On a cold Thursday evening in January, I had the pleasure to attend the 11U’s basketball practice. I learned quite a bit about the program from talking with parents, players, and coaches. One thing that struck me was how many players and coaches did not live in Beltsville and traveled great distances to play or coach for the Bulls, the name of the Beltsville-Adelphi Boys and Girls Club teams. Some of the parents grew up in Beltsville but have moved away while others had connections to the coaches; they live in cities such as Silver Spring, Landover Hills, Lanham, and even as far as Oxon Hill.
These parents and coaches have many basketball programs closer to them, yet they recognize how special this club is and make the sacrifice to travel twice a week for practice as well as on the weekend to games. The Oxon Hill parent’s reason for traveling so far was solely because of Coach Paris. She mentioned he is who you want to teach your child the fundamentals of the game and that she has seen tremendous growth in her son. Another parent, Mirsa Morales of Landover Hills, stated her son had a friend who played on the team, which is why her son is playing for the Bulls. She has been very happy with the overall program and the coaches. Her son, Carlos Dinarte, mentioned he has a lot of fun and he likes his coach’s teaching style. A parent from Beltsville stated she liked the attention and focus the coaches gave the players and the “family”/team-oriented approach. I also spoke to a parent that was a former Beltsville resident who now lives in Silver Spring. She stated she played for the Bulls and that this was the club with which she was most familiar. She also said her son is playing basketball because he wanted to learn the game but also have a chance to socialize with other kids.
Finally, I had the opportunity to talk to one of the coaches, Coach Moe, who lives in Lanham. He became involved with the club because his godson’s father was a coach for the Bulls. He has now coached football for four years and basketball for three years. I specifically asked him why not coach for a club closer to where he lives, and he said he couldn’t go anywhere else. I was unable to interview Coach Paris because I didn’t want to interfere with practice, but several of the parents raved about his coaching skills.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Basketball Commissioner and Coach Demetrius Butler. He has been with the club for the past five years and impressively also coaches AAU nationally ranked basketball teams. Also deserving recognition is the Athletic Director Rian Jackson, Basketball Co-Commissioner Tanya Harris, and the following talented and dedicated basketball coaches: 10U Coach Derrick, 11U Coach Paris/Coach Moe, 13U Coach Kenny/Coach Joe, 14U Coach Demetrius, and 14U Coach Kevin.
Unfortunately, the first game of the season scheduled for January 12 was canceled due to inclement weather. However, be on the lookout for the March Beltsville News where the season will be recapped. The 13U division is looking to defend its 12U 2018 championship title. Information on the game schedules and results can be found on the club’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Beltsvillebulls/.
It is not too soon to start thinking about the spring season, which kicks off in March. The spring sports include t-ball, baseball, flag football, and soccer. You can find registration information on the club’s website, http://beltsvilleadelphi.siplay.com/site/.
If you would like to make a monetary donation (no amount is too small), checks can be made out to the Beltsville-Adelphi Boys and Girls Club and mailed to 11705 Roby Ave, Beltsville, MD 20705. It is a 501(c)3 organization, so donations are tax deductible. We are also looking for coaches, a soccer commissioner, and a baseball commissioner.
If you have questions or suggestions or want to get involved, please contact Club Athletic Director Rian Jackson at jackson_rian@hotmail.com or 301.693.6395. Stay tuned for next month to read about the 2019 Bulls basketball and upcoming spring season and much more! Go Bulls! Join the stampede!
Photo Caption(1): 11U player Samuel Bradley
Photo Caption(2):Coach Moe and 11U player Carlos Dinarte