October is the month to sign up for the upcoming Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department Youth Basketball League season. Sponsored by the MPRD, the youth program is open to boys and girls from 5 years old to 15 years old.

The league consistently averages more than 100 teams with over 900 players each season and is the longest running youth basketball program in the county with over 50-years of hardwood action. 

"Our goal each season is to have a league that teaches life lessons through basketball. There is a lot that can be learn through youth sports and we encourage coaches to teach fundamental skills but also how to be a good citizen," said Thomas Laird, Athletic Superintendent for Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department.  "Of course competition is always an important part of the sport and we try to create a level playing field through player evaluations and the draft."

The fee is $50 per player with practice beginning in December and season beginning in January of 2014. The games are played at various elementary schools in the city of Murfreesboro and plus Sports*Com and Patterson Park Community Center.

"Our goal is to have a team that doesn't have an undefeated season and no team that does not win a game during the season and we do that through the draft in the older divisions," said Laird.  "And at the end of the season when we look at records and we see that we have accomplish that goal then we have been successful in creating parity throughout the league."

Signup for the league can be done during regular business hours at Sports*Com, Patterson Park Community Center, McFadden Community Center and the main office of Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department on Veteran's Parkway. The final day for registration is October 31.