Deadline to sign up for youth basketball program is Friday

A move by the Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department to resurrect its youth basketball program this winter is facing an uncertain future as the registration deadline nears.

The deadline for receiving sign-ups for the youth basketball program is Friday, Nov. 15, and the Park Department is caught in a Catch-22 situation.

Some parents, Park Director Rod Weinschenk explained, have said they want to wait and see how successful the program is in luring participants before committing to the city effort. The problem with that, he noted, is if they wait too long -- i.e., past Friday's deadline -- the program might not have enough numbers to proceed this year either.

"Don't wait until the bitter end," Weinschenk advised parents still considering signing up their children for the basketball program. "We need the numbers. Don't sit back and say, 'You're waiting to see if the program goes.'"

Weinschenk said the program will be evaluated after the Friday deadline passes. He said one encouraging thing is that many of the registrations received thus far are "brand new names and faces for the most part."

"If you are thinking about registering your children for the program," he advised, "you need to do it quickly. Nov. 15 is the second deadline we have set."

Registration forms have twice gone home with Greencastle school children. Forms are also available at City Hall, the museum and the library.

The plan to resurrect the basketball program was outlined earlier this fall by Weinschenk, who last December was forced to cancel the season when apparent confusion with a competing program helped curtail registrations for the park league.

After approximately 20 years of continuous recreational youth basketball competition -- first as a YMCA-sponsored program and then under the auspices of the City Park Department -- the league was reluctantly put on hold for the 2012-13 season.

Two years after watching 300 youngsters participate in recreational youth basketball for Greencastle children in grades 1-6, only 68 registrations dribbled in last fall. That was considered far too few to create age-appropriate teams and conduct any semblance of league play.

Meanwhile, the revived park program has the full support of the Greencastle Community School Corporation, Weinschenk has stressed.

Plans call for basketball practices to begin around Thanksgiving. Games would then commence on the second Saturday in January with league play expected to end on the final Saturday of February.

Fees are $50 per player ($55 for any late registrations) for Greencastle youngsters in grades 1-6.

Meanwhile, the fee for youngsters to participate in the My First Shot basketball program for kindergarteners is $35.

The cost to sponsor a team in the park league will be $120.

In other business at the recent November Park Board meeting, the Greencastle High School National Honor Society, represented by President Tanner Dean and GHS sponsor Brenda Meyer, received approval to conduct a Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Nov. 23.

The event, to be staged as a fundraiser for local food pantries, will begin at 8 a.m. at Robe-Ann Park, using the same course as the annual July 4 Mike Rokicki Fun Run. Registration will begin at 7:15.

Cost to participate in the Turkey Trot 5K is $20 if pre-registered by Nov. 15 or $25 the day of the run. Registration forms are available at all Greencastle schools and online via the high school website.

In addition to approving the run, the Park Board, on a motion by Cathy Merrell, waived the reservation fee for use of the shelterhouse that day. Votes by board President John Hennette, Tim Trigg and Beva Miller made approval unanimous.