Connection happens in the everyday moments—on the court, in the park, and when we show up for one another. SOMA Basketball teamed up with the Memorial Park Trash Pandas for a post-Halloween park clean-up.
Young SOMA Hoopsters and families gathered to pick up candy wrappers and care for the space we all share. Thank you to every volunteer who rolled up their sleeves to keep Memorial Park beautiful and our community strong.
Being in the gym together is only part of who we are. Our kids and families show up for this community — cleaning parks, helping local organizations with food insecurity, supporting neighbors, and making sure everyone feels included in the game of basketball.
Seeing that recognized on the front page of the local News Record just reinforces what we already know: this is bigger than basketball.
You can check out the article here!
Columbia High School junior and budding journalist Esme Krais interviewed league founder Taylor Valentine as well as South Orange director of recreation and cultural affairs Matt Gray, wonderfully highlighting the league’s mission to bring basketball to all kids in our area, as well as ambitious plans for the future.
You can check out the article here, “Basketball League Fills Void, Builds Community”.
The Columbia High School Girls Basketball program opened its doors this summer to rising middle school players, offering an opportunity to learn, train, and connect with current CHS coaches and athletes.
Varsity Head Coach Aaron Breitman, along with his coaching staff and players, dedicated time before and after their own summer workouts to work with 6th–8th grade girls interested in pursuing basketball at a more competitive level.
These one-hour sessions featured warm-ups, ball handling, shooting, defense, and game-situation activities which were all designed to strengthen fundamentals and raise each player’s basketball IQ.
The SOMA Basketball Boosters supported the initiative by helping to secure gym space for the workouts and spreading the word to interested players and families across the community.
“As coaches you always want to see kids playing basketball,” said Coach Breitman. “For the first time in South Orange / Maplewood history, we found the time and space to spend with this younger generation. Myself and my coaching staff are here for the long haul and part of our future success will be predicated on us investing the time now with these girls.”
This collaboration between CHS coaches, players, and the SOMA Basketball Boosters reflects the community’s commitment to working collaboratively to develop the next generation of athletes while fostering a culture of growth, teamwork, and opportunity.
Launched in Summer 2025 through a meaningful partnership between the South Mountain YMCA and SOMA Basketball Boosters, Buddy Ball is a new program created for neurodivergent children to learn and love the game of basketball in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
Thanks to the vision and dedication of program leaders Nicole Josey, Michael Laughner, Fred Ross, Beth Levy, Yoav Hagler and Taylor Valentine, Buddy Ball pairs each player one-on-one with a volunteer “buddy” coach. These compassionate volunteers work closely with participants to introduce the fundamentals of basketball such as dribbling, passing, and shooting all through adapted drills, small group instruction, and lots of encouragement.
Practices are guided by the YMCA’s beloved Coach Fred, whose energy, patience, and enthusiasm create a fun and engaging atmosphere for every player. As CHS senior and volunteer buddy Natty Greenberg shared, “I love the manner that Coach Fred leads the activities in, and I think it’s incredibly engaging for all of the kids involved. It’s great to see how happy they are after every session.”
Whether it is a child’s first time picking up a basketball or a chance to build on existing skills, Buddy Ball meets each player where they are. The program focuses on confidence, connection, and fun over competition, making space for kids to grow both on and off the court.
Volunteer and SOMA Basketball Boosters member Yoav Hagler reflected, “It has been a privilege to be part of a program at its inception that creates such a joyful and inclusive space for kids. Watching the connections grow between players and their buddies through basketball has been an awesome experience. I’m grateful to help support something that makes our community stronger.”
Buddy Basketball is where every kid gets to be part of the team. Player Sean Rumley summed it up best: “It’s incredible that I can go out and do stuff like that!”
If you’re interested in registering your child for the next season of Buddy Ball—starting Thursday, September 11—you can visit the South Mountain YMCA website for players age 5-12 and players age 13-18.
Did you recognize some familiar faces in this month’s issue of SOMA Living magazine (page 16, to be exact)? We’re thrilled to share that our very own SOMA Hoopsters were named April’s collective “Athletes of the Month” by the local monthly. Per the accompanying column, “SOMA Hoops exemplifies the power of sports in nurturing youth and building community spirit.” SOMA Living, you’re making us blush! Zoom in or click through on the article above, or check out your copy today.