Basketball in Hamilton has a rich and storied legacy. The familiar squeaks of gym shoes pivoting on freshly waxed hardwood courts, the resounding thump of leather dribbling down the lane, the satisfying swish of three-pointers catching nothing but net reverberate throughout the Hamilton community like light cast from a torch. This torch, which has been passed down from one generation to the next and carried by so many in our community, has now been passed on to the Hamilton Blue Stars Basketball Program.
Since its opening tip off in 2013, the Blue Stars program has shone brightly on the hardcourts of Hamilton, and it continues to grow brighter with each passing season. The program, which is committed to providing affordable opportunities to play high level basketball close to home to all kids in Hamilton, has created a community of players and coaches that stretches from 1st to 12th grade. The program, while grounded in competition and excellence, feels more like a basketball family
During Blue Star games and tournaments, it is common to see Hamilton High School varsity players and coaches in attendance, supporting Hamilton’s youth. Likewise, during varsity basketball games at Hamilton High School, Blue Star players don their jerseys and gear in support of the team they someday hope to play for. For the past three years, the Blue Stars Basketball Program has hosted the New Year’s Classic Tournament. It has quickly become one of the premiere community-based tournaments in the Tri-State area. Last year, over 55 teams competed in approximately 90 games over a 4 day period. Thousands of spectators and players flocked to Hamilton, filling both gymnasiums and local businesses, providing a significant economic impact for the city.
This season, the program’s biggest one to date, fields 17 total teams comprised of over 160 players between grades 3 through 6. Blue Stars Basketball also runs a 1st and 2nd grade program that has nearly 100 kids participating. The results speak for themselves. Attend any Garfield or Wilson Middle School basketball game and witness the strength of our programs there, or head to Hamilton High School and watch as the first class of 6th grade Blue Star players enter this season as Freshmen.
The torch of Hamilton basketball shines brightly, thanks in no small part to the players, coaches, parents, and community members that make up the Hamilton Blue Stars Basketball Program. For more information about the program and their schedule, please visit their web site at www.bluestarshoops.com, like their page on facebook, or check them out on twitter @BlueStarsHoops.