SPRING LAKE PARK, Minn.— 578 3rd-8th grade girls’ community-based travel basketball teams from across the state of Minnesota are currently descending on nine host locations across the Twin Cities for the start of the 31st annual MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships. This tournament continues March 5-6 with 497 3rd-6th grade boys’ teams, and March 12-13, with 381 7th-8th grade boys’ teams. This event has become the largest youth basketball tournament in the state of Minnesota and one of the largest in the nation, with 1456 teams competing for the opportunity to call themselves state champions.
The Grade State Basketball Championship is the premier event of the winter community-based youth basketball season. It features youth travel teams of all levels of play from 192 Minnesota Youth Basketball Alliance (MYBA) parent-volunteer youth basketball associations.
During each weekend of the 2022 Grade State tournament, we are emphasizing sportsmanship with our strategic partner, Youth 1st. A Conduct 1st environment will be instilled at each playing location, and messaging before and during the event will focus on the importance of creating this environment during each state tournament game. Each participating team whose coaches, players, and spectators display good behavior and positive conduct during each of their games – as voted upon by the game officials – will be recognized as Youth 1st Team Award winners following the Championships.
“With all the challenges over the past few years in just getting the kids on the court, the Minnesota Youth Athletic Services is prouder than ever to partner with our communities on what we hope will be one of our greatest Grade State Basketball Championships,” said Dawson Blanck, Executive Director of the MYAS. “We feel that our focus on sportsmanship and support for our game officials is perfectly timed to give a positive boost to youth sports in Minnesota.”
