The Central Jersey Cardinals will extend the opportunity for our players to reach their fullest potential as a basketball player. We will accomplish this by providing the finest in basketball knowledge and tools, and when accompanied with an individual’s hard work and natural ability, we will achieve each athlete’s reasonable goals in an enjoyable atmosphere.
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MISSION STATEMENT
WHO WE ARE
The Central Jersey Cardinals (formerly Jerzee Heat) were founded in 2002 by former Rutgers’s and N.J. Gatorade player of the year, Kristen Somogyi. Kristen, as the leading scholastic scorer in New Jersey history, saw a need and an opportunity for a large AAU organization in our area that would be able to compete with the most successful groups in the country. With her closest of connections to both the Rutgers and Liberty organizations, and her relationships with the most successful coaches and players in our country, Kristen is able to provide a unique basketball experience other organizations would be hard pressed to match.
We are a group that only wishes to attract and keep the serious basketball player and their parents. AAU basketball is an expensive proposition. Travel and tuition fees can cost a family a great deal of money and time. While we are setting up the opportunity for a team to fundraise and actually encourage it, we don’t hide the fact that our costs to you may be higher than other AAU teams. The reasons for the higher costs are that we pay our coaches. We find that it is necessary to do so to attract the best coaches, many of whom are fresh out of playing for their college teams or are current successful high school coaches. By having these coaches on our staff the advantages, we feel, are worth it. Your child is being coached by someone with coaching and playing experience. Our coach’s only preferences should be guided by ability, hard work, and performance. Recent college players and coaches on our staff also provide up to date connections to decision makers from their former teams. As a parent, you must decide whether these extra advantages are worth the additional costs. We do, on occasion, offer scholarships based upon financial need and/or ability.
Our goal is to have at least 2 girl’s teams per age group 10 through 16 every year. At least one team will be an “elite team” and one will be a “developmental team”. While we are proud of our 1 boy’s elite team, we plan to stay a girl’s organization at the present time.
We are a successful, growing organization. We welcome your input. Please send your thoughts to Paul Byrnes at poorpaul@aol.com. We hope your child and family have a rewarding and enjoyable experience with us.