YORBA LINDA : Basketball League for Teens Planned

Hoping to provide teen-agers with exercise and a healthy social diversion, the city plans to sponsor an intramural basketball league this fall for youths of high school age.

The program, sponsored jointly by the city and Yorba Linda Junior Basketball, aims to offer teens who don’t make it onto their school athletic teams a way to participate in sports and enjoy themselves.

Councilman John M. Gullixson, one of the organizers of the program, said that a few dances will also be held for the teens after the Saturday night basketball games, and that a similar, co-ed volleyball league will be initiated after the basketball season.

“The high schoolers end up being the forgotten ones if they don’t make the school teams,” Gullixson said. “The whole idea is for the kids to have an opportunity to have exercise and games and to eliminate the ‘hanging out.’ ”

Last year, more than 60 students tried out for Esperanza High School’s basketball teams, according to Gullixson. And with an increase in freshmen expected this year, even more students will be left out, Gullixson said.

Gullixson and city Parks and Recreation Director Steve Rudometkin are approaching coaches at the local high schools in efforts to involve them in the league. Participation by these school athletic coaches might further help attract participants, Gullixson said.

The league will begin in September and run for about 10 weeks, with games on Tuesday and Saturday evenings at Travis Ranch gymnasium, Gullixson said. Dances will also be held after a couple of the Saturday games to provide the teens with “good, old-fashioned, structured socializing,” Gullixson said.