The St. Martin de Porres CYO basketball program offers boys and girls within our community, active parishioners, inactive parishioners and non-parishioners, an opportunity to enjoy basketball at the instructional, intramural and travel team levels of competition. We also offer many clinics, contests and events to experience basketball in a variety of settings. It gives them a chance to develop their basketball skills, teamwork and sportsmanship, plus they are offered a chance for new friendships. CYO empowers young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ, to participate in community service and to foster their spiritual growth. CYO also encourages parents to share in their children’s growth and to be a positive influence on our youth. Please also check us out on Facebook at St. Martin de Porres CYO Basketball using the Facebook link on the top of our home page! Click on photos, then click on see all to view all of our different photo albums.
We look forward to another eventful and fun season!
Update on Knicks Lounges and New Group Ticket Offer
Parents, so.....I received lounge pricing from the Knicks for 5 weekend games and the pricing is ridiculously expensive. Their lowest lounge price for any game this season is $6,500 or $155 per person, but it's a weekday game. We've typically paid $4,500 or $5,000 for a lounge in the past. Needless to say, no lounge event this season, which is a shame, since the lounges were a great way to watch a game as shown by the Facebook albums in the original email.
Sun, Nov 7 vs CLE - $7,500 or $179 per person
Sat, Nov 20 vs HOU - $8,500 or $202 per person
Sat, Dec 4 vs DEN - $12,500 or $298 per person
Sun, Jan 23 vs LAC - $15,500 or $298 per person
Sun, Feb 27 vs PHI - $12,500 or $298 per person
For our Knicks fans, I do have an alternative. Since group tickets for the premium games previously highlighted in the original email below were also very expensive, thus few orders, I can offer the following 3 weekend games at very reasonable group prices. If you are interested in purchasing tickets to any of these games, then please let me know the game, how many tickets and which of the 3 seats that you want.Once we have at least 10 orders for a game, then I can purchase group tickets. Our Brooklyn Nets event is contingent on indoor basketball in November, since we play on the Barclays Center court for 2 hours, which would be in violation of Archdiocesan guidance. I will check with the parish to make sure no issues with simply going to a game in the current Covid environment. But don't let that delay your order for tickets, so that I can quickly access if their is sufficient demand.
Please see vaccine, testing and mask requirements below for Madison Square Garden.
Thanks for your patience with Knicks tickets, since I do want our Knicks fans to have opportunities, too.
Chris
Sat, Nov 20 vs HOU (5PM) / Sun, Jan 23 vs LAC (1PM) / Sat, Apr 2 vs CLE (1PM)
200 level Upper Corners (Section 226/Rows 20-24)
$82/seat – 10-19 people
$78/seat – 20-49 people
$74/seat – 50+ people
West Balcony (Sections 317-323/Rows 1-BS3)
$93/seat – 10-19 people
$88/seat – 20-49 people
$83/seat – 50+ people
200 level Lower Corners (Section 221/Rows 13-14)
$97/seat – 10-19 people
$92/seat – 20-49 people
$87/seat – 50+ people
All Guests Age 12 And Older
Guests age 12 and older are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination
This means you’ve had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine prior to attending
Guests may also show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination
This means the day of your event is at least 14 days after your final vaccine dose, which, depending on the type of vaccine, may be one dose or two
Fully vaccinated guests are not required to wear a mask. Everyone else will be required to wear a mask while in The Garden, except while actively eating or drinking
Children Under Age 12
Children under age 12 can attend events with a vaccinated adult, but please note:
Children ages 4 to 11 will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test (an antigen test taken within six hours of the event start time, or a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the day of the event)
Children ages 2 to 11 will need to wear a mask while inside the venue, except while actively eating or drinking
Parents, just like with our current CYO registration, we're proceeding with planning for our annual Brooklyn Net event at the Barclays Center, which will be contingent on resuming indoor activities in November. I've secured a great game versus the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, November 27, who lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in last season's NBA Finals. So many memories have been made over the years at this event organized by St. Martin de Porres CYO, which 3,610 people have attended since 2008! This doesn't include many who attended exciting playoff games last June!
I've placed a deposit to secure this game, but should this event not occur, we'll use it on another game at a later date. The highlight of this event is the two hours of court-time, high-5 lines, anthem buddies and captain's huddle plus time to shop and dine before the game. If you only go to one NBA game a year, why not go to this game with all the various activities!
If you'd like to participate in this event, then please let me know how many tickets you would like. Group tickets are $75 and would be in sections 218, 219 and 220, rows 9-12. Please check a Barclays Center seating chart to view these corner seats. Given high demand for Nets tickets, I can't currently offer lower level tickets yet, which are usually in sections 117 and 118, but should these become available, I'll let you know. At this time, no payment is required. I just want to know who definitely would go assuming this event occurs and if so, then I'll circle back for payment preferably via Venmo, but checks are accepted.
To participate in this event, everyone 12 or older must show proof of Covid vaccination. Everyone under 12 would get tested before the game at the old Modell's across the street from the Barclays Center.
For St. Martin CYO participants, I still plan to offer a FREE bus for this event, but should there be extra space, then non-St. Martin participants could take the bus for $25 per person. Please note that the bus leaves early so that families can go Christmas shopping before the start of the event. In past years, many chose to get down to the Barclays Center on their own.
Below is the proposed agenda for the day. Please also note that to participate in this event, the Nets require a signed waiver for any kid who will participate on the court. In talking with the rectory, they may also require a Covid waiver.
Anyone can attend this event. Many CYO parishes who have participated in our annual tournament have joined over the years. All you need to do is contact me to join this year!
Below are lists of all of our past events with links to their Facebook photo albums. Please take a few minutes to browse through these, since if you plan to go to a NBA game, then please consider going with my group given all the bells and whistles this event has.
Thanks!
Chris
Proposed Agenda
7:00 AM - bus departs from St. Martin
8:30 AM - 1:00 PM - Christmas shopping in NYC
1:00 PM - meet at the Barclays Center at an entrance TBD
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM - kids get to use the Barclays Center court for shooting lines, 5-on-5 games in each half court and a few full court games at the end
3:30 PM to 6:00 PM - enjoy Brooklyn....several us in the past have gone to BWW in the Atlantic Terminal, but there are many nice restaurants on 5th Avenue down the street from the team store, too. For those who have to get tested, please do so across the street at the old Modell's.
6:00 PM - earliest that you could re-enter the arena
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - meeting point TBD for those selected for High Five Lines, Anthem Buddies and Captain's Huddle
7:30 PM - game
10:00 PM - bus departs from Barclays Center
Prior Nets Events
2008 vs. Denver Nuggets: 649 people.....224 people also attended the San Antonio Spurs game on free tickets from the Nets!
Updated Archdiocesan CYO Guidance and Path Forward
Parent, please see the letter below from Archdiocesan CYO Director Seth Peloso about no indoor basketball at any gym in September and October Please read my email in its entrirety so that you understand how we'll proceed. Given this disappointing news, we're still going to have travel tryouts (9/18) and intramural evaluations (9/26) as currently scheduled, but outdoors using two hoops behind the St. Martin School that CYO purchased for the school years ago, which we've used for CYO season-end BBQ's. Additional tryouts or evaluations will need to be limited to Saturdays or Sundays in late Sept / early Oct so as not to impact masses, weddings and after school pick-up.
This will allow us to keep taking registrations and start forming instructional, intramural and travel teams with the plan to have indoor instructional and intramural games starting the first weekend of November and indoor travel games starting the first weekend of December, both dates the same as in prior seasons. We'd loose two weeks of indoor intramural and travel practices in late October at both St. Martin and the public schools, but these practices would resume in November.
I spoke with Father Matthew today, who is fine with this approach to keep things moving forward.
Per earlier guidance from the Archdiocese on Catholic school reopening, CYO was listed in Phase 2 with no timeframe. I believe this is the timeframe and I certainly anticipate indoor basketball returning in November with whatever the required protocols.
Given this new guidance, please continue to register for CYO by 9/14 (the earlier the better for planning purposes), otherwise your sons and daughters won't be able to tryout for travel or be placed on instructional or intramural teams this season.
Regarding our annual Brooklyn Nets court-time event, the 10/24 game against the Charlotte Hornets just came off the table, since we can't conduct indoor basketball activities anywhere in September or October and that includes the Barclays Center
Thanks once again for your patience and commitment during challenging times! The good news is that registration numbers continue to track 2018 and 2019, which shows that both you and the kids want to play basketball again! I pray that you agree that this revised approach is optimal and assuming a November return to indoor basketball, we'll be well positioned to start playing instructional and intramural games the first weekend in November and travel games the first weekend in December as always planned.
Chris
Re: 2021 – 2022 CYO Program Update
Dear CYO Community,
As school communities are planning to open their doors for the 2021-2022 academic year, we are presently monitoring the COVID numbers. Unfortunately, The Delta COVID variant has reversed
the positive trajectory that excited us all as recent as three months ago.
Our colleagues in the Catholic education department recently shared their reopening plans to keep their school communities safe as children converge back to the classroom setting after the summer. Because of the reopening plans and in support of prioritizing in-person learning, CYO will enter into a transition period for the months of September and October. During the transition period, there should be no indoor activity related to CYO programming in the school gyms or other indoor area locations in September and October. Any indoor activity should be moved outdoors in a safe environment and follow outdoor COVID related guidance provided by the CDC and your local health departments.
Last year, we were able to transition many of our programs outdoors, thanks to the dedicated volunteers and children who were willing to adapt. The CYO will once again be hosting our
traditional outdoor Fall programming as well as explore other outdoor offerings.
Throughout the pandemic we have shared our appreciation for your flexibility and understanding. That continues as we move forward. Based on the present conditions, we must realistically prepare ourselves for a range of possibilities from a delayed start, and even once again, the possibility of a suspended season.
The next community announcement will be made around October 1st. This update will address the next course of action and time frame based on the present conditions.
If anyone has any questions, or needs any assistance, please feel free to contact me directly at seth.peloso@archny.org.
Sincerely,
Seth Peloso | Director | Catholic Youth Organization
Possible New York Knicks Lounge and Group Tickets This Season
Parents, now that the NBA schedules are out, it's time to start planning which New York Knicks games we would like to attend this season. We purchase anywhere from one to multiple lounges at MSG for a weekend game plus I also inquire on group ticket prices for certain games.
It will still be a week or so until I receive lounge pricing from my Knicks contact, but please note that the best games have the highest lounge prices. Each lounge has 42 tickets and includes food, soda and water. During the game, you can sit in seats (28), at the counter on bar stools or in lounge chairs watching on TV. I typically try to get lounges that cost $5,000 per lounge or $120 per ticket. Anything more is generally too expensive for our group. Given the Knicks got better last year, I'm certain that lounge prices will increase this season. Also, some years we've had Knicks legends such as John Starks stop by our lounge to give autographs, received a tour of MSG before the game plus had a group picture center court with John Starks and Larry Johnson.
Please checkout photo albums on our Facebook page from prior Knicks lounge events:
Please give me some feed back from the list below on which games interest you for lounge tickets or group tickets (no food included).
Thanks!
Chris
Possible Lounge Games Cleveland Cavaliers, SUN, NOV 07, 6:00 PMHouston Rockets, SAT, NOV 20, 5:00 PMDenver Nuggets, SAT, DEC 04,1:00 PMLA Clippers, SUN, JAN 23, 1:00 PMPhiladelphia 76ers, SUN, FEB 27, 1:00 PM
Possible Group Tickets
Milwaukee Bucks, SUN, DEC 12, 12:00 PM
Los Angeles Lakers, TUE, NOV 23, 7:30 PM
Phoenix Suns, FRI, NOV 26, 7:00 PM
Brooklyn Nets, WED, FEB 16, 7:30 PM
Possible Brooklyn Nets Court-Time and Group Tickets This Season
Parents, I need quick feedback on dates that interest you for this year's Brooklyn Nets event. 3,610 people have attended our Nets events since 2008! This event is more than just a game. It includes two hours of court-time, high-5 lines, anthem buddies and captain's huddle plus free time to shop and dine.
The NBA schedule just came out today and I've listed some possible games for our annual court time event plus some possible games to which I could purchase group tickets (no court time). I still need to talk to my Nets contact about potential dates as well as pricing.
Possible Court-Time Event
CHARLOTTE HORNETS, @
PHOENIX SUNS, @
CHICAGO BULLS, @
ORLANDO MAGIC, @
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS, @
Possible Group Tickets
MILWAUKEE BUCKS, @
MILWAUKEE BUCKS, @
NEW YORK KNICKS, @
For those new to our CYO organization, I typically offer a bus to Nets court-time events and usually subsidize the cost. Below is a sample agenda for a 6 PM game before Christmas:
Proposed Agenda
7:00 AM - bus departs from St. Martin
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Christmas shopping in NYC
12:30 PM - meet at the Barclays Center at the Atlantic Avenue Emblem Health entrance
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - kids get to use the Barclays Center court for shooting lines and 5-on-5 games in each half court
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM - enjoy Brooklyn....several us in the past have gone to BWW in the Atlantic Terminal, but there are many nice restaurants on 5th Avenue down the street from the team store, too.
4:30 PM - earliest that you could re-enter the arena
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM - meeting point TBD for those selected for High Five Lines, Anthem Buddies and Captain's Huddle
6:00 PM - game
8:30 PM - bus departs from Barclays Center
Please let me know ASAP which games interest you, so that I can secure a date ASAP.
Please see Facebook albums below from prior Nets events.
Thanks!
Chris
Prior Nets Events
2008 vs. Denver Nuggets: 649 people.....224 people also attended the San Antonio Spurs game on free tickets from the Nets!
St. Martin de Porres CYO registration for the 2021-2022 season will be online starting 8/1/21. $30 late fee applied starting 9/15/21 and late registration closes on 9/30/21.
Programs include boys and girls divisions for instructional (K-1st, 2nd-3rd grades), intramural (boys 3rd-4th, 5th-6th, 7th-9th, 10-12th grades and girls 4th-6th, 7th-10th grades) and travel (boys 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades and girls 5th-6th, 7th-8th grades). Travel-try-outs will be on 9/18. Intramural evaluatoins will be on 9/26. Boys high school league (10th-12th grades) will start on 9/25 at Gold's Gym.
Given the first post-Covid season, extracurricular events will be limited to 3-point, hot shot and free throw contests; Brooklyn Nets event at the Barclays Center with court-time, high--5 lines and anthem buddies; New York Knicks game in MSG lounges; UConn men's / women's games; Marist CYO Nights; open gym / pizza parties and season-end BBQ. There will be no pre-season clinics and we won't host our 13th annual tournament, which will return the following season.
If you are uncertain if you have active parishioner status, then please click on the email link to ask Chris Fields, who will confirm your parishioner status. All registrations will be reviewed for accuracy and registering with the incorrect parishioner status will result in an additional $25 fee per player. Please note that attending religious education at St. Martin has nothing to do with parishioner status, i.e. this does NOT make you an active parishioner.
Please note that family limit fee is $225 for active parishioners and $275 for inactive or nonparishioners. Since only one family limit fee of $275 can be input to the system, a reconciliation will be done after registration closes to process additional credits as needed.
