01/08/2026
Program Directors, Parents and Coaches,
There are several changes to plans this quarter at Marist for our youth basketball activities.
On 1/29, Marist University will celebrate the 1st anniversary of its name change and will now use the Student Recreation Gym that evening for an event, which will not allow the second Red Fox Skills Challenge of the season.
On 12/12 I had partial knee replacement on my left knee and I'll have the same on my right knee on 3/6. While my recovery is going very well, I'm focused on physical therapy for the next several months.
As a result, the Marist Red Fox Club Board of Directors decided the following at their last meeting in December:
Youth basketball players wearing their jerseys can still get in free with a paying adult for the games on 1/29, 2/5, 2/19 and 3/1. Please alert your participants and encourage them to attend these games. It's not every day kids can get in free to a Marist game, so please help promote this opportunity to your families.
There will be NO Red Fox Skills Challenges the remainder of the season prior to these games. Ideally we want these skills challenges to be on non-school nights before 7 PM games or during local school breaks in late Dec / early Jan. Next season we will restart the skills challenge and I'll communicate the dates once known. Let's hope the dates / times are more conducive next season. The concept is an awesome opportunity for youth players to compete in 3-Point, Hot Shot, Free Throw and Dribble Knockout Contests throughout the season to see who advances to divisional Final Fours to crown individual and all-around champions!
The 1st Annual Marist Youth Intramural Basketball Tournament will be postponed until 3/13/27 to 3/21/27. There is no way I can run this tournament this March given my second knee surgery on 3/6. The good news is that much work was done last fall to determine interest in such a tournament and there is much excitement in the youth basketball community for this future tournament. The delayed start will also give me the opportunity to find a solution for boy's 7th-8th grade teams, which currently can't play on a Division 1 campus, but many of you want to enter B78 teams into this tournament. I can also accommodate more programs, since on the weekend of 3/15-16/27, we can play 80 round-robin games, 60 in the McCann Arena on Saturday / Sunday and 20 in the Student Recreation Gym on Sunday when there isn't a Marist men's soccer tournament. We can also play 12 additional round-robin games, if needed, on Monday-Thursday evenings before Final Four games are played on Friday-Sunday. Below are the programs that were ready to enter divisional all-star teams when I was going to circle back for final commitments in mid-January:
Beacon Hoops
Kingston Recreation
Lloyd Recreation
Marlboro Youth Basketball
Newburgh Youth Basketball
New Paltz Youth Basketball
Regina Coeli CYO
Saugerties Athletic Association
St. Martin CYO
St. Joachim CYO
Please note comments below on programs not in the list above. If other programs are interested, but not noted, then please get in touch with me.
Beekman Recreation - would need to pull their 2026-27 season in two weeks to conclude prior to this tournament
East Fishkill Recreation - was interested in only entering a B78 team
St. Mary's Fishkill CYO - wasn't interested in participating
Pleasant Valley Recreation - no response yet
St. Christopher's CYO - no response yet
I'm sorry to share this disappointing news, but I hope to see you at the Marist Youth Hoops games on 1/29, 2/5, 2/19 and 3/1. Marist Athletics and the Marist Red Fox Club are fully committed to these youth events in the future and we feel that the kids will be thrilled with a season-long skills challenge and an intramural all-star tournament!
Thanks again for your understanding and support of Marist Men's and Women's Basketball!
Chris Fields
Marist Red Fox Club Board of Directors
