March Madness
by Keith Antigiovanni

Third through eighth grade boys and girls will be competing in a double elimination tournament March 20.

While the NCAA Basketball Tournament will be played in March, Ramona’s own version of "March Madness" also returns this month, as the Boys and Girls Club prepares for its annual basketball tournament.

"We usually have hundreds of parents that come to this event and pack the stands," said Don Ransom, branch director of the Ramona Boys and Girls Club. "In one day, we might have as much as 500 parents watching."

The tournament lasts two weeks and is held at two different locations: Wilson Gym and Olive Peirce Gym. This year, the tournament features 44 teams broken up into third through eighth grades, and boys and girls divisions.

After the 10-week regular season ends, each team participates in the double-elimination tournament culminating March 20. After the final game, a ceremony is held to present championship trophies to the first- and second-place teams, but every player receives a medal and trophy for participating.

Kids and coaches get a chance to develop skills and character through youth sports programs offered by the Boys and Girls Club.

The tournament is actually the end of a long process, going back to October, when kids began registering.

"It’s best to sign up two months before the season starts, around October, November and December," Ransom said. "After the kids are signed up, we hold a draft and let the volunteer coaches pick the teams, then each team gets the uniforms and they begin playing the regular season in early January."

The Ramona Boys and Girls Club is part of a national charter nonprofit organization. It is only one of 10 clubs in the Greater San Diego area, but it is the second-largest in Southern California. The Ramona Club was founded in 1990 and currently boasts up to 1,400 members.

Sports are only part of the program, which features a variety of activities including a leadership group, education and athletics.

"It is only $25 per year to join and all we ask is that the kids follow basic common-sense rules," Ransom said. "They’ll learn a lot about sportsmanship and teamwork."