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

4G - TBD

5G - Buzzelli

6G - Cordes

8G - Delaney

4B - Kaczor

5B - Gianakos

6B - Maziarz

7B - Biggs

8B - Kaczor