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| The Lenox Youth Basketball Association’s 5th and 6th grade level team poses with their Great Barrington tournament trophy last year. Vice President Mike Coakley stands at right in the back row; his son Kevin kneels fifth from the left, front row. |
On many a night and weekend through the winter months, Mike Coakley, vice president, account services at Winstanley Partners, trades in his iPad and smart phone for a whistle and clipboard.
A volunteer with the Lenox Youth Basketball Association (LYBA), Mike has been involved with the organization for eight years, including as a board member. But it’s on the court where he’s most comfortable, coaching youth basketball teams in the ways of sportsmanship, technique, and skill. Mike says it’s true that these lessons are their own reward, but a few scoreboard victories won’t sour the experience. He’s already guided 5th and 6thgrade level players to victory in the league’s Great Barrington tournament, and this year his new team is poised to repeat.
“I’m currently coaching the Boys’ 7th and 8th grade travel team that plays in the Berkshire County Boys Basketball League throughout the county,” he explained. “My father was a longtime high school basketball coach. He taught me the fundamentals of the game, how to play team basketball, and to always display good sportsmanship on the court. That’s what I try to teach my players, and we’re off to a pretty good start so far with a 2 – 1 record.”
LYBA was founded in 1987 in order to establish a self-sustaining program that consisted of an instructional league and a more competitive program made up of travel teams that play throughout the county and beyond. What’s more, its reach extends beyond its own programs; in the past, the association has purchased new scoreboards for Lenox Memorial High School and the Morris Elementary School, and has sponsored promising players attending summer basketball camps.
Coaching and board membership aren’t the only tasks LYBA supporters provide, either. Fundraising efforts continue throughout the year, with community movie nights, an annual craft fair, and a pancake breakfast in the center of town. Plus, there’s never a dull moment during LYBA’s November to March season.
In short, it’s an organization that has provided a few hometown wins and is aiming for more.