Who is Gold Crown and How Do Their Two Winter Leagues Differ?

The Gold Crown Foundation has been in existence in the Denver metropolitan area for nearly three decades. In the sport of basketball, it is most known for hosting arguably the largest and longest running Winter Competitive League, intended to help boost player development in Colorado youths from the 5th to 8th grades. Most people, however, are unaware of a second CYB Premier League they host that runs in parallel. Following is a quick comparison of how they differ.

5th-8th Grade Winter Competitive League

• Runs January 7th – February 28th, 2016.
• Serves boys and girls teams from Pueblo to Greeley, and Summit County to Denver and Aurora.
• Games can be played any time during the week, and at the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood, Colorado, as well as high school/middle school gyms across the Front Range.
• Gold Crown's flagship league that abides by a strict "60% feeder rule," meaning that 6 players on a 10-player roster, for example, must be youths that will ultimately FEED into the same high school. 

• All feeder teams play under their respective high school name, although, in recent years they have become more open to teams playing under other names.
  
• The league offers two skill divisions – Gold and Silver. Gold is for more skilled teams, and Silver is for development, or less skilled, teams.
• Most ideal for youths from within the same neighborhood looking to play together.

Must See:  Gold Crown team tryouts in your area

6th- 8th Grade Winter CYB Premier League

• Runs January 7 – February 13, 2016.
• There is a firm 64 teams cap and all teams must undergo a strict screening process prior to registering to help keep up the integrity of the league.
• Games will be played on Thursday nights and Saturday mornings/afternoons at the Gold Crown Field House in Lakewood, Colorado.
  
• There is NO feeder rule and only ONE skill division, which makes this league most ideal for the more skilled and serious club and high school teams.

At the Mile High Centennials, we partner with various high school basketball programs across the Denver Metro area to form Gold Crown teams of our own for either the 5th-8th Grade Winter Competitive League or the 6th-8th CYB Premier League, whenever feasible. In the end, it's all about opening up opportunities for our players to compete and stay active, regardless of what uniform they wear. Also worth noting is that Gold Crown is NOT the only option for winter hoops. Arapahoe Youth League, Aurora Youth League, South Suburban Parks and Recreation, as well as the cities of Denver and Aurora all host respectable leagues for varying skills levels. 

Did we miss anything, or do you have any other suggestions to help parents and players navigate the confusing hoops landscape in Colorado? Please comment below.