By Kim J. Harmon

The Rising Star Summer Basketball League – sponsored by the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department – opened its fourth season on Monday with a skills clinic at Treadwell Park. Some 40 players participated.

“Each year the league keeps getting better and better,” said John Quinn, coach of the Newtown High School boys’ basketball team, who got the league going four years ago, “because the players keep getting better and better.”

The league is set to begin play next week, playing two nights a week at Treadwell through July and August (culminating in playoffs and award ceremonies). With the number of players registered, coach Quinn said he expected there to be at least six teams.

“The idea of this league,” he said, “is to come out in the summer, play basketball, and have fun. The major objective is to have fun.”

In years past, the teams in the league have been coached by high school players. But since other commitments have made that a difficult proposition, the teams will now be coached by parents, with assistance from high school players.

Coach Quinn went over some basic information about the league makeup (the schedule, the referee situation, the fact that there will be equal playing time for all players) with those who gathered together on Monday night, but also emphasized his own fundamental rules and philosophy he expected each player to follow.

“There will be no trash talking,” he told them, “no attitudes. This is about playing basketball and to do that you have to have the right attitude.”

Things are about to get more exciting at Treadwell Park.