REC Basketball 2025-2026
REC basketball is for players of all skill levels who are interested in learning the basics of the game, having fun with their friends and classmates, and improving their skills.
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders will participate in instructional learning clinics (see details below).
NEW FOR THIS SEASON
We are working on introducing 2nd graders to games. Our plan is to hold games every other week. This will be IN ADDITION to the clinic that morning. In order to play these games, we will need volunteer coaches at the 2nd grade level who will coach during the games. Details will be shared once details are finalized.
Our girls program will be merging with our neighboring towns of Closter and Haworth. Our goal is to increase our class sizes so we can provide a girls only sessions this season.
Schedule:
Grades K – 2
Clinics are scheduled for Monday and Saturday Mornings depending on the gender and age group. Saturday Morning schedules will be determined by enrollment size. Please see below for details.
Please note, that clinic dates are subject to change due to weather and unforeseen circumstances.
We ask that you please be on the lookout for a follow-up email to determine your child's respective clinic window after registering.
Grades 3-8
Skills & Drills clinics for grades 3 and up will begin in December and January depending on their grades. A specific section/time will be assigned to your child based upon final registration numbers. Participants may be grouped into combined grades depending on the overall participation numbers.
Games will not begin until January. We are attempting to have all, if not most, games played on Saturdays, however we cannot finalize that until schedules are released by the league in late December.
In Summary
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Kindergarten Girls & Boys Clinics on Saturday mornings (Will begin in January 2026)
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Grades 1 & 2 Boys: Clinics on Saturday mornings (Will begin in January 2026)
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Grades 3 & 4 Boys: Tuesday: 6:00
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Grades 5 & 6 Boys: Tuesday: 7:00
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Grades 7 & 8 Boys: Tuesday: 8:00
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Grades 1 & 2 Girls: Clinics on Monday Evenings 5:30-6:30 (Will begin in January 2026)
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Grades 3 & 4 Girls: Clinics on Monday Evenings 6:30-7:30 (Will begin in January 2026)
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Grades 5 & 6 Girls: Thursday: 6:00 (Will begin in December 2025)
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Grades 7 & 8 Girls: Thursday: 7:00 (Will begin in December 2025)
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Games For Grade 2: 3 games Will be played on Saturdays after Clinics beginning in January 2026
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Games for Grades 3-8: Will be played on Saturdays with some rare exceptions on Friday or Monday (Approximately10 Games)
Coaches
The Demarest Athletic Association (DAA) program is a 100% volunteer based organization. The program only works with the help of volunteer coaches. We rely on you as the parents to donate your time to ensure the rec basketball program continues in Demarest.
You do not need any basketball experience to help coach for Recreation Basketball.
The only requirements would be:
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Be there for your children’s games. (which you are likely to be at anyway)
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Attend and assist our professional coach during a clinic session*
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To be certified**
We aim to have 2-3 coaches/parents per team, as we had many teams last year with multiple assistant coaches.
* We have added clinics for all ages this year, so volunteer parents can focus on their availability to be there for their children’s games and not worry about practices. We are just asking for parents to sign up for some (not all) of our clinic sessions to assist our coach and maybe learn a few coaching tricks here and there. Clinic sessions will cover multiple grades so we should have ample coaches for everyone to take turns.
If we do not have parents available to coach for a particular age group/gender, we may need to eliminate that team from that respective grade level. Please note, if we are unable to field a coach/team for that respective grade level, no registration fees will be refunded to the respective guardians. We do realize this is a tough decision, however the DAA has to make upfront investments in jerseys, league and referee fees, insurance, etc. and it is a non-profit organization. We are all very busy parents and appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedules to ensure that your child prospers in the Demarest town recreational sports.
** If you are interested in coaching your child’s team, please let us know ASAP and we will be in touch with you once the registrations are finalized. If not already certified, you will be responsible for completing the following courses: the Rutgers Coaching Certification, the Heads Up Concussion Certification, and the HireRight Background check. These certifications are required to ensure that your child has a safe playing environment and also to ensure all coaches are protected from liability. Please note, we will show you how to complete these certifications. These “Lifetime” certifications can be used across all Demarest sports and are a one-time requirement.
Cost: (Includes Children's Jersey)
Grades K – 2: $180.00
Grades 3 – 8: $220.00
How to Register
Please ensure to sign your child up at here before 11/20/25 to avoid a late registration fee of $50. Registration will close on 11/25/25 Due to team assignments and league requirements, no exceptions can be made.
Uniforms and Team Store
The Demarest DAA has made a considerable investment into upgrading the jerseys/uniforms on all levels. When registering, we strongly emphasize that you please review the sizing chart information attached to this email. This is to ensure all your child’s jersey specifications are accurate (e.g. Jersey Size, Gender and #).
Lastly, do not forget about our DAA Basketball team store. The DAA is excited to bring this team spirit to the community with our new team store, where you can purchase new team swag. A small portion of your purchases go back to the DAA organization. The team store will offer children and parents the ability to represent and showcase their Demarest spirit and flare (e.g. shooting shirts/sweatshirts/t-shirts, etc).
Thank you and welcome to Rec Basketball,
Demarest Basketball Commission