Wolves Celebrate Inaugural Season

It was a banner year for the Wellington Wolves travel basketball. The team, composed of fifth-graders, celebrated a successful inaugural season.

Players Eduardo Diaz, Kemari Brown, Adley Gourdet, Cole Hammack, Hassaan Jean-Louis, Christopher Johnson, Jean Maxy, Tyler Mirsky, Victor Perez and Troy Sly — all Wellington residents — traveled across Florida to compete in state tournaments with head coach Luis Diaz and assistant coach Adam Mirsky.

Most recently, the team traveled to Orlando for the Memorial Day Classic, to Boca Raton for the Battle in Boca, and to Jupiter for the USSSA Jupiter Jam, in which they took home second place.

“It was a great season for the entire team,” said Nicole Hessen, whose son, Cole, plays on the team. “The boys got incredible experience and training and were a part of a team that will only help them better their game. We are excited for another season.”

Last weekend, the Wolves headed to the USSSA State Championship in Melbourne, where more than 40 teams per age group competed.

To learn more about the Wellington Travel Basketball Association, visit www.wellingtonwolves.com.

The Wellington Travel Basketball Association (WTBA) was formed as a nonprofit organization in 2002.

The WTBA is a recognized sports provider for the Village of Wellington and operates under the sports provider policies and guidelines approved by Wellington Village Council and administered by the Wellington Recreation Department. In addition, the association is operated and governed by an elected volunteer board of directors.

The WTBA is funded through participation fees, the generosity of sponsors in the community and fundraising events.

The largest fundraising event of the year is the league’s annual tournament. The tournament, known as the Rosner’s Wellington Shootout in the past, was first held in 2004 and quickly became a first-class event. The tournament has evolved into the Wellington March Madness Invitational Tournament held every March.

ABOVE: The fifth-graders of the Wellington Wolves travel basketball team.