In its debut last year, the Junior Huskies basketball feeder program saw more than 300 boys and girls participate. 

“It’s going real well,” said program director Phil Gary, who is entering his sixth season as varsity head coach of the Oak Park and River Forest High School boys basketball team. Gary believes the feeder program has room to grow, and he’s looking for increased participation this year. 

“We have a good number,” he said, “but we want to have as many kids as possible be involved in our fall league.” 

For OPRF girls basketball varsity head coach Renee Brantley, the Junior Huskies are a valuable asset, helping her high school program grow and improve. 

“It’s been great being involved with the community and getting connected with the younger ballplayers,” said Brantley, about to begin her third season leading the Huskies. “Just seeing them learn, grow the game, develop chemistry with each other, and get familiar with how we do things has been really impactful.” 

Oak Park and River Forest High School boys basketball coach Phil Gary (center, in black baseball cap) addresses campers at the first-ever Junior Huskies Basketball Clinic, held July 24 at OPRF. (Provided by Phil Gary)

Player evaluations for the Junior Huskies fall league take place Aug. 9 and 10 at the River Forest Community Center, 8020 W. Madison. On Aug. 9, third and fourth grade boys will be evaluated from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., followed by fifth and sixth grade boys from noon until 1:15 p.m. 

The following day, girls from grades 3-5 will be evaluated from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Then boys entering seventh and eighth grades will get a look from 3:35 to 4:50 p.m. 

Each participant receives a uniform, and fall league games begin Aug. 16 at OPRF. Games are held each Saturday until Oct. 25 and there will be one practice each week. 

According to Gary, the league’s schedule is designed to accommodate those participants who play sports in the fall like football, soccer, and volleyball. 

“It will help keep kids playing football or other sports in basketball shape,” he said.  

Besides the fall league, other aspects of the Junior Huskies include a skills academy, which runs every Tuesday, Sept. 9 through Oct. 14; a winter travel league team whose season runs from November through mid-March; and youth basketball camps for boys and girls. 

Brantley and Gary agree that having a strong feeder program helps the high school programs at all levels.  

“It allows us to get engaged with the talent in the community and establish a great culture,” Brantley said. “It gets kids excited about playing basketball at OPRF. There’s a lot of talent here and we want to retain that talent as much as possible.” 

“As coaches at the high school level, we get to see the future early,” Gary said. “We get to see the kids who are growing and developing. By the time they are freshmen, they know the plays we run and recognize a lot of familiar faces. It’s a win-win for everybody.” 

Gary also believes the new gymnasium being constructed in Phase 2 of OPRF’s Imagine Project will be a game-changer for both the Junior Huskies and the high school programs. 

“We’ll be caught up to speed with a lot of high schools, particularly in our conference [West Suburban Silver],” he said. “A lot of schools in our conference have updated gyms, which helps kids want to be in them more.” 

While Brantley admits there’s a challenge for OPRF to retain local talent with nearby private schools like Fenwick, Montini Catholic, Nazareth Academy, and Trinity around, she’s been heartened by the support she sees in the community. 

“We feel like we’ve built meaningful connections,” Brantley said. “It’s great going to the grocery store and they call out, “Hey, coach.” You provide them guidance and offer constructive criticism about their game and support them as much as possible.” 

Gary is looking for more donors and sponsors to help build up and sustain the Junior Huskies. 

“Any donation helps. It’s all for the kids and it goes for a good cause,” he said. 

For more information about the upcoming fall league and other programs, or to help out, please visit jrhuskiesbball.com 

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