Girls Recreation Basketball League Tips Off Season

The Fort Lee Girls Recreation Basketball League held opening ceremonies Tuesday at , marking the start of what promises to be an exciting season.

Many people came out to show their support, including Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, Councilmen Joseph Cervieri and Harvey Sohmer and Acting Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle.

Sokolich said youth sports are "thriving" in Fort Lee, and that the community is "setting the pace."

League president Michael Klein said this is the “biggest year for Fort Lee girls rec basketball,” with 261 players, 47 coaches and 25 teams.

The league is for girls from third through eighth grade.

Sokolich, a former Bridgeman basketball player, tossed up the opening tip off to start the first game of the evening, a matchup between in bright red and Starr, Darcey and Starr in purple.

Klein later told Patch that more than 400 people were in attendance Tuesday evening.

"I'm in this for the girls to have fun and get better at the same time and hopefully go on to and play basketball at a higher level," he said.

Photographer John Ford captured these images of Tuesday evening's festivities at the middle school.