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February 23, 2007 |  |
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Welcome to the February 23, 2007; edition of the MYAS Update In this Issue Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. |
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Our newsletter is designed to provide timely youth sports information to coaches, athletes, parents and administrators. This includes notes from the Executive Director, calendar reminders, new service announcements and special events. Contributions from our sponsors assist us in delivering high quality youth sports services at the lowest possible cost; contributions partially fund this newsletter and certain sponsors will be featured. Dan's Notes - from Executive Director Dan Klinkhammer THANK YOU TIMBERWOLVES AND LYNX! The awards for the 2007 MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships and Gopher State Spring Basketball Championships will have a new look. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx have signed on to be the Title Sponsors of those events. This year’s Grade State team trophies will be sporting the Timberwolves and Lynx logos and the players on the championship teams in the Gopher State Spring Championships will be receiving Josten’s rings with the Wolves and Lynx logos prominently displayed. You’ll also notice their logos displayed on site banners, bracket boards, game schedules, site maps and results web pages. On behalf of the 1,053 teams participating in the 2007 MYAS Grade State Championships, we’d like to thank the Wolves and Lynx for their support. With over 10,500 players and 2,000 coaches, we believe that our Grade State Championships may possibly be the largest 5-on-5 youth basketball tournament in the world. The sponsorship dollars help us run a first class show here in Minnesota, complete with on-site trainers, qualified impartial tournament directors, up-to-date online services, certified officials and top quality awards. This year’s Grade State champions will be receiving a beautiful team trophy, individual custom made medals, a championship team banner, an autograph basketball and an invitation to attend “MYAS Champions Night” at the Target Center on April 3. Second through fourth place teams will be receiving team trophies and custom medals. Our new relationship with the Wolves and Lynx is going to make our spring basketball program the “talk of the town.” We’ve got a full slate of invitationals scheduled for April and May, with the season finale being the Gopher State Spring Championships. This year’s champions will be showing off some real “bling” with their Josten’s championship rings, sporting the Wolves logo on the boys’ rings and the Lynx logo on the girls’ rings. Don’t worry parents – these Josten’s rings come with lifetime sizing, so your son or daughter will never grow out of theirs! The girls will be receiving their rings in July during an on-court presentation prior to a Lynx game at the Target Center, and the boys will be receiving their rings at a special awards presentation in early August. (We’re still working on the details for the boys' ring night.) Stay tuned for new and exciting happenings in our boys' and girls' basketball programs. Just in case you were wondering, the Timberwolves/Lynx did not attach any strings to their generous support of our youth basketball program. We did not have to commit to purchasing a specific number of tickets, apparel, concessions or any other related products. However, we have agreed to give them access to our participants via our events and mail list. Not to worry – we are NOT sharing the kids’ names and addresses. But don’t be surprised if parents, coaches, etc. get an e-mail or ticket flyer from us, and don’t be surprised if you see a Timberwolves/Lynx sales booth at some of our events. They are supporting YOU , so we would hope that you would support them by purchasing tickets to their games, attending their special events and signing up for their camps and clinics. Sponsorships are always a two-way street and we would hope that this is the beginning of a very special and long lasting relationship. The folks in their front offices worked really hard to put this package together, so the next time you call their ticket office, tell them how much you appreciate what they are doing for the promotion and continued development of youth basketball in Minnesota! The MYAS wants to assist your organization in any way we can. We have put together a services package that includes tournament scheduling, coaches' education, insurance options and criminal background checks. You are welcome to select any or all of the services offered. Let our expertise and know-how help you! For more information contact Jeremy Innes at 763-781-2220 x 1720 or jeremy@myas.org. MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships Well, ladies and gentlemen, March Madness is officially underway! The seeding meetings for the 2007 MYAS Grade Basketball State Championships have come and gone without a hitch. Even more importantly, all of the playing schedules are available on the MYAS website. Click here to access schedules for all 41 boys' divisions, or click here to access all 31 girls' schedules. We'll see you on the hard wood! MYAS Rec State Basketball Championships Just a reminder that the MYAS Boys and Girls Rec State Basketball Championships, originally scheduled for March 9-11, have been rescheduled for March 23-25. The good news is that you still have time to sign up prior to the March 2 entry deadline! New for 2007: The Rec State Championships will feature divisions for boys and girls teams in 9th/10th and 11th/12th grades. This is in addition to 4th-8th grade boys and girls divisions that have been offered in past years. This year's tournament sites are Burnsville, Cottage Grove and Edina. For more information, please contact Kevin Wilson at 763-781-2220 x 1712 or kevin@myas.org, or visit the Rec State Basketball page on the MYAS website. Let the State Championships begin! Thank you to all of the players, coaches, officials, fans and volunteers who made the 2006-07 Girls Metro Basketball League a tremendous success! The season ending tournament was held February 17-18 at North St. Paul High School and featured some very competitive, spirited basketball games. Click here to view results and more GMBL information. We hope you join us next season! Boys Traveling Basketball League The Boys Traveling Basketball League (BTBL) season officially wrapped up on Saturday, February 17. The 2006-07 league featured 106 teams that traveled across the metro area to compete for the right to claim their fame in the BTBL post season tournament. The league was very competitive this year with a wide variety of teams representing their respective communities including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Meadow Creek, Mound and Orono. New to the league this year were Cooper, Andover, Mahtomedi and Milaca. Thanks to all the coaches, athletes and parents for a great BTBL season! We would also like to thank our hosts for a wonderful season! The BTBL couldn't function without the support and volunteer help from the various athletic associations. The MYAS would like to thank you for the use of your facilities and the time from your volunteers. The BTBL post-season tournament should be an excellent finale on March 3-4. Good luck to all the teams! Super Saver Basketball Tournaments You may still be able to sign up to play in a "tune-up" before the Grade State Basketball Championships. As of the release date of this e-letter, there were still openings in select boys and girls Super Saver Basketball Tournaments. Click on "Tournament Openings" to check on availability. Super Savers are one-day events that feature quality tournament play without spending an entire weekend in the gym! MYAS Gopher State Spring Basketball The 2007 Gopher State Spring Basketball season is approaching fast! Teams are being formed and tryouts are being set. If your organization is holding tryouts for your spring season and will be playing in our program, please contact the MYAS and we will advertise your tryouts on our website. New to spring basketball? Come to one of our FREE informational workshops to find out everything regarding the Gopher State Spring Basketball season. The first workshop is at 6:30pm on Wednesday, February 28 at the Grand Rios Hotel in Brooklyn Park. Other workshop dates and locations can be found on the MYAS website. If you want some great competition and different opponents each weekend, and if you want to be assured that trainers and tournament directors will be on-site to oversee the games, and if you don’t want to pay any membership fees, Gopher State is the place to play. Don’t be fooled by imitations! The first weekend of Gopher State Spring Basketball is March 31-April 1, 2007. Gopher State Winter Baseball Camps Gopher State Winter Baseball Camps include specific hitting and pitching & catching clinics. Space is limited but spots are still available, so don’t delay. Contact Jeremy Barbe at jbarbe@myas.org or by phone at 763-781-2220 x 1731 for further details. Registration forms are available on the Winter Camp portion of the MYAS website for the following camps: Battery Mates Camp Prepares pitchers and catchers for the season. Sign up individually or bring your battery mate along! It's a terrific opportunity to get trained together. March Madness Camp This is our final hitting camp of the year. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to better your skills before the season kicks off! Gopher State Baseball Umpire Training Clinics The 2007 Gopher State Umpire Training Clinics feature a wealth of knowledge and experience. The clinics are great training tools for all young and experienced alike in the umpiring field. We have five very experienced and talented instructors excited to share and encourage umpires of all ages. For more information on the instructors or to download the clinic brochure, click here. To register yourself or your group, download the registration form by clicking here. Any umpire at any level is encouraged to attend. Our MYAS Umpire Clinics are designed to allow umpires of all abilities to have an opportunity to hone their skills and/or become educated in the finer points of umpiring. Clinicians this year include former professional umpires and all are among the top collegiate umpires in the region. Should you have questions, please contact Jeremy Barbe at jbarbe@myas.org or by phone at 763-781-2220 extension 1731. Gopher State Spring Training Series Baseball Tournaments New for 2007: The MYAS baseball staff is offering a series of two-day Gopher State Spring Training Series Tournaments, which serve as qualifiers for the Gopher State Tournament of Champions. These tournaments all feature a three-game guarantee and full-length games that culminate in a GSTC berth for both the champions and runners-up in each division. Please click here to access more Spring Training Series info, including dates/sites and registration forms. The MYAS is currently gearing up for another thrilling year of the Gopher State Baseball League, which has become known to many as "the best game in town." Since its inception in 1990 it has grown to approximately 300 teams, making it one of the largest traveling baseball leagues in the Upper Midwest. The GSBL features enhancements such as online rosters, team websites and berths awarded through league play for the Gopher State Tournament of Champions and the USSSA World Series. The 2007 league will be home to 45+ associations/communities, and it's not too late for you to join the excitement of the "GSBL Nation." If you are interested in joining the Gopher State Baseball League, please contact Dawson Blanck at 763-781-2220 x 1719 or dawson@myas.org. You may also download more information on the GSBL portion of the MYAS website. North Star Rec Baseball League Each summer, the MYAS baseball staff offers a “C” level league called the North Star Rec Baseball League. This league consists of teams made up of players who either did not make an “A” or “B” traveling team, or who do not have the desire or means to play traveling baseball during the summer. Six communities made up the 2006 league and we are anticipating considerable growth in 2007. Please contact Tony Groff at 763-781-2220, ext. 1728 or tony@myas.org to learn more about how the MYAS can devise a new edition of the North Star League for your in-house association. Please click here to view the North Star Rec Baseball League webpage. USSSA State Baseball Tournament / Gopher State Midsummer Challenge The USSSA State Tournament / Gopher State Midsummer Challenge provides teams an excellent opportunity to advance to a USSSA World Series event. USSSA baseball is a great means for Minnesota teams to participate and compete against the top teams in the state as well as around the country. The tournament also serves as a Gopher State Tournament of Champions (GSTC) qualifier if you are not interested in traveling to a USSSA World Series. We are excited about the 2007 dates and sites because of the fine facilities and hosts that we have teamed up with to provide this premier event. Over the past three years, this USSSA World Series / GSTC qualifying event has attracted some of the best teams in the state. For more information, please contact Dawson Blanck at 763-781-2220 x 1719 or dawson@myas.org, or go to the USSSA baseball portion of the MYAS website. MYAS Rec State Baseball Championships It is time once again to start thinking about reserving a spot in the 2007 Rec State Baseball Championships for your local in-house/recreational teams! Last year we witnessed 95 metro area teams in four different age divisions have a blast competing for a Rec State Championship. Be sure to join us in August! Tournament information is available online now. Click here to access the Rec State page of the MYAS website and download more information. We are excited for another great year of fun and competition at the 2007 Rec State Championships! Please contact Jeremy Barbe at jbarbe@myas.org or Tony Groff at tony@myas.org, or call the MYAS at 763-781-2220 for more details. On March 4, 2007, more than 1,200 youth wrestlers will make the trek to the Twin Cities to participate in the MYAS Gopher State Wrestling Championships. Wrestlers in kindergarten through eighth grade will be battling it out to be crowned the "Best of the Midwest." The wrestlers will represent communities from North and South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and all across Minnesota.
The Upper Edge Volleyball League will conduct its last play date on March 4. Upon completion of league play, teams will be seeded into the Season Finale Tournament on March 18 in River Falls and Frederic, Wisconsin. To follow the teams and track scores and results, please visit the Upper Edge page on the MYAS website. The 2007 Midwest Regional Swim Meet will be held the weekend of March 31-April 1 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. We expect the meet will once again be filled to the 1,000-swimmer capacity, so if you'd like to be involved in this huge event you need to act quickly. The entry deadline is Friday, March 2. A complete brochure and entry materials are available on the MYAS website by clicking on this link. Don't delay - enter today! Calendar Updates (as of 2/22/07) Girls' Hotel Specials for MYAS Participants Boys' Hotel Specials for MYAS Participants NEW Girls Super Saver Openings Ron Coomer will replace Tony Oliva as featured speaker Openings - Boys Basketball Tournaments Grade State Basketball Championships - 10th Grade Divisions Winter Baseball Camps - Openings Still Available! 2007 BROCHURE - Rec State Basketball Championships 6th Annual Gopher State Baseball Coaches' Clinic Spring Basketball Workshop Calendar Hosts Needed for Upper Edge Volleyball League Minnesota Baseball Academy/Gopher State Hitting Leagues available! Reebok Shoes, Equipment and Apparel MYAS Guidelines for Traveling Basketball 2007 Gopher State Spring Basketball Calendar Now Available Important Association Services That Work! The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services offers three important services: 1. Association and Player Sports Accident Insurance Coverage The MYAS has partnered with the agency that handles the majority of insurance concerns for the Police Athletic Leagues (PAL) around the nation. There are two broad types of insurance coverage that are both included in the MYAS insurance program: General Liability and Player Sports Accident. This program is offered by the American Insurance Group (AIG) company and provides a liability and player sports accident insurance policy that, in some cases, is cheaper than what some associations pay for just a liability policy. We also offer Director’s and Officer’s Insurance for participating associations. For more information, please contact Mike DeWane at 952-393-1929 or mike@myas.org. 2. Criminal Background Checks In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that $50 billion is lost annually due to employee theft and fraud. Youth sports associations must protect themselves from this threat as well. Don’t put your association at risk! Fortunately, youth sports associations now have a simple and inexpensive tool to avoid some of society’s worst fears. The MYAS, with its partner RHR Information Systems (RHR), has designed a criminal background check system that offers three affordable options to youth sports associations. RHR, a local Twin Cities company, incorporates a “user-friendly” process combined with flexible information delivery to make this system easy and inexpensive for your organization. For more information, please click here. 3. Coaching Education Program
Plantar Fasciitis: Foot Pain That Won't Go Away If you have pain, see a sports medicine doctor. Once diagnosed, manage the injury by icing the area several times a day, reducing your activity level and using anti-inflammatory pain medicine. Wear proper shoes and gently stretch the bottom of your foot before you rise from bed in the morning. For a brochure about plantar fasciitis, call 612-273-4802 or visit www.mnsportsmed.org. *********************************************************************************
The MYAS would like to thank Reebok for their generous contribution in helping promote youth sports in Minnesota! *********************************************************************************  ***********************************
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MYAS membership meetings are held at our offices (4111 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights) on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00am (unless notified otherwise). All MYAS members are welcome to attend. |
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