In Honor of José "PuG" Rivera
Named in honor of our beloved founder, The PuG Zone is a safe space for the EL-TOWN ELITE family — parents, players, coaches, and community members — to connect, share, and grow together.
80+
Members
5
Posts
4
Articles
2025–26
Season
Great energy at practice today! The boys were locked in on ball-handling drills from the jump. Shoutout to DeShawn Jr. for pushing through those defensive slides even when it got tough. That's the EL-TOWN ELITE spirit right there. Reminder: Saturday practice is moved to 10 AM at the rec center. Bring water and your A-game!
BIG announcement coming next week regarding our summer tournament schedule! We've been working hard behind the scenes to get into some incredible events this year. Keep the last two weeks of July clear — you do NOT want to miss what we have planned. PuG would have been so proud of how far this organization has come. Stay tuned! 🏆
Tip of the Week: Footwork wins games, not just handles. This week in practice we worked on the "drop step" move in the post. If your son is asking you to film him in the driveway, let him! That repetition outside of practice is what separates good players from great ones. Here's a quick breakdown of what we covered... 1. Set your feet wide under the basket 2. Read the defender's hip position 3. Drop step AWAY from their body, protect the ball low 4. Finish strong through contact
Just wanted to share something real quick. My son Marcus used to be the shyest kid in any room. Wouldn't make eye contact, barely spoke. After two seasons with EL-TOWN ELITE — he walked into school this Monday and introduced himself to a new student WITHOUT me telling him to. I cried in the parking lot y'all. This program builds people, not just players. Thank you Coach Webb, Coach King, and everyone in this community. PuG started something special.
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." We talk about this every single practice. Talent gets you noticed. Character gets you remembered. PuG embodied both — and we carry that with us every time we step on the court. Elite mindset, every day. Let's go!
This is your community hub. Post updates, share basketball tips, celebrate your kids, and support every family in the EL-TOWN ELITE family.
“Basketball is just the door, character is the house.”
— José "PuG" Rivera
Consistency is the key to improvement. These five drills can be done in a driveway, park, or living room and will accelerate any player's development.
What your child eats before practice directly impacts their energy, focus, and performance on the court. Here's a simple guide for busy families.
How do you help a kid bounce back after a tough loss? The mental side of basketball is just as important as the physical. Coaches and parents can work together.
Research consistently shows that youth involved in structured sports programs perform better academically, socially, and emotionally. EL-TOWN ELITE is living proof.
Practice — 10:00 AM
Rec Center
Skills Clinic
Main Gym
Parent + Player Scrimmage
Rec Center
Inter-Squad Game Day
Elmira College
The PuG Zone · EL-TOWN ELITE Community Portal