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Craig Raucher’s Staten Island Basketball League has new twist this year as it opens doors for youth loop

Throughout the long 44-year history of the Staten Island Basketball League (www.sibl.us) — which caters to middle-aged established players — league commissioner Craig Raucher said he would receive calls weekly from Island parents who were looking for a place for their kids to play outside of the traditional CYO and JCC settings.

“They would Google basketball leagues seeking a place for their child or children to actually learn how to play basketball or to join a team and we would always come upon those searches,” said Raucher.

That got Raucher thinking: Why not start the Staten Island Basketball Youth League?

That idea came to fruition last month after Raucher opened his doors two days a week at PS 8 in Great Kills, the same site of the adult loop.

“On Staten Island, there is no place where you can send a young person to actually learn how to play basketball,” said Raucher. “No place that will teach you how to dribble, how to shoot, how to pass or how to rebound. No place exists on the Island to teach you how to warm up, how to stretch or how to work out. There are expensive private tutors but that is a one-on-one situation and basketball is a team game.

“If a parent puts their child on a church team or in a YMCA or JCC league and that child does not know how to play basketball, it becomes a very embarrassing and negative experience with far-reaching effects. The child may play only a few minutes per game and when they actually get on the court, they are embarrassed and other kids make fun of them. This negative experience generally has far-reaching consequences where that child develops low self-esteem and loses confidence. Therefore, when basketball becomes an enjoyable and enriching experience it has the opposite effect on a child especially during their formative years. Basketball in a team setting is a metaphor for building life skills: teamwork, interaction, friendship, communication and a common goal. All of life’s key building block skills in a positive enriching environment.”

Raucher launched his youth group in January of 2024. The kids meet every Sunday afternoon from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesday evenings from 6-7.

“We currently have 25-plus girls and boys aged 8-12,” said Raucher. “We have children from many minority groups and from distant countries. We teach all of the skills needed to play basketball and we end our sessions with some full-court casual games. We are seeking to grow our group and expand the hours and days.”

As a longtime advocate of children’s education, Raucher said adding the league was a natural extension.

“We would not have been able to develop this group without the support of the principal of PS 8, Ms. Lisa Esposito and her excellent staff,” said Raucher. “Ms. Esposito has helped tremendously in the growth and continuance of our dual groups.”

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Interested in joining the Staten Island Youth Basketball League? Call Raucher at 718-605-2189