Red Wing Athletic Association

Our first two games will  be held at the Burnside Elementary School gym. Game 1 is against Lake City and starts at 9:00; Game 2 is against Hastings Gold, and is at 11:00. If we win both of those games, we would play our third game  at 2:00 at the Prairie Island Community Center (PICC).  If we lose one or both games, we will play at 1:00, either at Burnside (the 5th place game) or PICC (3rd place game). Please be at Burnside by 8:30 at the latest. Remember to bring a change of clothing so that you can leave your game uniforms with me after the last game. We will try to coordinate a year end party for some time in the next few weeks.  Call or email me with any questions.  Jim

The fourth grade boys showed alot of improvement in winning two nail biters on Saturday. Thanks to Sam Guse and Jack Blee for helping out! Our final tournament will be Saturday February 18. It is our home tournament; we will be playing our games at the Prairie Island Community Center right across from Treasure Islant Casinon. I'll pass on the schedule when it becomes available.

Also, the boys will be playing a short scrimmage during half-time of the high school boys game this Friday night. They should be in game uninform. This will be alot of fun as it is "Purple and White Night" and there will be drawings and other activities going on supporting Red Wing basketball. At this point lets plan on sitting together as a team when the game starts on the visitors side of the stands, furthest away from the entrance and concession stand.  See you at practice!

The boys showed good improvement in winning two  and losing one at the Chippewa Falls tournament, taking home 2nd place ribbons. Next up, Winona next Saturday!

 At this level of basketball, rebounding and defense dictates games (watch  to see how low scoring these games are thisyear!). While there are many details important for good one on one and team defense, I'd like the boys to always be aware of where they should be when "guarding" their guy  on the other team. There are three rules for this:

1) If your guy has the ball, you should easily be able to touch him, your nose at the  level of  his chest, focusing on his belly button (he may fake you out with a head, foot, or pass fake, but he can't go anywhere without his belly button).

2)If your guy doesn't have the ball, but it is close (one pass away or one person away), you  should be one to two arm lengths away, close enough to try to steal or block a pass to him.

3) If your guy doesn't have the ball, and it is two passes or two players away from you, you  should maintain defensive posture with arms out/up, and sag into the middle of the lane, making it more difficult for the other team to get close to the basket.