Milton Partners with Recreation Mainstay for Youth Basketball

Milton's Parks and Recreation Department is offering a winter basketball league for boys and girls ages 6 to 12 that has a long pedigree in recreation for North Fulton youth. The city has partnered with long-time sports provider North Georgia Rec. to offer a winter basketball league for boys and girls ages 6 to 12.

"For anyone who has participated in our basketball programs previously, get ready to be blown away by the service and responsiveness of North Georgia Rec.," said Tom Gilliam, recreation programs coordinator for the City of Milton, in a news release. "It's a big win for the city to partner with such great recreation professionals."

North Georgia Rec. was created by 13-year mainstay Newtown Recreation to expand its popular brand outside the Johns Creek, Roswell and Alpharetta area, said Brandon Allen, the program's director.

"We've had a lot of Milton residents play in our programs already," he said. "It just made sense to bring them into Milton and expand the leagues."

Newtown Recreation has provided basketball for 12 years. Its staff has experience with city sports programs, as they currently runs all sports programs for Johns Creek. Created to exclusively run activities at what was then Fulton County's Newtown Park, the organization now hosts more than 60 percent of its activities outside it, including soccer, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, flag football, golf, tennis and the "Newtown Tots" sports introduction programs, according to the release from Milton Communications Manager Jason Wright.

Their size and connections to other local sports leagues and recreation programs in Johns Creek and Alpharetta means a wide variety of opponents, said Gilliam. But don't expect to travel far: It's a Milton program, which means half of all games will be played at either or schools, which Milton has contracted with for gym time.

Winter Basketball League

• Ages 6-12
• Registration: Sept. 5
• Game Time: Practices begin in November; season lasts through mid-February
• Cost: $150 residents; $225 non-residents
• Information: City of Milton Recreation Program Online Activity Guide