The Mercer County CYO basketball season will begin Nov. 2 with an opening day Mass at the Monsignor Toomey Annex, CYO Yardville Branch, followed by games at the CYO Center in Trenton.

Celebrating its 67th season of CYO basketball, the CYO Leagues are open to all Catholic schools and parishes in the greater Mercer County area and currently encouraging enrollment. The Varsity leagues are for seventh- and eighth-graders; the Junior Varsity leagues are open to those in fifth and sixth grades, and the Freshmen leagues are for children in fourth grade and younger. 

This year, the CYO will continue to offer the “Waiver Request System” for children who are enrolled in either a Catholic school or in a religious education program at a parish that does not sponsor a team in the CYO League but wishes to play. Those who are eligible to play through a granted waiver will be placed on a participating team based on team need and geographical location.

The CYO is also again looking to have “Parish Team Mergers” for smaller parishes in the county that have not been able to field teams on their own.

In addition, the CYO has announced dates for coaches meetings: Sept. 16, girls freshmen coaches meeting; Sept. 18, girls junior varsity; Sept. 19, girls varsity; Sept. 23, boys junior varsity; Sept. 25, boys varsity, and Sept. 26, boys freshmen.

All coach meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Trenton CYO Center; each school or parish must send representation to a league meeting in which they will be entering a team.

The CYO Yardville Branch is located at 453 Yardville-Allentown Road, Hamilton; the CYO Center in Trenton is located at 920 South Broad St.

For more information, contact CYO athletic director Quincy Walzer at 609 396-8383, ext. 14, or at [email protected]