The Daily Newarker — Press Wire

For Immediate Release

CITY OF NEWARK HOLDING SECOND ANNUAL “DIRECTOR’S CUP”

BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT FOR YOUTH AGED 12 AND UNDER;

SELECTED TEAMS WILL COMPETE AT JFK RECREATION CENTER

 DECEMBER 27, 29, 30, WITH CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON DECEMBER 31

Nine teams selected from recreation centers, Boys and Girls Club, YMCA;

Round robin tourney ends with “Director’s Cup” for winner;

Consolation game will decide the “Manager’s Cup”

Newark, NJ – December 23, 2009 - Mayor Cory A. Booker and Director of Neighborhood and Recreational Services Melvin L. Waldrop announced today that the City of Newark is holding the Second Annual “Director’s Cup Holiday Classic” basketball tournament for children aged 12 and under, with nine teams competing in round robin action starting on Sunday, December 27, and continuing on Tuesday, December 29, and Wednesday, December 30, culminating with the championship rounds and consolation game on Thursday, December 31. The games will take place at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center which is located at 211 West Kinney Street, with the entrance on Howard Street. The schedule of game times is attached.

Pre-selected teams from four recreational centers representing each ward will compete against each other: Boylan Center, St. Peter’s, Rotunda, and the Kennedy Center’s “Next Level” squad. They will also compete against teams from the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, the Maplewood YMCA, the New Jersey Pirates of Carteret, N.J., and the West Ward All Stars, a “Wild Card Team” of a Newark youth not affiliated with a specific recreation center. The eight teams will vie for a chance to win the “Director’s Cup” in the co-ed basketball tourney. In the inaugural “Director’s Cup,” the JFK Next Level team won the championship, while the Boylan Recreation squad won the consolation game. Both of these teams are defending their titles. More than 110 children are participating in this year’s tournament, an increase over last year’s 96 competitors.

“The ‘Director’s Cup Holiday Classic’ is a wonderful way to offer Newark youth a positive and memorable holiday experience where they can manifest their own personal excellence on our basketball court by learning the importance of good teamwork and sportsmanship. I urge all Newark residents to come down to the Kennedy Center to support our newest basketball stars,” Mayor Booker said.

“We are providing this competition for youth aged 12 and under to provide them with positive and wholesome activities during their winter break from school,” Director Waldrop said. “I commend our Recreation team on creating programs that enable our residents to expand their mental and physical horizons.”

“This program keeps the kids active during the school break, and out of trouble,” said Fred Ross, Site Coordinator for the program, who is also coaching the Boylan team.

“It teaches them the values of competition and sportsmanship, and by playing against different teams from other wards and communities, they can network and build friendships with children from other neighborhoods and towns, within their age group.”

Under the Booker administration, each of the City’s recreation centers has had a comprehensive rehabilitation. After millions of dollars of capital investment, every city Recreation facility and pool has been successfully upgraded and is now open for expanded programs and community use. In addition, City programming at recreation centers has been thoroughly enriched. Residents can now access a full catalogue of recreation and cultural programs and services.

The John F. Kennedy Recreation and Aquatic Center is the City’s largest such facility, offering Newark residents of all ages a wide variety of daily recreation, exercise, and swimming programs. The facility is equipped with the only Olympic-size swimming pool equipped with a retractable roof in the State, a multi-purpose exercise room, an NBA-regulation size basketball court, and a state-of-the-art weight room. The John F. Kennedy Center has hosted numerous events, including the 2002 U.S. Youth Games Swimming competition, professional wrestling matches, exercise classes, amateur boxing bouts, basketball tournaments and other community functions.

Future “Director’s Cup” basketball tournaments are planned. For more information about this and other recreation programs, contact the Division of Recreation/Cultural Affairs at (973) 733-6454. For more information about all City of Newark programs, contact the Newark Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.

Contact:          Newark Press Information Office - (973) 733-8004

PressOffice@ci.newark.nj.us

-NEWARK -

About the City of Newark, New Jersey

Newark, commonly referred to as Brick City, is the third oldest city in the United States and the largest in New Jersey, with a population of more than 280,000 people. Newark sits on one of the nation’s largest transportation super-structures including an international airport, major rail connections, major highway intersections and the busiest seaport on the east coast.

With a new Administration as of July 2006, Newark continues to see signs of a strong revival.  In population, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the northeast. Its six major colleges and universities are further expanding their presence. The production of affordable housing has doubled, businesses are returning and crime is going down. There is still much work to be done but Newark is on its way to achieving its mission:  to set a national standard for urban transformation.

For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website at www.ci.newark.nj.us

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cityofnewarknj

2009 Director’s Holiday Classic

Sunday, December 27

Game 1: 11:00 a.m.  NJ Pirates vs. Boys and Girls’ Club (Central Ward)

Game 2: 12:15 p.m.  Next Level vs. Maplewood YMCA

Game 3: 1:30 p.m.    St. Peter’s vs. West Ward All-Stars

Game 4: 2:45 p.m.    Boylan vs. Rotunda

Tuesday, December 29

Game 5: 5:30 p.m. Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

Game 6: 6:30 p.m. Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4

Wednesday, December 30

Game 7 5:30pm Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Game 8 6:30pm Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Thursday, December 31

Game 9: 5:30 p.m. Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6  (Consolation Championship)

Game 10: 6:30 p.m. Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8  (Championship)

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