About the Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club
The Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club is based in Waterford, WI and serves as a feeder program for the both the girls and boys basketball programs at Waterford Union High School. The program is designed to develop and enhance the skills of players who compete in the program, while promoting the importance of responsibility, accountability, sportsmanship and teamwork inside and outside the game.
Our vision is to shape our players into great student-athletes who strive to successfully compete at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels, as well as be productive citizens within our Waterford community. The Jr. Wolverines is a traveling basketball program and tryouts are held annually for boys or girls who wish to play for the organization.
As a community focused club, our goal is not just the development of strong basketball players, but to help build and strengthen the character of our players through the positive reinforcement of our coaches. The same principals and fundamentals our coaches instill in our boys and girls to become better basketball players on the court will help drive their success off the field as they become confident and positive leaders in our schools, our community, our state, and the world.
Being chosen to coach and mentor your son or daughter in the game of basketball is not a responsibility we take lightly. Our goal is to maximize the development of your child through programming that challenges each player, a coaching staff that adheres to high standards, first class facilities & equipment, and the development of community between our players, parents, and coaching staff. Coaches are provided with many resources from the high school basketball programs and closely mirror the philosophy handed down from the varsity basketball coaches.
Thank you for considering the Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club for your child. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions for concerns.
Quick Info
- School District Requirement: WUHS
- Club Dues: $205 New Players/$180 Existing Players
- Uniform: $125 (New Players/Size Change)
- Volunteer Requirements: 1 Tournament Concession Shift Per Player
- Tryout Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about the Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club.
Are the Waterford Jr. Wolverines a rec league?
No. The Waterford Jr. Wolverines are a competitive/tryout basketball program. The Jr. Wolverines play scheduled games against other competitive/tryout teams located in Southeastern Wisconsin and in tournaments throughout the season.
Are the Jr. Wolverines part of the Waterford Recreation Department?
No. While the Jr. Wolverines have a close relationship with the Recreation Department, we are a seperate organization with our own Board of Directors.
Where are the Jr. Wolverines games played?
The Jr. Wolverines boys and girls teams do not play any league games in Waterford as we are not a host site for any of our leagues.
The Jr. Wolverines boys teams regular season games are played in communities located in Southeastern Wisconsin. Some examples include: Muskego, Mukwonago, Oak Creek, Franklin, Wauwatosa, West Allis, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Kettle Moraine, etc.
The Jr. Wolverines girls teams have set locations for their leagues, and will play in the same spot all year long for league play.
What basketball league do the Jr. Wolverines play in for their regular season games?
The vast majority of our boys teams play their regular season games in the WYBL. If we have more than one team in an age group we sometimes look at placing the other team in another league if it is not possible to get our teams in different divisions. Click here to be directed to the WYBL league website.
Our girls teams play in Mukwonago (3rd & 4th grade) and Kettle Moraine (5th through 8th grades) with an exception here or there. Click here to be directed to the Mukwonago girls league. Click here to be directed to the Kettle Moraine girls league.
How many regular season games do your teams play?
The boys will typically play anywhere from 14-16 regular season games and end the year with a league tournament. Games are on Sundays (2 per day), and are usually every other Sunday. There are times in the schedule where we will play back-to-back weekends or have back-to-back weekends off from playing. The league begins in early November and runs through the 2nd weekend of March.
The girls will typically play 14 games, also on Sundays and usually every other weekend. 5th through 8th grade teams will have an end of the year tournament at Kettle Moraine, while our younger teams in the Mukwonago league will not.
What is the practice schedule for the Jr. Wolverines?
Our boys and girls teams practice for an hour and a half, twice a week, and on weeknights . The exact days of the week and start times are chosen by the head coach, but usually with input from parents on the team. Whenever possible, the club schedules practice times for the younger teams earlier in the evening.
Practices start a few weeks before league play begins in November and end in March. They are held in our local schools and community centers.
Some teams will continue to practice occasionally in the off-season, but that is at the discretion of the head coach and optional for players.
Do the Waterford Jr. Wolverines play in tournaments? Where?
Yes we do! Based on input from parents, the head coach of each team sets the tournament schedule prior to the start of the season. Our registration fee is so affordable because teams decide on their own tournament budget and are responsible for paying the entry fees. While teams will occasionally attend special tournaments, like in Wisconsin Dells, most tournaments will be in Southeastern Wisconsin.
We do host our own boys and girls tournaments (The Winter Frenzy) in January. The boys tournament and the girls tournament will be on separate weekends and our teams play for free in these tournaments.
Will my child have to tryout for a team? When are tryouts?
Yes. Players in the Jr. Wolverines programs are selected from a tryout held each year. The date of the tryout varies each year, but it is generally held in August. Please check our website and social media pages for tryout announcements.
How are teams divided and are there residency requirements?
The leagues that our club participates are organized based on the player’s grade in the current school year. A player must reside in or attend school in the Waterford High School district to be eligible to play on the Jr. Wolverines. This is a league rule and there are no exceptions.
How much does it cost to play for the Jr. Wolverines? What is included?
The club registration dues are $205 for new players and $180 for existing players. In addition, each new player will be required to buy an uniform package (which consists of an Under Armour reversible jersey, Under Armour Shorts, and a long sleeve shooting shirt with their name on the back), at a cost of $125.
Uniform sizes should be chosen in anticipation of wearing them for a few years, as to avoid having to repeatedly purchase them. If a new size of the jersey, shorts, or shooting shirt is required, they can be ordered individually if needed at the beginning of each season.
All new players to the program will also be given a Wilson Evolution basketball with our club logo stamped on it. Basketballs can be bought at the beginning of the season for roughly $70.
These fees and our fundraising go directly towards the costs of playing the season, including league dues, referee fees, insurance, and renting gym space.
The only equipment your player will need is a pair of basketball shoes.
Does the Waterford Jr. Wolverines organization require fundraising?
Our only fundraisers are our annual tournaments in January. For these tournaments, families will be required to donate concession stand items and work a shift in the concession stand.
If my child plays for the Waterford Jr. Wolverines, can he also play on a rec team?
Between the number of practices, games, and tournaments each team participates in every season, it would typically be difficult to have enough time for your player to also participate in a rec program.
About Tryouts & Team Formation
As a feeder program for the Waterford Union High School, the goal of the Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club is to prepare as many athletes as possible to play basketball at the high school level.
For our youngest teams, 3rd-4th, we would ideally not make cuts as we feel cutting players at this age denies them the opportunity to grow at a competitive level. With that being said, if we have a number (10+, but less than 16) that does not allow us to make two teams, we may be in a position where we have to make tough decisions. When we can field multiple teams at these age levels, the Jr. Wolverines Board will appoint coaches and split players into even teams.
Once players reach the 5th grade, and if numbers allow, the club will divide the players into skill level teams. While this change becomes necessary to remain competitive in the basketball leagues we participate in, we also feel it allows players to grow at different speeds. It is not uncommon to see a player who was given the room to grow on a “B” team eventually become a starter for his or her high school team. When splitting players at the 5th grade level and up, the Jr. Wolverines Board will again appoint coaches and the Board will make decisions on how teams are split, with input from head coaches. When forming skill level based teams the Board and coaches look at a number of factors, including the player’s skill at tryouts, past performance if a returning player, and what combination of players will allow them to field the most competitive team.
As these teams continue through the program, head coaches are given latitude by the club in making player selections. In doing so, the coaches look at a number of factors, including the player’s skill at tryouts, past performance if a returning player, and what combination of players will allow them to field the most competitive team.
Unfortunately, there are not always enough players to field multiple teams at every age level. For the older grades, we ideally like to see a roster size of 10 players per team unless the board and the coaching staff of the team agree it makes sense to carry more than 10. At that point, we will attempt to field an additional team. We will only field an additional team if we believe that the team can be competitive in the league they will be placed. If we are unsuccessful in getting enough players to form a second competitive team, that means we will have to cut players. We encourage all the players to keep working and to tryout again next year. It is not uncommon for players who did not make the team one year to keep working on their skills and make the team the following year.
Annual Club Dues & Fundraising Requirements
The Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club works diligently to provide the best basketball experience for our our players at the lowest possible cost to our parents. With that goal in mind, our club dues are only $205 for new players and $180 for existing players, for the entire season.
New Players
New players are required to purchase a uniform package, which consists of an Under Armour reversible jersey, Under Armour Shorts, and a long sleeve shooting shirt hoodie, which has their name on the back. The complete uniform cost is $125. Uniform sizes should be chosen in anticipation of wearing them for a few years, as to avoid having to replace items every year. If a player outgrows any part of the uniform, each piece can be ordered individually at the beginning of each season.
All new players to the program will be given a Wilson Evolution basketball with the Waterford “W” stamped on it. Replacement basketballs can be bought at the beginning of the season.
Fundraising
Each season, the club hosts both a boys and girls basketball tournament in January. The “Winter Frenzy” tournament is the only volunteer time we require of our parents. Each family is expected to work one shift in the concession stand and donate a food or beverage item. Parents are only required to work in the tournament they have a child playing, i.e. parents with only a boy player do not have to work in the girls tournament. Parents are able to work their shift in either the boys or girls tournament.
These fees and our fundraising go directly towards the costs of playing the season, including league dues, referee fees, insurance, and renting gym space.
Fee Breakdown
- Club Dues: $205 New Players/$180Existing Players
- Uniform Fee: $125 (New Players)
- Fundraising: One Concession Stand Shift & One Donated Item for Tournament
Your Waterford Jr. Wolverines Youth Basketball Board of Directors
The Waterford Jr. Wolverines Basketball Club is 501(c)(3) non-profit run by parent volunteers. The goal of the board is to administer a competitive youth basketball program that fosters participant’s good health, well-being and community responsibility.
Please don’t hesitate to contact any or all of the board members with any questions or concerns you may have about the organization.
Adam Brechtl
President
Scott Gustafson
Vice-President
Dena Brechtl
Girl’s Liason
High School Varsity Coach
Nick Roeglin
Boy’s Liason
High School Varsity Coach
Ashley Bzdwaka
Board Member
John Chart
Board Member
Tyler Goff
Board Member
Mary Jo Jaskie
Board Member
Matt Lojeski
Board Member
Betsy Nelson
Board Member
Want to learn more? Contact us today.
For more information about the Waterford Jr. Wolverines Baseball and Basketball Clubs or for any questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!