Upcoming tryouts will be held on Dec. 12 and 13 at St. Brigid School in West Hartford.  

Submitted

Magic Time AAU Basketball, a family-oriented program for boys and girls in West Hartford and the greater Hartford area who love basketball, is set to begin its 11th season.

Emphasizing fundamentals and proper technique in ball handling, shooting, footwork and conditioning, the Magic Time program is a year-round endeavor with the flexibility to fit your family’s needs. For boys and girls ages 6-18, Magic Time offers seasonal leagues, winter workouts, a 12-tournament AAU spring season with two hosted events and participation in the Nutmeg Games each summer.

Magic Time also conducts workouts throughout the offseason at its home court at St. Brigid School, 100 Mayflower St. in West Hartford and is open to boys and girls of all ages, regardless of skill level or background. Newcomers are welcome! The workouts are conducted by Magic Time coaches certified by the CIAC for different age groups.

At every workout, players will have the opportunity to register for Magic Time’s highly anticipated and competitive 2016 spring program. The spring schedule will feature twice-weekly practices and up to 12 tournaments, including two hosted by Magic Time, and a number of travel events in New England.

“We’ve been doing this for a long time and that’s why our program is so successful. Magic Time has a strong reputation in Hartford, West Hartford, and the surrounding towns,” Magic Time Executive Director and Coach Fernando Morales said. “Everything we do is about encouraging our kids to be their best, both on and off the court.”

A staple of Hartford hoops for more than a decade, Magic Time offers a competitive, fun environment where boys and girls ages 6-18 have the opportunity to learn both the fundamentals and nuances of basketball from state-certified coaches. Magic Time is not a neighborhood or town program. It takes great pride in attracting players of diverse backgrounds from dozens of towns across the state of Connecticut.

Parent Thomas Sullivan says, “My son has been a member of Magic Time AAU for three years now.
Through the rigorous instruction and disciplined program he has grown as a youth basketball player. He has honed his skill and developed his game. More importantly, because of the values and leadership of the program he has developed as a young man. My son has developed a number of friendships through the program. Bottom line, he is a much better basketball player, but more importantly, a better person. I have been so impressed with the program mission and impact, that I have done what I can to support the program beyond my son, so that Magic Time AAU can expand their reach to more youths.”

Magic Time Executive Director Fernando Morales founded the program in 2005. A lifelong Connecticut, he also is the Athletic Director at St. Brigid School and the Boys Basketball Coach at the Hebrew High School of New England, both in West Hartford.

Magic Time’s coaching staff also includes Juan Rodriguez, the Boys Basketball Coach at St. Timothy’s Middle School, West Hartford; Chris Bernucca, the Freshman Boys Coach at East Hampton High School; and Greg Grady, a former pro player in Europe who played collegiately at Division I schools Western Kentucky and Texas-San Antonio.

Magic Time also offers a variety of positions available for high school students in need of community service hours.

Tryouts will be held on Dec. 12 and 13. Times are noon to 1 p.m. for grades 1-4, 1-2 p.m. for grades 5 thorough 8, and 2-3 p.m. for grades 9-12.

For more information, please contact Magic Time Executive Director and Coach Fernando Morales at (860) 478-3322 or via email at [email protected]. All leagues and workouts will be held at St. Brigid School, 100 Mayflower St., West Hartford.

Click here to follow Magic Time on Facebook.

One of Magic Time’s boys teams. Submitted photos

One of Magic Time’s girls teams. Submited photo