caption: COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Players in the Dillon Gym Youth Basketball League tip off in a vintage action shot. The league, which is a partnership between the Princeton Recreation Department and Princeton University, will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this Saturday. The festivities will take place in conjunction with the Princeton University men’s basketball game against Columbia at Jadwin Gym. The event will include a pregame pizza party for players and coaches and a halftime ceremony honoring Dillon alums and current participants. For more information about the celebration, contact Princeton’s Administrative Assistant, Community and Regional Affairs, Erin Metro, at emetro@Princeton.EDU.

Foster, Metro Relish Dillon Hoops Experience As Venerable League Celebrates 40th Birthday

Bill Alden

For Thatcher Foster and Jordan Metro, playing in the Dillon Gym Youth Basketball League was a highlight of growing up in Princeton.

The league, which is a partnership between the Princeton Recreation Department and Princeton University, became a Saturday morning staple for the two as they went from fourth grade through their freshman year at Princeton High.

The skills Foster and Metro gained there under the tutelage of the PU student coaches served them well as they both went on to star for the PHS boys’ hoops team.

So last spring, after the longtime buddies both got accepted to the Princeton Class of 2014, it isn’t surprising that their thoughts turned to Dillon in the excitement of getting into PU.

“When Jordan and I learned that we got into Princeton, we e-mailed Evan [Dillon League official Evan Moorhead] and told him we wanted to be Dillon coaches,” recalled Foster.

This Saturday, the 40th anniversary of the league will be celebrated in conjunction with the Princeton University men’s basketball game against Columbia at Jadwin Gym. The festivities will include a pregame pizza party for players and coaches and a halftime ceremony honoring Dillon alums and current participants.

For Foster, playing Dillon triggered a love of basketball. “It was the first basketball I played; my dad signed me up on a whim,” said Foster. “I never missed a day. You played with your friends and we had some really good games.”

A big attraction of the league to Foster and his friends was the chance to interact with the student coaches from the university.

“I looked up to the older college kids; we thought they were cool,” said Foster.

“I remember my 6th grade team; we had two swimmers as coaches. They were big-time athletes but they made it relaxed and fun.”

One of Foster’s most fun times in his Dillon career came in his freshman year at PHS.

“I was proud of my ninth grade team; it was a group of misfits but we made it to the finals,” said Foster. “Skye [Ettin] smoked us for 30 and he still kids me about it.”

That defeat notwithstanding, Foster still has plenty of good memories of those winter mornings at Dillon.

“It was a big community thing,” asserted Foster. “I looked forward to every Saturday and seeing all the kids, parents, and college kids.”

Metro, for his part, saw his game improve through playing in the Dillon program.

“I signed up because I liked basketball and all my friends were playing,” said Metro.

“The coaches were good role models. It helped me get better, you could try new things there.”

Metro, a versatile athlete who also starred in baseball and lacrosse, views playing Dillon as a highlight of his youth sports career.

“I loved Dillon basketball, it was one of my favorite sporting programs,” said Metro. “It was not high pressure and the coaches were cool. I just had a lot of fun with it.”

It has been cool for Metro to serve as a coach. “It has been fantastic; I love being around the kids,” said Metro, who is coaching the Corner House team in the ninth grade division along with Foster. “I feel like when I was playing; I am still emotionally invested.”

Foster, for his part, is trying to keep his emotions in check when he is coaching.

“As a player, you are focused on winning,” said Foster, noting that Corner House is seeded first for the upcoming league playoffs.

“As a coach, you have to be more level-headed and keep things in perspective. We try to play everybody equally and we do some of the weave drills we learned at PHS. We also play a lot in practice; it is hands on coaching.”

In Foster’s view, the league has served a special bridge to different segments of Princeton.

“It is nice to see two parts of the community bonding like that,” said Foster. “I have been on both sides of the aisle, so to speak, and I think it is a good way to improve relations between the university and the kids in the community.”

Metro is not surprised at the league’s longevity. “It is a great way to relate back to the Princeton community; I think it is great that it has been such a success,” said Metro.

The league’s success is certainly cause for celebration. “It has been a really positive experience,” asserted Foster. “I am looking forward to being with the players at the celebration. It is a really strong program.”

Return to Previous Sports Story | Return to Top | Go to Calendar