The school year is just around the corner, and Noozhawk’s ParentNooz After School Activities Guide is officially here and we made sure to make things easy when planning your child’s after school activities! Our 2019 After School Activities guide provides you and your child with all the necessary information when deciding on which after school program is the best fit.
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about after school programs for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local programs for this year’s After School Activities Guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Wana Dowell, Director of Development at Page Youth Center, to learn more about their after school program here in Santa Barbara.
Page Youth Center
Question: What is the name of your After School Activity/Program? What is its mission?
Answer: Blenders Basketball League – Building Character Through Youth Sports
Q: Describe the activities involved in your After School Activity/Program.
A: PYC’s Blenders Basketball League runs from December through March with games beginning in January. The league is open to all children from 1st-8th grades and there are separate divisions for boys and girls.
One to two practices are held during the week and games are played after school and on Saturdays at the Page Youth Center. The league is a fun experience for the children as they learn basketball skills, fair play, persistence and teamwork.
Q: What are the hours of your after school activity or program?
A: 4-8 PM on week days and 8-5 on Saturdays
Q: What is the age range for children to take part in your after school activity or program?
A: 1st – 8th grade
Q: When was your program started and what was the inspiration for creating it?
A: PYC’s Winter League was begun in 1991. The Page Youth Center’s founding fathers saw a need for a new facility that would accommodate this wonderful program as well as other recreational sports activities. Over the years the program has grown to over 800 kids and we are so pleased that Blenders in the Grass is now sponsoring it.
Q: Describe what makes your after school program unique and worthwhile.
A: First, PYC’s Blenders Winter League is the largest basketball league in the Santa Barbara area. Each year we have approximately 800 children enrolled in this program which is fun, very well organized, and offers each child basketball instruction as well as life lessons for good citizenship and a happy productive life.
Families enjoy participating as well and the stands are always full with parents, grandparents and friends rooting for their players. It is truly a wonderful community experience and a fun time.
Q: Has any part of the program changed since it was created?
A: Over the years, we continue to improve. For instance, we added professional referees and better uniforms. This year you will see the Blenders name on our uniforms. We are delighted to have their sponsorship.
Q: What is the average program size or class size for your activity? Teacher to student ratio?
A: 7-8 players on each team with one coach and one assistant coach.
Q: In what ways is your program educational?
A: PYC is committed to providing quality programs that instill kids from 6-18 with a sense of teamwork, good citizenship, fair play and sportsmanship. We are big fans of NCAA Coach Wooden and like to instill our players with his wisdom during the course of his programs by giving them various quotes of his to think about.
One of our favorites are:“The goal in life is just the same as in basketball: make the effort to do the best you are capable of doing – at home, in school, in the community, for your country. Make the effort to contribute in whatever way you can.
Q: What is the cost/tuition? Are scholarships available?
A: The tuition is $249 for each player and there is a discount for siblings. PYC is committed to every child having the opportunity to play regardless of their family’s ability to pay. With the help of local foundations we are happy to say that scholarships are available.
Click here for more information about Page Youth Center’s Blenders Basketball League!