inspire the world in just two weeks. We can all rally behind that unranked tennis player taking the world’s #1 to a 5th set.That is what I love about sports. I love that the reach of sport is far beyond the basics of a win/loss column. Fan bases become families and everyone can just agree that summer nights are for baseball, March is for basketball and no one should have to work the day after the Superbowl.

Paul O’Connor- Director of KING Hoops

I think what I love most about sports is getting a group of individuals to come together as a team. Instilling the confidence in young kids and then being able to watch them do what they thought they would never be able to is the best feeling.

Cara Hudson- Program Coordinator and UWS Summer Camp Director

I love sports because they teach everyone about sportsmanship and how to work as a team. These are two very important things to learn throughout life to help people grow into strong and respectful human beings. I love that sports bring people together for all over the world.

Sheryl Katz- Director of Marketing

Movement has always been a major part of my life from gymnastics to playing soccer (being slightly scared of the ball still counts, right?) to dancing. My passion for all-things music combined with my intent to express a feeling through movement makes dancing my ideal outlet. It’s during this time that I can let all of myself go and live in the moment. Every time I do, I leave feeling stronger – mentally and physically.Dancing requires us to focus on controlling all parts of our bodies while thinking about applying the emotion we’re meant to exude. The combination of sport and art evolves into a multi-faceted pastime.

Bonus: I’ve discovered some of my favorite songs while watching dance performances!

Katherine Higuera-McCoy- Sr. Program Coordinator and KING Spikes Director
Ok, what do I love about sports? To be honest, the competition and training. I love watching athletes compete and do the best they can to excel in their particular sport. As a former college athlete myself, I know what it takes to push your body to the limit. I respect and admire others in every sport for pushing and testing their bodies to the fullest capacity. I love seeing the drive in people and the want/urge to win, or in some cases just trying their best. Working with KING just further pushes my love for sports as we get to see the beginning of prospective athletes. We get to train the future and teach them what we know and love about sports. Our staff really makes it great for each child to excel and learn a new passion at such an early age. I love sharing my expertise in volleyball to the student athletes I coach because I am passing on everything I know to them. Plus, as an added bonus I get to learn new skills from other former collegiate athletes and get to continuously push myself to new limits.

Frances Niduaza-Murphy- Director of Performing Arts

Even though my training is in classical music (finished my doctoral studies in Collaborative Piano), I have always loved sports, fitness, and the great outdoors. I was a volleyball player from grade school until my senior year in high school, not to mention being actively involved as a church pianist and choir member. Also, I’m still brushing up on my swimming skills. Music and sports have a lot in common: they both teach and enable one to study, to listen, to manage time, to organize, to resolve conflict, to manage stress, to collaborate (being a team player), and to be willing to learn.

Adam Garrison- KING Staff

I love sports because it has provided me the foundation for the development of many lifelong friendships. Sports can also provide a link between generations and strengthen family relationships.

Ramsey Freeman- KING Coach

Working with kids has always been so rewarding. With KING, there are countless opportunities to make an impact on the children that we work and play with. I love the chance to make the kids happy. Seeing them smile and making them laugh is a great perk to the job!

From New York to California and everywhere in between we asked coaches of all levels to share what it means to be a coachable athlete. This compilation is a unique insight into what coaches want to see from their athletes beyond goals, points, and fast times. As an athlete, ask yourself… are you doing these things? What can you improve upon? And as a parent… are you encouraging these traits? Are you allowing your child to be coached?

Paul O’Connor- KING Hoops Coach/Director and Former DI Coach

“Being coachable to me is all about two things: not taking correction personally and the ability to take critical feedback and then directly applying that feedback into the game. It means being an extension of the coach on the court, being even keeled, never getting too high and never getting too low. To me being coachable is a simple as this Doc Rivers quote, “Good players want to be coached, great players want to be told the truth”.”

Wilson Rose- Kids in the Game Coach of Physical Literacy and School of the Blessed Sacrament Middle School Basketball Team

“Coach-ability at its core is the desire to learn. Working with youth in sports is most rewarding when an athlete learns how to take works and put then into actions. When young athletes show the innate passion for learning how their bodies work and accept the challenge of how to put coaching feedback into movements, coaches jobs are easy. The more malleable and curious the mind, the more coachable the athlete!”

Connor Gandossy- Current DI Baseball Coach – St. Louis University

“A coachable baseball is someone open to advice or criticism in order to develop their craft/skills. Sports are a forever adapting game, players must be sponges in order to better their careers.”

Tatum Boehnke – Former DI Swim Coach- Northern Colorado

“To me being a coachable athlete means no eye rolls, pouty lips or crossed arms. You may think that your coach can’t see these mannerisms or that they don’t matter, but believe me, they do. Body language is one of the easiest indications of which athletes are ready to listen, ready to learn, and ultimately ready to become a better athlete. Be careful of what your expressions and posture are saying because they often say more than words. Coachable athletes make eye contact and react with positive stance.”

Katherine Higuera-Mccoy- KING Spikes Head Volleyball Coach

“There is a big difference when you are “forced” to do a sport and don’t have the drive or passion for it. For my girls playing volleyball, coaching them is a pleasure and easier because they want to be there. They continue to ask questions and look for feedback. Most importantly these athletes try to find ways to improve in the sport. They are coachable athletes because of their positive attitudes and how they work actively together.”

Mats Boehnke – FIS Coach – Mammoth Mountain and USA Western Region Development Coach

“Ski racing, arguably, has the most peaks and valleys of any sport. Athletes can go from the top of the podium one day to literally crashing into a net the next. Some race runs feel fast but turn out to be slow while others feel awful and turn out to be super fast. It’s a mental roller-coaster that can discourage even the most mentally tough. Being a coachable athlete mens someone that can stay positive and even keeled despite the frustrations. An athlete works hard during the low times but harder during the high times. Most importantly, a coachable athlete means respecting the sports, dreaming of success and working as hard as you can to get “there.”

Alicen Fair – Elementary and Middle School Coach – ACES Swim Team

“So much of competitive swimming is centered around perfect technique. If you can commit to perfect technique during a hard practice, it will translate to more effective strokes. This ultimately leads to faster times at meets. To me, being a coachable athlete in the pool is putting effort into bettering your craft. It’s easy to get corrections from a coach but it is much harder to actually apply those corrections. When I see athletes putting in effort to better technique, I know they are a coachable athlete.”

When asked to describe the Bronx in three words Tracey Lewis, Kids in the Game Program Coordinator, thought for a couple minutes before saying, “needs more mentors”. From a non-New Yorker perspective, this answer didn’t surprise me. There is no lack in commentary of the “rough, lack of funding, lack of opportunity” side of New York’s most Northern borough. Unfortunately, often times we only hear that side of the story. Tracey is on a mission to write and tell another Bronx story.

Tracey was born and raised in the Bronx and is a The Bronx Wood School elementary school alum. He is currently leading Kids in the Game’s Bronx outreach program, traveling to elementary schools across the borough, educating principals on the Kids in the Game mission. For Tracey, giving kids the opportunity to be surrounded by positive influences is important; but furthermore, giving kids someone they can relate to in a positive way is vital. For that mission, Tracey is the gold standard.

From growing up in the Bronx, Tracey moved upstate to play point guard at Utica College. Although he described Utica as a “culture shock”, Tracey excelled both on the basketball court and in the classroom. He graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and was accepted to the School Counseling Graduate program at Mercy College. To not stop there, Tracey was also a graduate assistant basketball coach at Mercy and has interned with the New York City Police Department. Oh and did I mention he also currently coaches the Cardinal Hayes High School basketball team?

To say he is a positive mentor is an understatement and that does not even include his roles with Kids in the Game. He currently is the After-School Program Director at Mount Carmel Holy Rosary, an elementary school within the Partnership Schools system. The Partnership Schools consists of six Catholic schools that aim to provide outstanding educations to low-income students. Working with this population Tracey has provided further structure and mentorship to these growing kids.

And because Kids in the Game nor Tracey take the summer off, you can find Tracey busy at our Inwood Summer Camp as the Assistant Director or planning drills for a KING Hoops practice.

He might not have a favorite sports team, restaurant, movie, TV show or any other basic questions I asked him, but what he does have is a passion for kids and sports. He told me that his quote “best day ever” is a day where all he does is coach kids and nothing else. Now I don’t have kids, but if I did, I can tell you, I would be first in line to have Coach Tracey be their coach, mentor, and friend.

KinG Hoops NYC, partnered with the Jr. NBA, will be hosting the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge.

This free event will take place this Saturday, April 30th, at 10:00am in the Leman Manhattan Preparatory School gymnasium, located at 25 Greenwich Street (between Morris and Battery Place).

Boys and girls ages 9-14 are welcome to show off their dribbling, shooting and rebounding skills. Finalists will receive  gift bags, have the chance to attend special events, interact with NBA/WNBA players, and attend the 2016 NBA Draft!

King Elite Youth Basketball Tryouts

We are holding 10U, 12U, and 14U team tryouts. (Ages 9-14 are welcome to join us!) The program will be under the direction of Michael Murphy, former NCAA Division I Coach at Columbia University. The cost per tryout is $10.

 
Tryout Dates:

• March 11th, 25 Greenwich St., 6-7:30pm
• March 13th, 229 E 112th St., 3-4:30pm
• March 16th, 535 W 121st St., 6-7:30pm
• March 18th, 25 Greenwich St., 6-7:30pm
• March 20th, 229 E 112th St., 3-4:30pm

FAQs:

• 1 tryout is required; 2 are recommended
• Cost of the team will depend on final numbers; estimate is $1000-$1300 for the season, which includes:
  • Weekly practices
  • Weekly optional workouts
  • 4 tournaments (April / May)
  • Reversible jerseys / game jerseys
• $300 deposit is required to accept invitation to join the team; 2 other payments due on April 1st and May 1st
• Approximately 10 players on each team

For more information, email us at info@kidsinthegame.com or call (212) 634-7262.

We’re excited to announce our Spring Semester basketball programs! Clinics will include skill development, competitive drills, and games.

School of the Blessed Sacrament (147 W. 70th Street, New York, NY 10023)

Saturdays, March 12th – April 30th (7 weeks, no basketball on March 26th)

10:00am-10:50am – Pre-K to 1st Grade

11:00am-11:50am – 2nd Grade to 4th Grade

Lower Manhattan Basketball

Leman Manhattan Preparatory School (25 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10004

Saturdays, March 5th – April 30th (8 weeks, no basketball on March 26th)

9:30am-10:15am – Pre-K to 1st Grade

10:00am-12:00pm – 4th Grade to 8th Grade

East Harlem Basketball

Our Lady Queen of Angels (229 E. 112th Street, New York, NY 10029)
Sundays, March 13th – May 1st (7 weeks, no basketball on March 27th)
12:00pm-1:30pm – Girls 4th to 8th Grade
1:30pm-3:00pm – Boys 4th to 8th Grade

Register online at www.kidsinthegame.com/registration

A new year brings a new beginning – 2016 is the year to join in on the fun and get active! We are busy setting all sorts of goals and resolutions for our team and youth programs for the year ahead. During the process we thought we would share some of our favorite resolutions from The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) list to help children of all ages begin the year on the right foot. Here are a few of our favorites:

5-12 Years Old

• Find a favorite sport. “I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!” You may also like: 3 Simple Goals that Lead to a Successful Basketball Season
• Better beverages. “I will drink water every day, and drink soda and fruit drinks only at special times.”
• Put safety first. “I will always wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter or skateboard.”
• Promote positivity. “I’ll be friendly to kids who may have a hard time making friends by asking them to join activities such as sports or games.”

13 Years Old and Older

• Eat healthy. “I will try to eat two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables every day, and I will drink sodas only at special times.”
• Improve self. “I will take care of my body through physical activity and eating the right types and amounts of foods.”
• Lend a helping hand. “I will help out in my community – through giving some of my time to help others, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.”
• Reduce stress. “When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find helpful ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or talking about my problem with a parent or friend.”

Parents have New Year’s Resolutions too! Whether it be for themselves or the whole family, everyone can benefit from making overall healthier lifestyle choices. Here are realistic resolutions for parents and families from Kids in the Game:

• Pick up a hobby. Hobbies can boost brain power, reduce stress levels and improve your ability to focus. Active hobbies also keep you in shape! Living in New York City poses spatial challenges which makes it hard to keep moving, especially during these cold winter months. There are programs offered for adults and children in indoor sports such as basketball clinics and soccer trainings. Parents can also try yoga, biking, dancing or bowling as a way to stay active while having fun.
• Make your hobby a habit. It is known that repeated actions take 66 days to become a habit. Try to keep up your new hobby for 3 months for it to become a regular part of your schedule and make the habit feel automatic. Certain habits are formed in a shorter amount of time, such as resolving to drink a glass of water after breakfast every day, while others are trickier, such as doing 50 push-ups. Some habits can be formed by continuously improving a skill. Should you choose to take up a sport as your hobby, it is important to develop the right skills to turn recreational playing into automatic performance.
• Volunteer. Offering time to improve the community won’t just benefit those around you, but will also benefit you. You can find friends, learn new skills, advance your career and increase your self-esteem. If you want to volunteer with Kids in the Game, shoot us an email!
• Enjoy the little things. Life moves so quickly, sometimes we forget to appreciate the “here and now” – especially with our loved ones. Make it a goal to celebrate life every day with your family by exercising together, playing games that don’t involve technology or simply having dinner together once a week.

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy New Year from Kids in the Game!

Every November, three of my favorite events take place: my mom’s home cooked turkey feast with all the fixings, a Detroit Lions football game over pecan pie and the one thing I look forward to the most: the first day of basketball practice.  

While I am not too sure how to baste a bird or bake a sweet potato pie, getting ready for basketball season is an occasion I can help you with this November.  

The first few days of basketball practice are critical to a team’s overall success for so many reasons.  It is during these days in November when coaches across the country set the tone for the months ahead.  The message that you deliver to your squad in November can be the difference between a successful season and one that is for the birds.  We will leave the turkey tips to mom, but prepping for the season is something I can help with.   

Michael Murphy selected to coach Senior All-Stars in the ACIS vs Ivy League Senior Game.

At the beginning of basketball season, the first thing that I speak to my team about is our goals for the season.  I learned to keep my expectations to a short, yet valuable list.  One year, I set dozens of goals ranging from how many post touches we had per game to our overall team’s academic GPA.  Setting too many expectations becomes overwhelming for players and difficult for coaches to track the progress of.  Coaches should set all-inclusive goals, and team goals and game goals should be treated differently as they focus on different values.  Teams may take a different strategy into each game, but overarching goals for the season can remain constant.

With that in mind, I set 3 simple team goals for the season.

1. Have fun.
   
   If the team isn’t having fun, there’s no reason to be playing.  There are many things you can do at basketball practice to ensure that your team is having a great time on the court.  I always have the players end shooting contests with a half court shot challenge.  It allows everyone the opportunity to attempt a nearly impossible game-winning shot and regardless of skill level, everyone has a chance to be the hero.  Who knows, we might even need a half court shot during the year and if that shot goes in, all the more confidence the players will have in themselves.  We also save the last 10 minutes of practice for games such as European Handball or “Human Bowling”.  Be creative and add an abundance of humor to your practices.  The kids will be more willing to listen to you if they know they can laugh with you too.  

2. Work hard and develop good habits.  
   
   Coaches on our King Hoop team really stress working hard at developing good habits on the court. For example, if we are running a shooting drill, we stress that the rebounder gets the rebound high in the air with two hands as they would in a game, and that he makes a crisp chest pass to the jump shooter.  If players are not developing good habits at practice, they are developing bad habits.  

As a coach, if you are working hard at focusing on the right things your team will improve each day.  I once had a coach tell me, “Do a million little things right and the big things will fall into place.” I could not agree more!  In basketball and in life, if we focus on working hard and developing good habits, we will achieve success.  

 Give Back.

 Each year I set a team goal of helping others within our community.  The players I work with are very fortunate to have a basketball team to be a part of, but not everyone has this opportunity.  Each season we volunteer at community events to help make a difference in the lives of others.  This is a great opportunity for coaches to expose their teams to causes that might have personal importance to them or to the school community.  

We try to vary our efforts each year. Some examples of our community work include: coaching younger students at community basketball events; teaching underserved youth to read, offering homework help at elementary school programs, volunteering at the Special Olympics, or being a basketball buddy to a child with autism.  Teaching our student-athletes about the importance of helping others builds character and brings them together as a unified team.  

If each season we can have fun, work hard and help others in our community, we will have had a fruitful season, no matter how many games we win or lose.  As coaches, we want to develop our student-athletes into leaders of the community. If we achieve these three goals, we will be well on the way to a successful, turkey-filled season.  

Leman Manhattan Prep ranked Top 10 in New York State ACIS League.

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Michael Murphy is the President & Founder of Kids in the Game and head men’s varsity coach at Leman Manhattan Prep in Lower Manhattan. Michael is also a former NCAA Division I Coach at Columbia University in NYC. To connect with Michael, you can reach him at Michael@kidsinthegame.com