New director Revill aims to get kids from kindergarten to grade 6 shooting hoops.
(Image Credit: Ryan Dorgan JHN&G)
Jackson Hole Youth Basketball is getting ready to expand opportunities for recreational play for children in kindergarten through sixth grade with a new Junior Broncs program.
Leading the charge is Joel Revill, a Powell native and valley local who moved back to Jackson full-time just over a year ago to raise his two children. Revill is building on the youth sports legacy of Bill Wotkyns, Todd Ellingson and Reed Armijo, who started Jackson Hole Youth Basketball about a decade ago.
The Junior Broncs program aims to “introduce a love of the sport and fundamentals,” said Revill, the new executive director of the youth basketball nonprofit.
Junior Broncs will place an emphasis on “equal teams, fun, playing time and fundamentals,” Revill said. The program will start the last week of October to accommodate athletes already participating in many other fall sports like youth football, soccer and Upward Basketball through the Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole.
In addition to expanding recreational opportunities, other changes on tap include new directors, a revamped travel program and additional summer programs. Jackson Hole Youth Basketball will offer a six-week skills clinic for boys and girls in grades K-8 who want to improve their individual skills. The program will run twice-a-week practices from July 9 to Aug. 23.
Revill said Jackson residents are fortunate to already have a great program and that there’s room to expand beyond a current emphasis on travel teams and middle-school-age groups.
What’s more, growing the recreational program could complement the travel programs, he said. The programs will have tryouts and a greater level of dedication from families, he said. The travel teams will also be offered at high school and middle school levels with seasons designed around school schedules.
The highlight of the travel schedule, Revill noted, will be the local Veterans Classic, a tournament, to be held in conjunction with a fresh partnership with Teton County/Jackson Parks and Recreation. The Veterans Classic will take place in November preceding the high school and middle school boys seasons. Travel opportunities for middle school girls will also be offered at a separate time that does not interfere with their school schedule.
The Veterans Classic as well as a tournament the week before in Bozeman can serve as a preseason tune-up for those heading into their school seasons, Revill said. The tournaments can also expose some of the younger players to their first travel competition.
“There is only one high school basketball team in the community,” Revill said, adding that aspiring players could benefit from a more coordinated, expanded approach.
The first step at instituting a more unified vision in the basketball community includes bringing on varsity coaches Sam Lunz and Sean Shockley to direct the programs for boys and girls.
“What we’re trying to create is a more cohesive basketball community within Jackson Hole,” Revill said. “While they may not be coaching every level, every day, they will be overseeing the programs we have, designing programs, hiring new coaches and training new coaches.”
Lunz appreciates the more coordinated approach.
“In our tight-knit community we want to help people be the best they can be,” he said. “For me to be able to work with guys who have created this program and to get to know kids and their families before they even get to high school is awesome.”
Lunz believes the organization can help build “a culture” in the valley that inspires kids who “love basketball, love to play hard, love to play fast, love to share the ball and are great teammates.”
In addition to summer skills clinics, Lunz and Shockley will offer a Broncs Basketball Camp for players in grades K-8. The four-day camp, running July 23 to 26, will wrap up with a special session led by NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton. More info on the clinics and camps can be found at JHYB.org.
On the boys side, Lunz said, “We have a great group of seniors and older kids that I’ll have coached for three years now.”
He’s excited to see them excel in other sports over the summer before returning to the hardwood for work leading up to next season, he said.
“They really just want to compete as best they can and win some games,” Lunz said.
"The goal is feeding into our varsity programs and giving every kid a chance to play basketball in this community," said Revill.
If all goes well, Revill said, the program “hopefully can help Coach Shockley and Coach Lunz have a better shot at winning a state championship for Jackson.”
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