Cerritos reviews 2025 youth basketball league and awards success

The Parks and Recreation Commission meeting held on May 1, 2025, focused on the evaluation of the 2025 Youth Basketball League and its awards program. Recreation Services Administrator Joel Toda presented a comprehensive report detailing the league's activities and achievements.

The Youth Basketball League, which ran from January 11 to March 17, 2025, saw participation from 352 youth aged 5 to 13, organized into 40 teams. The league included co-ed divisions for younger players and separate boys' and girls' divisions for older participants. Notably, 93% of the players were residents of Cerritos.

Practices were held at local community gyms, and games primarily took place on Saturdays. The league benefited from the dedication of 65 volunteer coaches, who collectively contributed nearly 2,700 hours of service. All coaches underwent background checks and attended a mandatory meeting to promote sportsmanship values.

Highlights of the season included a sportsmanship award initiative, a parent-child shooting contest, and a fun game featuring volunteer coaches. The season concluded with an awards night where participants received recognition for their achievements, including a special presentation to the 2020 Mayor's Award recipient.

The report emphasized the positive feedback from families regarding the league's quality and its role in teaching fundamental basketball skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship. The commission was advised to review the report and consider public comments before filing it. Overall, the meeting underscored the importance of community engagement in youth sports and the successful execution of the basketball league.