Big Lake Youth Basketball Association

Due to the ongoing recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Big Lake School District, BLYBA is postponing our March 18th board meeting, for at least 2 weeks. At that time, we will discuss when new board member elections will take place.

If you are interested in, or have questions about the open positions, please email president@blyba.com We will answer questions and keep a working list of those that would like to be considered, for when we're ready to move forward.

Thank you,

BLYBA Board of Directors 

Good morning Big Lake Basketball families and fans! I am reaching out today, to let you know that your Youth Basketball Association board is looking for two new members, to serve for the next 2 years.

Basketball has been a part of my life since I was young. I played, I started coaching in high school and eventually had my own kids, who have or continue to play. I remember when our oldest was a part of the in-house program, I felt it was time to get more involved and stepped up to join the board. I came into it, not knowing anyone on the board and not knowing what to expect. The decision to join the board has been a huge blessing! I have had the opportunity to meet so many fantastic people in this community as well as the greater basketball community. I am thankful for the people that my family and I have been able to cross paths with and get to know, including many very good friends. The greatest joy has been watching young people grow and mature, from the youngest ones eager to learn and grow, to the middle schoolers that think they have it figured out, and then to the high school kids that realize how fast it all goes.

This April we will elect new board members, for the upcoming 2 years. Some turnover is expected each year, and this year is no different. Amy Wellberg is stepping aside at the end of term as the Girls Tournament Director. This will also be my last term on the board, the most recent of which has been as President. With these positions opening, there will be some shifting of titles within the remaining board members. Shance Newland (current Vice President) will be assuming the role of President. Joanna Mauch (Secretary) will be finishing the remaining 1 year as Vice President. Wayne Howe will be moving from In-House Coordinator, to take over the Girls Tournament spot. Randi Buzzelli will move from Volunteer Coordinator to the In House position. Three board members will continue in their current roles: Chris Waite as the Boys Tournament Director, Jen Veldhuizen as Administrator, and Chad Platner as Treasurer. With all of that, we have two spots open, SECRETARY and VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR. Descriptions for both are available on our website and we will follow up with an email, specific to these roles, early next week.

We do have our monthly meeting next Wednesday, March 18th, starting at 6:30pm in the Independence Elementary Community Room. Please stop in and ask questions about the board and explore the opportunities! This group, like so many others, is all volunteer organized and operated. BLYBA needs new people willing to step up and help lead basketball in the community! (You do NOT have to have a deep knowledge of zone offenses, press breaks, and situational plays to have an impact!)

Please let us know if you have additional questions, we'd love to find a place for you to plug in.

Thank you!

Derek Birdsall
President
BLYBA

Thank you to everyone that played a role in our 2020 Boys Hornets Hoops Classic tournament this past weekend! It was a fantastic weekend of basketball. We had teams from all over and made for some interesting match-ups, thank you for supporting our tournament, we enjoyed hosting you! Thank you to all of the players, coaches, officials, parents, fans, and volunteers that made the weekend a success! Good luck with the remainder of your season, we hope to see you back in February of 2021!

Current Volunteer Positions Needed

Volunteer registration will be open soon. We have two tournaments that require many volunteers. Please consider volunteering for more hours if you are able.

Please email administration@blyba.com if you can commit to one of the above volunteer spots.

The Big Lake Youth Basketball Association (BLYBA) is an independent non-profit organization and is not part of the Big Lake School District programs.

We are a community group of volunteers interested in the promotion of basketball in the Big Lake attendance area and the development of a competitive basketball program. Participation will focus on camaraderie, sportsmanship and the intense instruction of basketball fundamentals and having fun while traveling to other communities.