Program History
Our Boys Basketball Program has a legacy in Baltimore City as well as a strong existence up and down the east coast. Currently, our program consists of over 100 dedicated student-athletes and 12 to 15 committed volunteer coaches totaling over 8 teams. Our age groups range from 6 to 17.
The Chick Webb Basketball Program has been around since the mid 1970�s. Over the years, our talented teams have won more than 30 Baltimore City league and tournament championships. It has been during the last ten years that the program has grown to its biggest. The Youth Basketball Program is under the direction of Head Coach Gerald Stokes. Known for his intense coaching style, Coach Stokes has dedicated enormous amounts of time and effort into making Chick Webb Boys Basketball program the best it could be.
In 1996, he began taking teams to other city and state tournaments where our youth were able to shine. That year, Chick Webb 10 & under team went to the Bustleton Bengals Classic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and placed 2nd in the Pee-Wee Division. For the next three years our teams won 1st place in the Pee-Wee Division. Throughout the six years that Chick Webb Basketball teams have participated in the tournament, we placed 1st and 2nd in the Midget and Junior Division during that time and also received another 1st place in the Pee-Wee Division in 2002. Each year, we receive a personal invitation back to the Bustleton Classic. Chick Webb teams have also gone to tournaments in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina where they also came away as winners.
Coach Stokes later formed Chick Webb AAU teams in 1997. Since our teams began participating in the Maryland State AAU tournament, we have had at least 2 age groups between 9 & under and 14 & under receive 2nd place Silver Medals, 3rd place Bronze Medals, and 4th place awards over ten times. In the National AAU Championship and Classic Tournament, we have received 1st place Gold Medals, 2nd place Silver Medals and 3rd Place Bronze Medals with these same age groups. Now for 2003, for the first time in Chick Webb Basketball Program history, we have five teams that have placed 1st through 3rd in the Maryland State AAU tournament who will be going away to represent Baltimore City and the State of Maryland in the National AAU Basketball tournament this summer. Our 9 & under team placed third and will be going away to Memphis, Tennessee in June. The 11 & under placed first and will be going away to play in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The 12 & under team also placed first and will be going away in July to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Our 13 & under team as well placed first and will also be going to Memphis, Tennessee in June. Lastly, our 15 & under team placed second and will playing for the national championship in Kingsport, Tennessee in June. Our organization is extremely proud of the hard work and effort of all of our players and the coaches.
The Chick Webb Recreation Center at 623 N. Eden Street in East Baltimore is the home of the strong and talented Chick Webb Basketball Program. The center is under the direction of Coach James Wise, who is also known for his successful coaching tactics. Besides our dynamic basketball program, we also have a young but great football program, swimming classes, an after�school program, and a tutoring program in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University. We have sent several of our athletes to many private schools in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area such as Bullis Prep in D.C., Towson Catholic, St. Francis and the Gilman School in Baltimore. Currently we have one student in college at Virginia Tech University. In the future, it is our goal to have many more make it to the next level in academics and in sports.
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