The CAVS youth basketball program began in 1988. CAVS founder Darryl McDonald was working on some individual skills at San Fernando Park one afternoon. During his workout 5 kids came up to him and asked if he would teach them the drill he was working on . They said that they had been cut from the middle school basketball team. They asked if he would form a team to compete in the middle school tournament. This will give them the chance to face and beat the same team that cut them. The team began to practice and came up with the name CAVS after the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. That was the birth of the program.
 

The CAVS entered the tournament, and faced the school that cut them in the semi-finals. The CAVS to the surprise of many defeated them and went on to play for the championship. The CAVS would go on to loose in the championship, but that tournament showed Darryl McDonald that he had a gift that needed to be shared with other kids who wanted to become better basketball players. This would be the start of one of the most successful basketball programs in the valley.
 

The CAVS began to participate in more tournaments. As they continued to win more tournaments more kids wanted to join. The CAVS began a very successful run that is still going strong almost 2 decades later. The program has produced some great teams in the past. One of the most successful team was in 2004. That team won an amazing 42 straight games. That year, they went to the championship game in every tournament they competed in. Defense is the key to the CAVS success. When you play a CAVS team you know you are going to face constant full court pressure that wears you down. This team beat bigger and stronger teams along the way because the CAVS followed the motto “We defend to the end”.
 

Over the years, the CAVS lead by Darryl McDonald have been very successful. After graduating from the program, CAVS players have played key roles on high school varsity basketball teams, received scholarships to universities, became coaches and several have become professional athletes. Most importantly, CAVS who spend time in the program, become productive members of the community. It has been a great 20 years, so far, for the CAVS. The CAVS continue to develop players living up to another motto. “Preparation for the Next Level”
 

The CAVS Program

 

The CAVS is a competitive basketball program that focuses on player development, fundamentals, and making every player in the program a better basketball player. The CAVS motto is: "PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT LEVEL". If you want to make your child a better basketball player, then there is only one choice... THE CAVS. We are the best at what we do.

The CAVS have the ability and the knowledge to help get players to whatever level of basketball the player wants to achieve, whether the child’s goal is making it in the NBA, receiving a scholarship to a university or college, or making the high school or middle school team. Using the CAVS system we guarantee each kid in the program will become a better basketball player, and will be equipped with the necessary tool to succeed on and off the court.

-Darryl McDonald

Coach & CAVS Founder