April/May Newsletter

Hello Families,

First, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your incredible support and sacrifice for the WestBay Ospreys. The time you dedicate to your children’s activities is truly unmatched, and we deeply appreciate it.

To all our wonderful mothers, Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for being the backbone of our families. While every day should celebrate you, I hope you felt especially loved, peaceful, and happy yesterday.

We had a busy Saturday with seven of our teams competing in the Eastbay. While the results weren’t always what we hoped for, I was encouraged by the visible growth across all the divisions.

In the 4th Grade Blue/10U division, the team is making progress each week. They showed real potential in their first game, holding a lead at halftime with just five players. Although fatigue set in and they lost the lead despite Nicholas’ late scoring efforts, their resilience was evident. The second game was a great example of the competitive nature of AAU, facing a larger, more experienced team. What stood out was the positive attitude of our players – no heads were down after a tough game, and that is truly priceless. Keep up the great work, kiddos!

4th Grade Black/10U faced tough competition in the Division 1 bracket. Playing without some key players is always a challenge, but the team pushed forward. They had a difficult time against seasoned teams like TM Dragon and Norcal Elite. We’re hopeful for a rematch with our full squad down the line.

5th Grade Blue/11U had a solid outing, splitting their two games. I was there to witness their win, and it was great to see them learn from their loss and bounce back against a good Haywood team. With the absence of a natural point guard, Savir and Sam have stepped up admirably. The addition of Gabe and William has strengthened their rebounding, and the team’s fast-break game was impressive. This group has a lot of potential.

Our 6th Grade/12U team continues to demonstrate growth. Despite being a smaller group often facing taller opponents, their determination is unwavering. This is a team that genuinely loves to play and is committed to improvement. With a couple of new players in the mix, they will be an exciting team to watch.

The 7th Grade/13U team consistently faces challenges with numbers or size in each tournament. However, their competitive spirit never wavers. Yesterday, despite being undersized, they battled hard in both games. With four players consistently putting in extra work, I’m eager to find the right additions to help this team reach its winning aspirations. I believe they are just a couple of players away from creating that desired winning culture.

The 8th Grade/14U team faced a significant numbers challenge this weekend, playing with only five in the first game and four in the second, but still finishing 2-0. Just when it seemed tough, a true team player arrived with three minutes left and down by one, providing the energy needed to secure a championship! A big moment came with a crucial steal and game-winning layup from Kenneth Han. Finn, playing through an injury for all 72 minutes, showed incredible dedication. A special shout-out to Camron Wise-Gilliam, who stepped up to give valuable minutes. Congratulations to Coach Tim and the entire 8th-grade team on their championship!

Finally, our 15U team had a fantastic day. They cruised to a decisive victory in their first game with excellent defense. Confidence has been a hurdle for this team, but they showed a different level of belief in the championship game. Andoni’s scoring and drives sparked the championship run, showing his hard work is paying off. Amadou (“Amashoot”) was on fire from beyond the arc, connecting on two 3-pointers with the coach’s encouragement. The leadership of Cole and Cam was instrumental in securing their second consecutive championship. While the trophies are nice, the real reward is seeing their improvement.