Liverpool Optimist Basketball

After providing a variety of services for over 40 years to the youth in the communities in Northern Onondaga County, the Optimist Club of Liverpool has been disbanded. Along with it the successful basketball program we ran has ceased operations. The Covid scourge and scare caused us to suspend operations out of concern for our players, their families and all of our volunteers.
Quite honestly, the growth of travel teams and reduced number of volunteers has made it difficult to operate.
We are thankful and grateful for the thousands of players, parents, fans and coaches who have made us a part of their winter sports activity. It has been an honor to get to know many people and to be entrusted to provide some level of fun to these great children.
Thank you all.

Dick Butler

We have worked throughout the fall to try to pull together a modified version of our traditional Optimist Basketball League. Coming up with a proper set of protocols and getting a good feeling of children's safety has been difficult. We are also trying to work through a couple of technical issues to get up and running. Some have mentioned other youth leagues and sports and things like attendance at SU games, simply put, that is their decision but has no impact on us. Other basketball leagues have cancelled their activities for this year.
The rising cases of Covid in CNY are troubling and given the large percentage of people vaccinated, those testing positive are both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
At this point, Liverpool Optimist Basketball is on hold. Parents should do what they feel is the right thing in the best interest of their child.

Dick Butler

Hello Optimist Basketball friends,
Normally this message would be announcing our upcoming registration dates in September and October. But 2020-2021 will be a whole different season. John Lorence and I have had continued dialogue since March to see what all of the various Covid restrictions would mean to our group. We have tried to stay Optimistic (imagine that) but now the task to run our league as usual is too daunting. We depend on the local school district for our facilities and you know better than us, the challenges they and you are facing. Accepting requisitions from outside groups like ours is not being done at present. And in fairness, would or should the Liverpool District want outside groups in the buildings this fall? They have their hands full, exclusive of us. And we really don't have the manpower or expertise to do screenings, monitor distancing and be sure the facilities are sanitary. Think about how many times a basketball is touched in a typical game.
Based on this, we are NOT registering next month or October and will NOT plan on basketball events through December.
If the situation continues to improve, we will explore if a January-April program can work. Obviously, we will keep you informed all along the way. For many reasons, we hope the medical environment allows us that option.
Writing today is not easy, this is a long tenured association for both John and myself and our league has existed for over 40 years, But, we really have no choice and felt you should know where things stand in the event you can get your child signed up for other activities. All of us involved with Optimist Basketball hope you and your family are healthy and doing your best to stay safe and cope with an unprecedented situation. Please do the very best you can with what life has handed us. Our great hope is to return to the basketball courts and hear our kids playing and having fun.

Most sincerely,

Dick Butler

Another awesome 1st and 2nd grade group!

Boys 9/10 and boys 11/12 events are postponed until 11/24 due to changes in Liverpool HS league events.

Girls 7/8 is cancelled due to lack of enrollment.

Please check your email for details.