The Midcoat Athletics Center announced this week that the Midcoast Elite basketball club (MCE) will be calling the MAC their new home. Founded in 2019, the MCE was established with the goal of being an affordable, competitive spring and fall travel basketball program. The program has proven exceptionally successful, starting with just two teams in 2019 and expanding to nine teams last season. Athletes range from fifth to 12th grade.
In 2020, MCE competed across New England and took two teams to a national tournament in Florida. This spring, Maine Basketball Hall of Fame coach Jim Graffam is assuming the role of MCE Director of Coaching. Coach Graffam will not only be the head coach of several MCE teams, but will also mentor and assist all of the MCE coaches to ensure consistency and solid fundamentals throughout the entire program.
He will also run all of MCE’s weekly skills & drills sessions at The MAC. In his “spare time,” Coach Graffam is heading up Maine’s only Professional Basketball Association team, the Midcoast Sternmen. The Sternmen will partner with MCE and the MAC.
Brad Galley will continue as the brains behind the MCE organization, and coach Richie Oliver will continue as leader and director of basketball operations at the MAC.
“We are so excited about this partnership for so many reasons. With the incorporation of travel basketball into our already amazing community, we are not only able to offer MCE athletes an amazing practice facility, but MCE athletes will also be offered weekly strength and conditioning training, as well as nutrition planning, at Hybrid Fitness, all included in the MCE package. No hidden costs, fees, or last-minute expenses. It really is the full package – more bang for the buck with a lot less travel for our midcoast families,” MAC owner Rachel Coor said
This new partnership will allow midcoast Maine’s most dedicated, hard-working, and talented basketball athletes the opportunity to compete together throughout Maine, New England, and nationally. “Our goal is to raise the bar for basketball excellence in the midcoast. We are committed to helping our athletes learn, grow, and ultimately use their experiences on the court, to give back to the communities they live in,” Coor said.
For this spring’s travel teams, MCE player assessments for 9-10 grade boys will be held at The MAC on Thursday, April 22 at 6 p.m. Player assessments for grade 7-8 grade girls will be held at The MAC on Tuesday, April 27 at 5 p.m.
