Attention Thunder

(Note: Friday's 15U game is at McCully gym, not Kilauea.)

Some notes...

• NJB Classic begins tomorrow (Wednesday). Game schedule will be released tonight at the coaches meeting, which begins at 6 pm, Palama gym. I'll post our 17U and 12U schedules ASAP.

• Car Wash tickets. If you can sell more tickets, please let me know and I'll bring more to you. (Auntie Char printed more on Monday night.) The more we sell, the better. We've got expenses to cover for these tournaments and leagues, including the Fall leagues that begin in late August. And please, collect $10 for each ticket you sell. A couple of our keikis were under the impression that the ticket buyer doesn't pay until the day of the Car Wash. Collect now so we can be sure to raise funds. Some people will forget about the car wash on that day (hopefully not!), so collect now.

• More Car Wash ticket info. Please bring in your ticket sales money to practice or games (at the tournament or league) this week. We'll continue to collect the money each week until Car Wash day (Sunday, July 29). See the Thunder Car Wash page on Facebook.

• Friday, the 15U plays against Lanakila, 8:00 pm, McCully Kilauea gym. This week's practice schedule will be posted after I receive the NJB Classic schedule, so check back for the days and times. But 15U, please come to practice so we can be at full strength and fully prepared. Looks like we'll have our full roster for the first time in weeks.

• More Car Wash #2. Sign-up sheet is ready and we need parents and players to kokua. Sign up for the morning shift or afternoon shift. Let me know via e-mail (alawaiwestheads@gmail.com), phone (551-1054) or on Facebook.

• Mahalo to so many parents who have fed our Thunder keiki and given them rides to games and back home in the past weeks. You are super duper appreciated! Bryson's mom helped out with homemade musubis and transportation for our 16U over the weekend. Walter's dad (Mark) brought Subway sandwiches for the 13U on Monday night. Cody's dad (Glenn) shot video for games at the 16U tourney on Sunday. Mahalo!

• Finally, why are we raising funds? The cost of leagues and tournaments (fees range from $250 to $500), post-game snacks and meals, new basketballs, Gatorade, jerseys ... it all adds up very quickly. I've been happily spending my own money to cover everything, but after two years, it's great to get some help from our hardworking parents and supporters. The Cookie Corner fundraiser in the spring raised $720. AWESOME.

The cost of everything since spring began has been far more than recent years since we got to play in so many more leagues in so many more age divisions. But if we all pitch in, covering the costs is a realistic goal. Can we raise the thousands we need to stay at break-even? I think so. It'll continue to take a team effort on the part of everybody, from players to coaches to parents to friends.

If we're doing so well at some point that the kids can keep their jerseys and even get to wear (and keep) hoodies, we're doing great with fundraisers. But the goals are simple for now: raise enough to pay for upcoming leagues and tournaments.