The NBA and NCAA basketball seasons are underway, and our community-based travel seasons are right behind them.

We've launched the Road2State Report to amplify and elevate the many youth basketball programs throughout the state each week. We want to bring features and pieces that inform and excite our readers. The winter season will culminate at the conclusion of the MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships in March!

We'll visit different tournaments with our mascot, highlight programs and players, and provide complimentary streams of some games. Why? Because we want to celebrate the many community-based basketball organizations in the Minnesota Youth Basketball Alliance that are shining and impacting their communities.

To involve even more people, we're going to have a Free Throw Challenge that will include all travel and in-house/recreational teams throughout Minnesota, including YMCA of the North teams. Throughout the upcoming season, youth basketball players in grades 4-8 will have the opportunity to shoot free throws over 10 different sessions. The top scorers in each grade will qualify for the Free Throw Championship at the University of Minnesota on February 8 (boys) and February 9 (girls). This Free Throw Challenge runs throughout the 2024-2025 season (November-February) and is available free of charge, thanks to the partnership with the YMCA of the North and the MYAS Community Impact Fund.

This addition provides an experience beyond just playing the games that people can be excited about.

In each issue of the Road2State Report, we also want to celebrate the many incredible players from Minnesota and MYAS alumni who have developed into nationally recognized standouts, like Amir Coffey of the LA Clippers, Jackson McAndrew at Creighton University, and Tessa Johnson at the University of South Carolina. And we'll continue to stress the importance of boosting the number of officials and draw attention to misunderstood rules and tips to better interact with officials, coaches and other spectators.

October Scoop

Honoring MYAS Founder: We wanted to do something special to acknowledge Dan Klinkhammer, co-founder of the MYAS. His vision was key in getting our organization off the ground and helping take us to the next level. In recognition of his leadership, we have designated the MYAS conference room the “D.W. Klinkhammer War Room” since that's where we do a lot of our strategizing, collaborating, and decision-making on behalf of the organizations and athletes that we serve.

We believe that designation is fitting since Dan is a Vietnam veteran, and because many of our best ideas throughout the MYAS’s history have come from team members sitting around a table hashing out ideas and strategies. Needless to say, Klinkhammer’s legacy is broad and meaningful.

Impact on Youth Football: We recently completed our inaugural Youth Football Classic, in partnership with the Blaine Youth Football Association, where 38 community-based tackle teams participated. They competed at the National Sports Center on the new turf fields, and it was a really great to see so many people come to support their kids and grandkids, including former Vikings standout Scott Studwell and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Viktor the Viking also came out to bring some excitement for a Thursday Combine/Skills event, in conjunction with TCO and Training Haus.

MYBA Basketball Coaches’ Clinic: On October 12, we held an awesome coaches’ clinic with over 100 participants from 15 different basketball associations. We had former Holy Angels standout Troy Bell speak, along with many other notable coaching leaders. It's good to get their perspective and highlight specific things for the youth volunteer coaches. We believe it's so important to make these opportunities accessible so that coaches can be equipped, trained, and empowered to better coach up the young athletes.

It's hard to believe that we've had such warm temperatures in November. But regardless of when the temperatures finally turn, we're excited about the winter sports season!