Labelle era ends as Mazella takes the reins as MYBA president

Change has come to the Methuen Youth Basketball Association (MYBA). After more 12 years in the program and nearly a decade as president, Dan Labelle is leaving the program. The new president is Kevin Mazella, who has been involved in MYBA for 31 years.

Mazella coached in the program before joining the board in 1997. He also coached junior varsity high school basketball in western Massachusetts before moving to Methuen. Mazella’s goals as the new leader of MYBA are all about leadership and opportunity.

“Dan left me in good hands in leading the organization,” says Mazella, who with wife Cindy has two adult children, Meghan and Daniel. “I want to continue the MYBA philosophy of providing opportunities and skills to the youths of Methuen. I will use what I have been taught by Past Presidents Ken Silva, Steve Saba and Dan.”

Methuen’s Bill Bryant has been an MYBA coach for 15 years and is also a board member. He had three kids go through the program and talks about the legacy of Labelle: “ Dan used his extensive coaching experience at the high school level to improve in-town and travel basketball in Methuen. He has left his imprint in many areas for years to come, the one dearest to my heart is establishing the Unified Basketball League for children with disabilities in the elementary programs.”

Like Labelle, Mazella’s strengths can be found in his multi-faceted longevity with MYBA. He relates, “I have many years of knowledge on how our program is run. I also have a great support group with our board. I will rely on them to keep the program moving forward. The most important thing is that I like basketball and enjoy watching young people grow and learn the sport.”

Bryant talks glowingly about what Mazella will bring to the program: “Kevin has been a foundation presence for each and every division that he has supported or led. He has the knowledge to recruit and mentor an upcoming group of coaches and volunteers. Kevin puts in multiple hours whether it’s at the gym or at his desk, making sure every detail is taken care of for the league.”

The MYBA board consists of 32 members. Mazella says that unity is the key to success: “We have many backgrounds, but one distinctive personality. All of us want Methuen youths to participate in basketball, have a willingness to learn teamwork, grow as individuals and have fun.”

MYBA currently has pre-K through grade 8 programs for boys and girls and a high school program for boys to go along with the Unified Program for both boys and girls.

“Online registration starts in August,” explains Mazella. “All information is at methuenbasketball.com. The website is one of our communication mechanisms. It provides parents and players with information regarding gym conflicts, board members, in-house schedules, links to travel site schedules, and other Methuen youth sports programs.”

As with any youth sports program, attracting good volunteer coaches will remain a priority for Mazella: “We reach out to parents and the previous year’s coaches through our website, Facebook and text blasts. We are always looking for coaches for both travel and in-house teams, and will be doing interviews throughout August. All individuals who are interested can reach out to me at kmazella@aol.com or reach out to the directors listed on our website for a particular program. All coaches must pass a CORI check.”

With this major transition in leadership, Bryant talks about the current state of MYBA. He relates, “Methuen Youth Basketball is solid financially and always looks to support kids in the city who don’t have the financial means to participate. The reason why parents and the youth of Methuen should participate in MYBA is simple. The friendships and the mentoring received is invaluable. The skills learned on and off the court will be used in the classroom, the workplace and in relationships down the road. The fact that many of our alumni come back as coaches, referees or just to provide a positive message speaks to the benefits of their time with MYBA. The hurdle, like many other cities, is the lack of volunteering and getting more people involved.”

Another hurdle that Mazella faces is trying to increase the number of players in MYBA’s girls’ programs. He states, “Registration for girls has been a struggle in the past years. Our in-house programs reach out to North Andover and SISU (Lawrence) to schedule games. It’s also an opportunity for the girls to play against other towns.

“We also collaborate with MHS boys and girls head coaches Ryan Middlemiss and Kevin Barboza, respectively, to assist them in their programs. I hope we have a lot of registrations for the upcoming season.”

While Mazella has been a key cog in MYBA’s overall success, he realizes that parental involvement is the life blood of the organization.

“We wouldn’t have a league if the parents didn’t volunteer their time,” he states. “We realize it is a commitment, but they all want to help our program. Parents are a huge reason why we are a well-organized league and have a plan for how each specific program should be run. Everyone involved with MYBA emphasizes teamwork and the desire to improve as a player and as a person.”

Dan’s departure

Kevin Mazella’s ascension to president of MYBA signals the end of Dan Labelle’s run as leader of the organization. The 60-year-old Labelle, a manager at Raytheon, joined MYBA as a coach in 2013 and took over as president three years later succeeding Steve Saba. His sons Jason and Jonathan are both MYBA alums.

Labelle, a former assistant varsity hoops coach at North Andover and Salem (NH) High Schools and Austin Prep, has been a positive fixture in Merrimack Valley basketball for decades. Moreover, he has been a remarkable president for MYBA, always promoting the teams, players, and programs. He is a fitting subject for a Sports Blitz Q and A.

Sports Blitz: Why have you decided to step down as president of MYBA?

Dan Labelle: My youngest son Jonathan just graduated from Methuen High School and will be attending Coastal Carolina University. My oldest son Jason has also decided to transfer there after two years at UMass Lowell. My wife Maryluz and I have bought a condo down in South Carolina, and I wanted us to be able to see them whenever possible.

SB: What kind of goals did you set for yourself each year as the leader of the program?

DL: I promised myself that I would try to improve upon something each year. We changed some in-house programs to align with our travel programs and took over the pre-K, Grade 2 and the MHS Recreation programs. We also dedicated our in-house leagues to Ken Waldie, Marc Kupiec and the Blood family – legacy members who have passed away. Our board was 100% voluntary. All monies went back into the program. I am also extremely proud that we continued to offer basketball during COVID. We never shut down.

SB: What do you see as the strengths of MYBA?

DL: Our board members are very passionate about the game of basketball but, above all else, they want what is best for the children of Methuen. It is a very well-organized group with a ‘we over me’ mentality. One of the first things I had to do as president was to cut my own sons from the travel program. That was as tough as it gets, but I explained to my wife that if they weren’t good enough, I couldn’t keep them due to my position. After a week of me sleeping on the couch, she understood and agreed!

SB: Talk about the people you have worked with at MYBA.

DL: MHS Athletic Directors Matt Curran and Tom Ryan have been extremely supportive of our needs, and MHS boys basketball head coach Ryan Middlemiss is on our board. Eddie Najeeullah has been with me since Day One and has filled in supporting every program anytime we need help. He was my right-hand man for nine years. Dave Drelick has held many roles on the board over the years as well. Matt Nims is another friend who was always there to help with anything.

SB: What are you most proud of about MYBA in your time as president?

DL: I am very proud that we were able to start the first-ever Unified Basketball program for children with disabilities. We modeled it after the MHS Unified Basketball program. I’ve had some parents tell me they never thought their child would be able to play a team sport. We tailor the program so everyone can play. We have had children in wheelchairs and with behavioral issues, children who are blind and many on the autism spectrum. Watching them interact with their peers, playing basketball, laugh and smile makes it all worth it. It is my favorite program.

SB: How much of a challenge has it been getting coaches, parental involvement and volunteerism in the league.

DL: It’s been somewhat challenging, but I’ve been lucky. We have many parents who want to be part of it. We also have MHS kids coaching and mentoring in our programs. My sons have coached a Grade 5/6 in-house team for four years. They have done a tremendous job with the kids. Some AAU programs pay their coaches. We don’t, so when we do come up short on coaches, the high school kids step up for sure.

SB: Why is Kevin Mazella a good choice to be the next president?

DL: Kevin has been on the board longer than anyone – predating me joining. We have the same goals and vision, which is to do what is best for the kids. He has been learning the position for the past year. I hoped that I could make some improvements and continue to grow the organization. My board has been fantastic and is in a good place. I feel comfortable and grateful that Kevin is taking over. The program could not have a better person stepping up as president.

SB: How has being involved in MYBA been a family affair for you?

DL: My family has been involved with every aspect of MYBA. They have worked the scorer’s table for our tournaments, run the concession stands, collected admissions, played, coached, were peer models and officiated. My wife has made many bank runs, trips to the storage shed, driven our boys everywhere and has been on the court with us for the Unified Program. MYBA has been a huge part of all our lives the past 12 years. After coaching high school basketball for 22 years, all I wanted to do was be there for my boys coaching their teams. We are all going to miss it.”

John Molori is an author, columnist, and a 2011 inductee into the Methuen Athletic Hall of Fame. Facebook: John Molori, Twitter @MoloriMedia. Email molorimedia@gmail.com