History of Your
West Long Branch
Sports Association
The West Long Branch Sports Association is currently an independent organization. The Executive Board consists of volunteers who are dedicated to providing a healthy and safe sports environment for all children of West Long Branch, and those attending the West Long Branch schools. We receive no public funding. All of our programs are funded entirely by registration fees, sponsorships and other fundraising activities.
In 1967, at the suggestion from the West Long Branch Borough Council, a special branch of the West Long Branch Recreation Commission was formed. The main reason for this extension of the Commission was to assist and organize a boys baseball program. This branch became what is now known as the West Long Branch Sports Association. In its early years, the Sports Association grew to include Saturday morning basketball and a girls softball program, along with a parent’s volleyball night. During this time, fifty children were involved with these programs.
In the early 1970’s, The West Long Branch Traveling Soccer program was formed by the Sports Association, and quickly became one of the most successful and competitive programs in the area. Surrounding towns, including Eatontown, Tinton Falls, Rumson, Fair Haven, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Shrewsbury and Little Silver later created a local area recreation program which today is know as the Northern Monmouth Soccer association (NMSA). West Long Branch continues to field some of the finest teams in that league today.
By the late 1970’s the Sports Association Board of Directors grew from the four original members to twelve members. Today, the executive Board consists of fifteen highly dedicated and hard-working individuals.
In the 1980’s, our recreational programs continued to grow to include girls soccer, girls basketball, flag football (which later became part of the Shore Pop Warner program), Biddy basketball and Kindergarten soccer. By the late 1980’s, the West Long Branch Sports Association had entered two teams into the Mid Monmouth Basketball Association league, a highly competitive travel program (grades 5th though 8th) that includes teams from all over Monmouth county. We also entered six teams into the Eastern Monmouth Sports Association boys baseball league.
The 1990’s saw our athletic programs expand more. We entered four girls' teams into the Mid Monmouth Basketball Association. Today we include ten travel teams in the Monmouth Youth Basketball League. We also began hosting one of the areas premier holiday travel tournaments, the annual West Long Branch Thanksgiving Day Basketball Tournament. While Hurricane Sandy caused the cancellation of this tournament in 2012, the tournament continued in 2013 and still draws over 100 travel teams from all over central New Jersey.
However, we do not limit ourselves to only sporting events. The Sports Association takes great pride and joy in assisting with the building and maintenance of new playing fields, supporting the annual carnivals, participating in the July 4th celebrations and various fund raising and charity work. In conjunction with efforts by the Borough of West Long Branch, we raised funds to have lights installed on the Valenzano Park baseball field. We are an ongoing supporter of local educational institutions like the West Long Branch school system, the PTA and Education Foundation, Shore Regional High School, and Monmouth University. The success of our local school teams in soccer, baseball, softball and basketball can be traced back to our programs, which is a direct result of the dedication to the children by the West Long Branch Sports Association.
As everyone can see, your Sports Association has grown at an incredible rate to provide a wide variety of premier sports programs. We currently receive no public funding, and pay for insurance, equipment, referees, gym time and maintenance entirely through registration fees, team sponsorships and fund raising activities. None of this would have been possible without the time and effort of all past and present members, as well as the support and generosity of the parents, guardians and businesses that fund our activities.