NOTE:  If you plan to have your child tryout for travel basketball please read this page thoroughly and in its entirety.  This information applies to all of our travel teams but my be supplemented by the applicable travel head coach.

What is an ELYB Travel Team?

ELYB travel teams are single grade based teams for boys and girls (boys grades 4-8 full season, and girls 5-8 full season with 4th grade potentially starting in January) living or attending school in the East Lyme or Salem School District.  Travel team’s consist of a maximum of 10 players and are selected via the travel tryout.  Players selected for the travel teams (4^th – 8^th grade) will play against other town’s travel teams participating in the Connecticut Basketball Conference travel league (ctbbc.org).

How do I sign up?

All players wanting to tryout for an ELYB travel are required to register in the general 3^rd-8^th Grade Registration (reg.elyb.org).  During this registration and if your child is in grades 4^th-8^th grade there is an option to indicate travel tryout participation.  If you selected that you did not want to participate and have changed your mind please contact the league as soon as possible and you will be added to the list.

​Commitment and Playing Time:

Families deciding to have their child attend the travel tryouts are committing their child to a higher level of basketball skill development, want to be a part of a more competitive, more demanding basketball experience  and are willing to make travel basketball the primary extracurricular commitment during the winter season.

Playing time is not required to be distributed evenly.  Recreational basketball governs minimum playing time rules but there are no restrictions in Travel.

ELYB realizes that travel players participate in many activities that, on occasion, may require them to miss a game or a practice.  In such cases, please inform the coach as soon as you are aware of the conflict.  Consistent tardiness or absenteeism of practices and/or games will result in disciplinary action, including, reductions in playing time up to the removal of the player from the team.

Season Overview:

Practices:

Practices will begin the week after tryouts (TBD).  Practices will be held throughout the East Lyme and Salem facilities and will be posted on the website once available.   Prior to games beginning in December practices will be held 3x/ week and will drop to 2x/week after games begin.  

Games: 

ELYB Travel teams compete in the Connecticut Basketball Conference (ctbbc.org) generally beginning the 1st week of December.  The teams will normally be playing a minimum of two games per week.  Usually, this will be an away game on Saturday and a home game on Sunday. CTBBC away games require travel ranging from around 5 minutes to an hour away.  Most home games are at ELMS or the Salem School.   

The travel basketball season lasts into March, culminating with every ELYB travel team participating in the Neil Hoelck Tournament in Waterford.  Teams may also participate in other tournaments in CT and neighboring states during the season.

Cost and Fees:

If your child is selected for the team, you will be required to complete the online travel registration.  As part of that registration, you will be charged an additional $100 travel registration fee.  Additionally, during registration, all players will be required to have a uniform consisting of a jersey (~$30), shorts (~$15) shooting shirt (~$15), and a practice pinnie (~$10).  For returning  players, uniforms are the same as last year and therefore you only need to purchase the pieces you require.

Tryouts:

Travel Tryouts are closed tryouts.  Only players, Board Members, Travel Head Coaches and Evaluators are allowed in the gyms.  Players should be dropped off at least 10 minutes prior to their tryout.  Players should dress in proper basketball attire (T-shirt, shorts, sneakers) and make sure they wear a shirt with a number on it.  If you do not have a shirt with a number on it, we will tape one on the back of the shirts for them.  Also, bring a water bottle (only water is permitted in the gym) and your own properly sized basketball. See the chart below for additional information.

TRAVEL TEAM TRYOUT DATES 

Player Selection Process:

While athleticism, size, speed, and basketball skill are important factors during the evaluation process, so are focus, disciplined behavior, positive sportsmanship, and dedication to team play.  Players will be selected based on this criterion as well as overall team needs.  Players will be evaluated by the applicable Travel Head Coach with input from members of the ELYB Board, and/or other ELYB Travel Head Coaches and non-immediate relative coaches.  The final decision, however, is made by the head coach.  

 Notification of Results:

Travel Tryout Results/rosters will be posted for all teams on their applicable travel teams web page following tryouts.  This will be the only communication from the travel coach to players not on the travel roster with regards to travel results.  ELYB forbids travel coaches from discussing tryout results with players/parents that do NOT make the team unless a request is made by the player/parent to the board. 

Players not making the travel team will continue to attend the next Group Skill development session (TBD) or the appropriate Recreation League Division evaluation which will be posted on the website.

Travel Rosters will appear here when posted

4th Grade Girls

Coach: Dyson Cryer

Elisabeth Capone

Leah Cryer

Liana Melazzo-Shoaf

Madison Gore

Charlotte Keefe

Mahi Manthena

Ceriline Argeris

Nova Harrington

Samantha Bradley

Gabriella Legg

4th Grade Boys

Coach: Jon Roads

Cameron Coriaty

Gavin Francis

Kole Johns

Nathan Yakubu

Austin Helle

Everett Roads

Jain Nikhil

Jordan Liese

Luke Lecy

Chase Anton

5th Grade Girls

Coach: Matt Hopkins

Paige Akeman 

Stella He

Sonia Menon

Marykate Dunne

Sydney Erban

Brooklyn Kuzak

Isabella Messier

Maky Rojo Graham

Ella Hopkins

5th Grade Boys

Coach: Jen Labrie

Bode Labrie

Tanner Mainetti

Kashton Kaczor

Drew Joyce

Evan Stutt

Brady Donovan

Nico Russo

Colton Buhler

Ben Lubeski

Finnegan Eident

6th Grade Girls

Coach: Nikki Buzzelli

Karmella Buzzelli

Chloe DiVita

Emma Dmowski

Lily Ganacoplos

Riya Heera

Taylor Maynard

Nora Parulis

Gianna Scalora

Juliette Schneck

McKenna Wagner

Olivia Wlodarczyk

6th Grade Boys

Coach: Chris Gianakos

Blake Gianakos

Alessandro Baggio

Alexander Mitchell

Tyler Sampieri

Anthony Guevara

Layne LeCara

Tyler Pape

Max Fischer

7th Grade Girls

Coach Jason Cordes

Mia Cordes

Clara Dueker

Emme Knowlton

Brooke Brennan

Embry Kenney

Macy Spakowski

Peyton Swanson

7th Grade Boys

Coach Alan Maziarz

Evan Doyon

Colton Glover

Roba Pereles

Hayden Pine

Max Maziarz

John Roberts

Brayden Santos

Dylan White

8th Grade Girls

Coach: Scott Eident

Olivia Diep

Bella Dmowski

Sadie Eident

Clara Poletto

Grace Goldsmith

Maria Hage

Alexandra Pazzaglia

8th Grade Boys

Coach: Jack Biggs

Greyson Bigg

Kyle Cellemme

Mihir Heera

Carter Hofer

Jake Sevigney

Henry Garabedian

Callan McNamara

Junyu Wang