For decades, the Simon Family JCC Youth Basketball League has mixed sportsmanship and athletic skill building with fun and friendship. The league is open to children of all faiths from kindergarten to 5th grade.
The 2020 JCC Youth Basketball League season is dedicated to the life and memory of Sofia Ruiz Konikoff, a coach, mom, and basketball enthusiast. Konikoff hadn’t coached in years, but the mark she made on the league is unforgettable. This tribute is the first time anyone has been honored in this way.
“Sofia would be so honored and proud and somewhat embarrassed. She was a competitor who loved the game and loved helping the kids enjoy the game. She never wanted the kids to leave anything on the floor and know they did their best,” says husband of 24½ years, David Konikoff. “That’s all she wanted, but she taught them how to win, which is also very special.”
“Sofia Konikoff had a life-long passion for basketball which she shared with her children and the JCC Youth Basketball League. She cared about the whole league, not just her children,” says Tom Edwards, M.S., Simon Family JCC athletics director. Edwards created the ‘SK’ logo that appears on the league schedule and jerseys.
– Lisa Richmon