The streets may be lined with holiday cheer and snow is falling outside our windows but that isn’t stopping our team from dreaming about summer camp. Today is the big day and registration is officially open for Summer 2018. Last year’s camp season was one for the books with stories we are still reliving. We know that 2018 will be even better as we welcome new and past campers.

To celebrate registration opening and to take all of your minds off the cold we wanted to share just 5 of the many reasons why you and your kids will love our summer camps.

1. There is something for everyone. Whether your child is all about sports, art or STEM, we have inclusive activities for all of them. KING Summer Camp prides itself on providing a well-rounded experience that not only caters to kids’ current likes but also expands their minds to new activities. It would take all day to name every activity that our campers participate in but to name a few:

Sports: Basketball, tennis, wiffle ball, flag football, soccer, and dozens of other unique KING games that will be the talk of the dinner table each night.
Arts and Crafts: We offer age specific projects ranging from tye-dye to bracelet making and beyond.
STEM: campers have the opportunity to learn computer coding, test their chemistry skills making play dough and slime and use their creativity in project design.

2. The opportunity to explore New York City! Each week our campers have the opportunity to go on unique field trips all over New York City. Last year our campers cheered on the Mets and the Yankees, rode the rides at Coney Island and put their scientist hats on at the Hall of Science. This year we will be bringing back field trip favorites and adding new and exciting trips for our campers to enjoy.

3. Our staff rocks! Every time someone asks us what makes our camp different we always say it is our awesome staff! We are unique to other camps because we run programs year around and our coaches work with kids throughout the year, not just in the summer. Our staff includes hundreds of wonderful coaches that are certified teachers, former college athletes, full-time KING staff and are all dedicated to making sure that all campers have the best time ever.

4. Parents, this one is for you: we are super affordable! A quick Google search will tell you that we are well below our competitors. We are dedicated to keeping our prices affordable to give all kids the opportunity to experience the joys of summer camp. We are also offering early bird specials to make camp even more affordable. Sign up before March 1st and enjoy $50 off per week! We also offer pay-in-full and sibling discounts.

5. Swimming! A highlight of last summer was the addition of swim lessons. We are bringing them back this year and are very excited to continue to promote and teach safe swimming. Campers last year not only improved their swimming ability but also had a ton of fun doing so. Lessons are taught in a group setting by professional instructors and are catered to the groups’ existing ability. Lessons are an additional $50 per week.

To be honest, choosing only 5 reasons was tough because there are so many reasons to love KING Summer Camp! Find out more by visiting our website or shooting an email to info@kidsinthegame.com See you this summer!

Anytime a parent, school or organization asks us what makes us different than other companies in our field, the same answer always comes to mind first: our awesome staff. Each month we take the time to honor a Coach of the Month and we want to share a few fun facts about November’s pick.

Hector was awarded November coach of the month by a landslide vote by his peers and our senior team. Hector began his KING journey through the Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP). This program provides job-ready 16-24 year-old young adults who are currently not employed or in school, placement into a short-term internship opportunity. Funded through the Mayor’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), the program offers 14 weeks of paid orientation, training and work followed by 9 months of follow-up services and assistance for placement in permanent jobs, training programs and educational opportunities. Hector successfully completed his internship and has been with KING ever since taking on various roles and levels of responsibility including summer camp counselor, after-school leader and basketball coach. In January Hector will continue to grow with KING through the Up2Us Sports Coaches program.

As good a person as he is coach, let’s learn some more about Coach Hector!

What is one word you would use to describe yourself as a child?
A. Easy, adventurous.

If you were to tell one person “Thank You” for helping you become the person you are today, who would it be and why?
A. Also easy, Coach Tracey. He has mentored me over the past year and has taught me how to be a better leader, teammate and coach.

What movie or novel character do you most identify with?
I identify with the character “Zero” from the novel and film Holes. What I find the most interesting about Zero is how he is always underestimated. He has never been to school, but has great mathematical intelligence. I, like Zero, like to prove to people that where you come from doesn’t have to determine where you are going.

Fill in the blank: If you really knew me, you’d know_____

My favorite football team is the New York Jets. I am a very passionate fan of my football team even though sometimes it is not easy being at Jets fan! I practically watched my team lose in every embarrassing way possible week after week. However, I still choose to be loyal and root for them every Sunday. J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!

If you were to start a company from scratch, what values would you build it on?
I believe core values for any business to succeed is solid teamwork and strong leadership. Good communications skills are another value that is very important to satisfy the customers.

What is one memory do you treasure the most?
Going to my very first NBA game with my father! He surprised me with tickets, and it was a game that I will never forget!

What super power would you like to have?
The super power I would like to have is teleportation. I would be able to travel the world in the snap of a finger.

Big congratulations to Coach Hector and stay tuned for next month’s Coach of the Month!

Each month Kids in the Game has a different theme to tie into our recess, after school and enrichment programming. For October the theme is “Health and Wellness”. Now as a sports and fitness based organization, this one seems pretty simple! But just as our kids need reminders that French fries are not vegetables and Gatorade is not water, we wanted to create something for our coaches to remind them to make healthy choices too (and have a little fun in the process!).

For the remaining of October, we have created a Health and Wellness Bucket List and we want to challenge you to join! Take the time to think about your own healthy habits and remember changing small habits can go a long way…let’s do this!

#1- Ride your bike to work! Or go for a bike ride around your neighborhood or through the park.

Teaching our kids about health and wellness is important. But living healthy lifestyles ourselves is just as important. Kids watch and learn from everything that we do and being positive role models in all aspects of life is key. Be sure to check out our social media accounts (link them here) for updates on how our coaches are tackling these challenges.

Organize. Build. Play. Whether we are talking about Legos, fort building, or gathering friends for a pickup game of soccer the process remains the same: Organize. Build. Play. KING partnered up with the VML foundation this past week to put these words into action while giving back to our community. The VML Foundation is the non-profit foundation of VML (a creative advertising agency) that aims to give back to the communities they work and live in. Each year their 26 worldwide locations take the same day off work to participate in the VML Foundation Day and volunteer. This year, VML New York City chose to work with KING.

It is not everyday that we need 100+ volunteers on a Thursday in September, but that did not stop us from organizing, building, and playing!

Step 1 Organize: After a generous donation from the VML foundation we were able to order large quantities of brand new PE equipment to be donated to 3 schools: 2 in Harlem and 1 in the Bronx. 8 dozen balls, 160+ cones, dozens of jump ropes, flag football gear, floor spots, and basically any other PE gear you can imagine all randomly packed in boxes—mix and match, sort it out and get that gear organized.

Step 2 Build: Many schools in New York City not only lack adequate PE equipment, but also lack storage space for the equipment they do have. Racks, boxes, and storage containers to the rescue! Our VML volunteers got out their tools and constructed storage solutions for each school.

Step 3 Play: The hard work is done and now it’s time to enjoy the benefits; it is finally time to play! The three schools we partnered with were gracious enough to welcome us into their gyms for the donation unveil and to play a few games. The VML team was greeted by over 240 excited kids ready to dominate in a game of wizard ball! It is debatable who had more fun playing, the kids or the volunteers; we will call it a tie for now!

The day allowed 100+ volunteers the opportunity to travel back to their elementary and middle school days and forget about their day-to-day worries. The day also opened their eyes to the struggles many schools have to keep up with adequate equipment. The impact this volunteer day had on these schools will continue to grow each time a kid uses a basketball or a jump rope that they didn’t have before.

To be able to give back to the communities we work with is the best part of our jobs. A big thanks to the VML foundation for joining us in the fun, it was a day for the books!

What was said about the event:

“…We would like to thank your organization and the VML Foundation for your very generous gifts of equipment and your valuable time spent with our students yesterday. The equipment will help our sports teams tremendously and the Scholarship will aid one of our 8th graders to attend one of your summer camps.” –Patrick Mangan, Athletic Director, Frederich Douglas Academy

“What an incredible day for everybody. Everybody was talking about it today, sharing pictures, stories, etc. Great stuff, great organization you guys have” -Chris Furse VML Executive Director

“I know I speak for our entire office, and especially our Foundation Team, when I say that the entire KING team made the day yesterday. We’ve gotten so much positive feedback from our exec team and various staff members, and that was in large part to your team and the passion you all have for coaching, the kids, your energy, and the overall mission of KING Kids.” -Jaime Manela, VML Foundation Team Leader

Each year we are privileged to work with interns from all over New York City, the United States and even the world. This summer is no exception. Our summer class is full of ladies making their names be known. Our organization may be called KING but this year’s summer interns are the Queens of King and are already making a huge impact on summer camp and beyond! Get to know them a little better!

Stephanie

1. Hometown: Barrington, RI
2. Place of Education: Fordham University
3. What clubs/ sports/ activities are you involved with in college?: Track & Field team, tutoring at the Rosedale Center, Fordham Dance Marathon
4. What brought you to Kids in the Game?: At KING, I am able to be involved in both coaching kids and working on marketing/communications

5. What is your favorite physical activity/sport?: Track & Field
6. What is your favorite part about New York City? There is always something to do (and lots of good food)
7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? South Africa
8. Favorite part of Working at KING: I get to do something different everyday.
9. If you were an animal, which one would you be? Cat!

Karen

1. Hometown: Yinchuan, China
2. Place of Education: Fordham University
3. What clubs/ sports/ activities are you involved with in college?: Swimming, biking, hiking

4. What brought you to Kids in the Game?: The business and finance internship position fits my field of study and I enjoy the part that we can work with kids!
5. What is your favorite physical activity/sport?: Favorite physical activity definitely hiking!

6. What is your favorite part about New York City? The city has so many opportunities and possibilities. You can always find something to explore and the charming part is that you don’t know what you are getting yourself into.
7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? : I would like to go Tanzania. I’ve been seen Animal Worlds (a popular documentary in China) and National Geographic for too many years since I was a little girl. Always always want to go Serengeti National Park and climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
8. Favorite part of Working at KING: My favorite part is that I can give a lot of my own thoughts into the projects that I’m working on. I’ve been interned for quite a long time and accumulated a deep understanding of the business. I can be more creative and relate the current project to the knowledge that I have learned at school. Also, I enjoy working together and getting to know the whole team. I feel that I’m developing my soft skills every day in the company.
9. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?: I want to be a panda. Climbing the trees, eating a lot of healthy bamboos and sleeping ~14 hours per day. Then the whole world thinks you’re cute!!

Maxine Law

1. Hometown: Hong Kong
2. Place of Education: Hong Kong Polytechnic University
3. What clubs/ sports/ activities are you involved with in college?: Swimming!! I was in the swimming team and won lots of medals for my school:) also I played badminton during the PE lesson with my friends too (because they only know badminton).

4. What brought you to Kids in the Game?: My dream of being a teacher and an inspiration to kids brought me here. I want to be a teacher since I was young, to teach kids knowledge and guide the way to be an upright person to the next generation. Yet, in Hong Kong most schools are scores-and-exams-oriented and neglect to provide kids or students a proper experience of growing up and have a happy childhood. Students in Hong Kong lack physical activities and all they know is to do exercise to get high marks in exam. I want to learn the way how KING put knowledge and personal growth into activities and games, and bring it back to HK:)
5. What is your favorite physical activity/sport?: Swimming and badminton, also other sports (not really good at, but so eager to try)
6. What is your favorite part about New York City? My favorite part of New York City must be the Statue of Liberty. When people talk about the USA, the first thing to think of is the Statue of Liberty. To me, it represents the country, the American culture and also the American Dream.
7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I have been lots of places and there are still lots of places in the world that I want to visit.
For example, Rome in Italy to see the statues of ancient Roman Empire, Finland to see northern lights, Easter Island to see the stone statues, France to visit the Palace of Versailles and Mesopotamia to explore the lost civilization.

8. Favorite part of working at KING: My favorite part of working at KING is that I can get along with kids and play with them. Sometimes kids are the teachers for us the adults, to remind us what we should behave and our own aspiration. We teach them knowledge but actually they are also our teachers. Getting along with them is to let us learn from each other.
9. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? I would like to choose wolf. In Chinese society, wolf is always viewed as cunning. BUT I totally don’t agree with it!!

Wolves are always live with a pack. We never see a wolf kept in zoo and that because wolf pack is strong when wolves are together, and I believe that we will be stronger when we stay together and united. Also, wolf is loyal to their pack and that fits my personality.

Jamie Ross

1. Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

2. Place of Education: Grand Canyon University

3. What clubs/ sports/ activities are you involved with in college?: I’ve worked at Starbucks while I have been in college, and my roommate is on the women’s Rugby team so I always go and support them!
4. What brought you to Kids in the Game? The opportunity came for me to move out to NYC, and I began looking for internships. My sister is good friends with one of the employees at KING so she introduced me to the company.
5. What is your favorite physical activity/sport? Swimming! I love being in the water!
6. What is your favorite part about New York City? My favorite part about New York City is the atmosphere! There is always something going on, and I love that I am able to see so many different things during my time here. I would definitely go to Europe. I have always wanted to go the Italy, France and Spain. They’re on my bucket list!

8. Favorite part of Working at KING: My favorite part of working at KING is that each day presents something new, and I am able to work with kids. I love that I can come into work and have a new project and adventure for the day.
9. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?: A cat, because they are calm but can also have an edge.

By Paul O’Connor- KING Hoops Program Director and 16U Head Coach

The Spring AAU season came to a close for the KING Hoops program this past weekend. We ended on the ultimate high note with our 16U team taking home their first championship at The Battle of the Hills in Riverdale. This was our second championship of the Spring season as our 15U team won the Under Armour Challenge in Trumbull, CT two weeks before. All four of our teams competed at a high level all Spring which we are super proud of.

I’m so very proud of all the players during this 3 month stretch. We made tremendous strides and progress and will look to continue to build on what we’ve learned over the summer. We plan on having our teams play in tournaments and leagues throughout the summer. For our older boys this is an extremely important time for them to work on their game to be ready to go for their high school seasons. One thing us coaches pride ourselves on is making sure that high school coaches get their players back not only in better shape, but as better players, and most importantly a better teammates.

For our younger players, this summer will be another opportunity for skill development and to grow their basketball IQ’s. The best part of our job as coaches is watching our younger players grow up in our program. We truly believe in that KING Hoops is a family and we are all growing up together.

We will be having open workouts for players to join our program at Leman Prep (1 Morris St) June 9th from 6:00-9:00PM. Please contact Coach Paul at paul@kidsinthegame.com if you’re interested.

The day has finally arrived. Your lunch box is packed full. Your outfit is ready. Your sunscreen is prepped (thanks mom and dad!). Today is the day that you don’t mind that your alarm clock (do kids still use alarm clocks?) is ringing for the first time since school got out. You have excited butterflies in your stomach anticipating the new friends you will meet and the new experiences you will have. Today is the day. Today is the first day of Kids in the Game SUMMER CAMP!

By design, a day at a summer camp run by Kids in the Game looks a little bit different everyday of the week. The general structure, of course, has consistency and fluidity to ensure that our campers and counselors alike know the general routine of camp. However, we want our campers to wake up every morning with the same excitement they feel on day one of camp as they do on day 27 of camp. To insure this we have made it a priority to put detailed thought into activities, themes, projects, and field-trips.

Here is what a one day at KING Summer Camp looks like:

8:00-9:00 Early dropoff begins with main camp festivities beginning at 9am. The most prepared camper will come with a refillable water bottle, a lunch with extra snacks for throughout the day and a ready-to-go attitude!

9:00-9:15- Camp Rally! This an important time of the day to welcome all the kids and give them a run down of what the day will look like.

9:15-10:30- First sports/movement activity of the day. This section could be tennis, basketball, soccer, baseball… you name it we probably do it. We keep our instructional blocks to small groups so our campers will have fun but also learn the fundamentals of that day’s sport. Our staff includes sport specialists that have the highest knowledge in their particular sport.

10:30-10:45- Snack time! With our campers being active for most of the day, it is key to stay hydrated (water bottles are a MUST!) and fueled up on snacks. We will have a snack shop full of nutritious snacks if you want to send your camper with a couple extra bucks or pack some extras into their lunch box.

10:45-11:45- Each of our camps is located next to a beautiful outdoor park. We get special permits at each location to use these parks to their fullest extent. At this time during the day, we will be playing special, larger grouped activities. These activities will be geared towards the weekly theme.

11:45-12:30- For this time frame, we will split the groups into a couple different stations. This could be arts and crafts, a STEM project, or a specialized movement group. We have specialists working with each of these groups and again the activities will directly correlate to the weekly theme. Let’s think about through the decades theme for a second… the kids will travel back in time and learn different dance movements (sock hop, the twist, etc) and explore decade-old, classic craft activities (flower crowns, pet rocks, making play-dough etc). Our activities in these sections are design to cater to specific age groups, so every camper will get the most out their camp experience.

12:30-1:00 – Lunch! Time to sit back, relax and refuel. All our campsites have refrigerators to store lunches from home.

1:00-1:30 – Camps days are go-go-go so it is important to have a little downtime. Our youngest campers might use this time to nap, older kids to read a book or work with a counselor on some academic work.

1:30-2:30- If you were in the arts group in the morning then it is your time to do STEM or creative movement and vice versa. No need to fret, all campers will get to participate in all planned activities.

2:30-3:30- This will be our second stop for a large group activity. This activity will be different than the morning, but no less fun! We have 100+ games in our pockets, so we promise no kid will get bored playing the same thing over and over again.

3:30-4:00- End of day rally with a special treat to boot! Don’t fret that the day has come to an end. There is always tomorrow for more camp adventures. The best questions we get asked at the end of the day are the “what are we doing tomorrow….Can we do this tomorrow?” type of questions. And we can confidently answer… tomorrow will bring new adventures, new friends and new experiences.

4:30-6:00- For those needing a little extra time to come pick up your camper we do offer extended after care from 4:30-6. This is an additional $15 per day and can be added at an at-need basis.

A couple of extra notes: Like we said, we like to keep everyday a little bit different and this schedule will change here and there to accommodate special trips, activities and projects.

Wednesdays will always be our field trip days. Whether you are a Mets fan or a Yankees fan, don’t worry, we got you covered and go to a game of each. We will also be going to Luna park, museums, and a Liberty basketball game.

This year we are also offering swim lessons. Lessons are an additional $45 per week for a 40-minute lesson. Highly trained swim specific instructors teach our lessons.
Already know how to swim? No problem, we take the 1st grade and up campers to the pool for open swim once a week as well!

We truly believe that communication is key to our success. Camp families will receive weekly communication on how camp is going, what to expect and if there is any special items that your camper need to bring (i.e. White t-shirt for tye-dye, swim suit for lessons, wear your camp t-shirt for field trip etc…)

For more detailed information on our summer camps please visit https://www.kidsinthegame.com/summer-camps/ and let’s all get pumped for the BEST SUMMER EVER WITH KING!

A day that holds deep meaning to us, often a lot more than we realize until it arrives each year: Mother’s Day (a day that honors many of you!).

Mom, Melissa, and daughter, Livi, embodying the #powerofshe after our Athleta Parent-Child yoga class. They laughed, breathed, stretched and strengthened together in the studio with KING on Saturday morning.

Moms are women who shape us. Women who want the very best for us; for us to succeed in our endeavors; to persevere when it’s hard; to be people who lift each other up; and to be well and thrive for our whole lives.

A funny (and, I think, universally acknowledged) paradox is that moms are often the ones who model for us what it means to be well, yet have the hardest task of actually taking the time to be well. You might see this all too well in your life. We want you to know, though, that when KING says we’re committed to the kids we serve, that to us means a commitment to their families. For kids to thrive best, the adults in their life need to be thriving too.

Mom and their kiddo delighting over their artfuls creations at a KING afterschool program.

Speaking on this little paradox, we invited KING friend and partner Randi Zinn of Beyond Mom:

To find wellness in your family, first you must start with yourself. There are a million reasons why not (i have no time, my kids need me, their dad doesn’t cook the way i do and so on). But there is one giant reason why you must start with you. Because the mom is the anchor of any family and she must be whole to do it well. Here’s the great news and a truth I’ve discovered as I’ve navigated running multiple businesses, mothering two kids, and being someone’s wife and friend: it doesn’t take as much time as you think to feel whole. That’s right! A little goes a long way. So a workout once or twice a week. A coffee with a girlfriend. A manicure. These little things make us feel that we are investing in ourselves. And when we feel whole, we arrive home more enthusiastic, more prepared to be MOM. And we feel more joy around it. And with that joy we create a dynamic of health and balance in our home. It’s a beautiful recipe for happiness, really, and one that is more simple than we think. With more attention on the individual self, mom is happier to be mom. And everyone benefits from that.

When mom benefits, everyone benefits. Which is why KING is working to bring the moms (and dads!) of our youth opportunities to be well, and do it with their kids! Last week we launched a partnership with Athleta to bring free parent-child yoga to the community at the Athleta Flatiron studio.

We’ll be holding that every Saturday this month at 11:30. Our efforts just begin their, though. Stay tuned this summer for invitations from KING for events that will allow Mom to do wellness with their kiddos. Think Family Fun Nights, with movement, games, art and healthy snacks. When we do wellness with the youth in our lives, they hold wellness as something dear.

So here’s to the women who raise, encourage, advise, inspire and love us. May you be well and thrive.

What’s up KING fam?!? We here at KING wanted to give a huge thanks to our sponsors and our teams for coming out to support our programs and mission this past weekend. Our first ever 3 on 3 basketball tournament, KING of the Court, was a huge success. In total, we had 18 teams participate this year and plan to double that next year!

It takes a village to run a successful event and we feel very lucky to have the best village around. A big thanks to Indoor Hoops for signing on as our first major sponsor of our tournament. If you need leagues to play in throughout the city, they are should be your go to! As you all know, the key to a successful event is bomb food… shout out to Panera Bread for providing breakfast and lunch for all our players and volunteers. Thirdly, a big shoutout to Nature’s Bakery for providing 300+ fig bars to help our players charge back up in between games.

We’d also like to thank Yogaworks, Soul Cycle, Essentia Water and GNC for coming out and supporting our event. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Most importantly, we want to thank each and every single player that participated this year. Anytime you take the jump to start something new, it can be nerve-racking and all of you came through in a major way. This tournament represents our dedication to provide Kids growing up in New York City with opportunities to play basketball, go to summer camp and #growupking.

In ten years, when we are running the 2027 KING of the Court tournament, we will always remember this year and where it all began. We cannot wait to see all of you back year after year.

For more information on how you can be involved in KING Kids year around please contact Kingkids@kidsinthegame.com

Let’s talk green.

Take a look at a KING coach’s T-shirt, our website, our logo: we operate in blue and yellow. Blue for strength, stability and trust. Yellow for joy, energy and positivity. What is easily overlooked (by us too) is the result when we combine these colors. We get green. For KING, this means freshness, growth and life – three themes we are passionate about developing in the lives of our youth.

Holding our first annual Spring Break Camp this past week, our arts and STEAM projects were rooted in the theme: Growing Up KING in the Spring. We talked about the components needed to make life happen and growth happen, then brought those components into each day of programming:

Monday saw us with seeds; we gave them a place to put down roots – a pot for a home – and we gave them food, or soil.

Tuesday we focused on water, demonstrating the way water collects in the clouds by making shaving cream and food coloring rain clouds, then reusing the ingredients from the project and some white crayons to make rainy cards.

Wednesday was all about the sun. We made two forms of sun catchers to hang in our windows and help our plants grow with “extra light”.

Thursday, we got to see what springs up when all of the components work together: life forming out of the ground and into something stable, strong and vibrant. We used recycled Trader Joe’s bags and painted on them (after mixing our own hues of green from blue and yellow), cut out tree shapes, cut out leaves and flowers, making a varied and beautiful forest of creativity.

Finally, on Friday, we got to see how one strong and stable life can support the growth of other life; our strong trees are able to hold bird nests and provide baby birds a safe place to grow, and from which they can spread their wings and take flight.

All of these lessons about growth and life apply directly to our youth. As coaches, we’re committed to building ourselves and the kids we serve to reflect blue (stability and trust), yellow, (positivity and joy); and from these, seeing growth and life! More still, we – coaches and kids alike – strive to reflect strong, rooted trees that support and help spur one another to take off as leaders, dreamers and creators.

So as the week and our talks about seeing life came to a close, we asked some of our campers: What is your favorite thing about the Earth?

Here’s what we found…

Lena: The flowers, that’s what I love. Because they look pretty.

Simone: It makes trees. Because without the trees, the Earth would die because the car stinks and without the trees the Earth would stink.

Veronika: The grass. Because it’s green and it grows back and when it does it’s a shiny bright green.

Liam: Nature, because it grows and it turns beautiful.

Ryan: The sea, the Natural History Museum and the dinosaurs that are called fossils.

Graham: The ocean because we get to play in it and there are sea animals under it and I think that’s all.

As March comes to an end and brackets are thrown in the trash, it’s a good time for most teams to reflect on the past season. King Hoops teams began practicing in October, similar to most college teams and finished (much to our dismay) a little too early in March.

Our teams participated in the 55 Swish league at Basketball City this past year. Our kids were tested every week both mentally and physically. As a coaching staff, one of the our biggest challenges was getting our kids to play through adversity. At the start of the season, if we got down 8-10 points the attitude was very much, “that’s it, we’re losing, we’re going to lose…” and down went the effort level. We were constantly looking for new ways to keep our kids motivated and their heads in the game.

This is something I’ve seen a lot of especially with kids in middle school. Middle school competition levels begin to increase and this may be the first time some players aren’t the best ones on the court. This can be a challenging thing to deal with, especially mentally. Therefore, we like to instill confidence in our players in a variety of ways: verbally with positive language and encouragement or physically with high fives, hugs, and huddles. We value getting to know our players as individuals and recognizing what motivates them. If we can get a group of ten mentally strong players to click as one cohesive team we know a long March is in our future.

This past Saturday we finished our last tryout this past Saturday with a total of 84 kids in attendance! We have spent this week calling kids from all over the city to give them the good news that they are now KING Hoopers. It’s an exciting time for the King Hoops program and we look forward to a great Spring season with our teams.

If you have any questions about the KING Hoops programs please contact Paul O’Connor at paul@kidsinthegame.com

Mount-Carmel Holy Rosary or better known in our office as MCHR is a PreK-3 through 8th grade school in East Harlem. KING currently runs the after-school program at MCHR led by our fearless program manager Tracey Lewis. MCHR is a member of the Partnership School Organization and arguably has the cutest school uniforms of all time. Along with the uniform cred, MCHR has been shining in the after-school game as well. Here are some highlights and shoutouts that you need to know about:

1) Program Highlight:
PreK Chess Club: Yes you read that correctly, at MCHR the PreK kids are better at chess than (more than?) half our staff. Chess club is just one of the extracurricular activities offered at MCHR, others include homework help, STEM projects, and sports activities.

2) Kid Highlight:
Mayalee is a kindergarten student at MCHR. She is an active participant in all after school activities and was an easy choice for KING Kid of the month. Mayalee takes working on her homework very seriously and always asks great questions when she needs help. Her math and reading skills have improved tremendously because of her eagerness to learn. Keep up the great work Mayalee, we love seeing that smile everyday at MCHR!

Scarlet is a Pre-K student at MCHR. A few words her coaches use to describe her are: listener, hard worker, compassionate and kind friend… those are some awesome words! She demonstrates genuine love and kindness to everyone whom she interacts. We are so grateful that we get to work with Scarlet and watch her grow up as a Kid in the Game. You are a role model Scarlet!

3) Staff Highlight:
This Staff Rocks! Our staff at MCHR is a wonderful group of coaches that love spending a part of their day at this school. Laughter and learning fill the air between structured dance routines, art projects, and sports games. The bond between our coaches and the after-school students at MCHR is undeniably strong and we know that our coaches gain just as much from the students as they do from yes. We are very grateful for the partnership with MCHR. Thank you coaches for all your hard work!

4) UNICEF Kid Power Update:
In January we started the UNICEF Kid Power Training Program with MCHR 4th-8th graders in the after-school program.(need a reminder of what this is? Click here!) Since starting the program the kids at MCHR have taken over 197,000 steps, earned over 3,800 power points, and donated 382 food packets to underdeveloped countries. Let’s keep cheering them on… keep on stepping, skipping, running, and playing!