League Presidents

1980: Harry Jenkins had the idea to start a local recreational basketball program in our area. Together Jeff Leech, the league's 1st president, and Harry Jenkins, then Fox Chapel Varsity High School boys head coach, set their sights on developing a potential feeder program for the high school basketball teams. They also hoped to offer more playing opportunities to the community at large. Sean Miller, comes to the Jenkins clinic and does some amazing dribbling.

1981: Fox Chapel “Winter League” is born! The league is initially co-ed which lasts for only 1 year and starts with 10 teams and 80 kids. Only 10 girls play the first year. All play is at O'Hara and refereed by high school students. Age groups were from 9 years old to 15.

1983: Bud Forster, who played on Fox Chapel High School's 1st ever varsity team in 1961, becomes league president. An interesting fact is that he scored the 1st point in school history.

1985: Perry Rofey becomes the first long term president.

1991: Bob Mauro becomes president. The league has 34 teams and 272 players

1994: Moe Barr becomes the only 1 term president.

1995: The Meinert brothers begin a 14 year stint as league president. Pat runs the league for 5 years and is followed by his brother Denis who runs it for 8 years. During that time a conscious decision is made to allow the travel program to work more as a separate entity and have the rest of the league instead focus on the fun and recreational side. Many believe that the decision begins a huge surge in overall numbers.

2000: the league has now grown to 425 players and 64 teams. Denis Meinert takes over for his brother Pat. Denis, becomes the longest-tenured president in league history. In his typical humility, he refers to himself as league commissioner; High School Age Groups add Juniors & Senior leagues.

2002: Player count exceeds 500

2004: PIAA referees are used for the 1st time with great success.

2006: Player count grows to 650, with 88 teams.

2007: The adult league is started. Teams counts near 100, with 95 total teams.

2008: Separate girl’s 7th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade age groups are formed for the first time. The initial year starts with a combined 14 teams (6 more than usual), as compared to the previous year’s total of 8 teams.

2009: Marc Reppermund becomes president and adds PayPal as a payment option. 65% of the registrations are paid that year via credit card or Paypal.

2010: The Women’s League began under Commissioner Katie Skinner, who would stay for 2 years until moving to Chicago. The league is well received but has only 3 teams, and they must share players, and use some high school girls to make it work. The 3 man referee system is tested and then implemented for the 1st time. It becomes a regular part of the post season the following year.

2011 (30th Anniversary): Player count peaks at an all time record of 850, with 115 teams. A 2nd grade league is added with play on lower hoops, 3 on 3 side to side at Fairview. Also in 2011, league schedules and standings began being posted online for the first time. That same year the league began an annual in-house 3v3 tournament at no charge to its players in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Also in 2011, the Men’s 40&Over league began with 6 teams. This is the first year that all players are required to pay by credit card.

2012: Dan Gartland becomes the oldest player in league history, topping 60 years old, and playing not in the 40OV, but in the OHS league. He retires and never plays again after that. The Men's 40&OV grows to 8 teams in only its 2nd year. The Women's League grows to 5 teams but must contract back to 4 teams due to last minute issues with players.

2013: "Winter League" as it is now affectionately called, boasts 830+ players annually plus a 100 or so in the travel program, some of which play in both programs. The combined total is over 900 players, offering age groups ranging from 2nd to 12th, including Men's OHS, Men's 40&Over, and Women's OHS Leagues, and travel programs.

2014: Registration hits an all-time record 864 registrants and 119 teams, plus travel players. Girls 3rd-4th changes to 4v4 format with great success. The League throws a 25 year old OHS player out for life for pushing a PIAA referee. Men's 40OV hits records 9 teams, and OHS hits record 13 teams. Boys 1st/ 2nd has record 12 teams. Boys 7/8 Commissioner Ron Schwartz adds skills competitions to our annual 3v3 tournament for his age group for the 1st time. T-shirts are awarded as prizes to top teams in the 3v3 for the 1st time. The Women's OHS holds it's 1st ever 3v3 at Shady Side MS. The top referees are evaluated by a Quad A elevator for the 1st time. Commissioner Robert Shepherd coordinates league wide team photos through professional photographer for the 1st time. Boys 9th-10th has 1st ever double forfeit for substitution violations in the Semi Finals. Neither team advances. As a result Boys 9th/10th becomes 1st age group in history to declare no winner.

2015 Registration 867 New All Time record.  Men's OHS record 15 teams, Men's 40OV record 10 teams, Boys 1st-2nd record 14 teams.  OHS team Kalp scores 98 points, most in league history.  Winter league kicks off first ever Summer League for the OHS, and 40OV leagues.

2015: Team League starts in 2015 (1st league to allow you to bring your own team)

Begin using the new LAW facility

2016: Begin using professional Referee assigning software in 2016 from Horizon; OHS Team League Tenenini vs Gamblin both score over 100 points, final score is Tenenini 110 Gamblin 106

2019:  Marc Reppermund starts use of Slack App for communication

2020:  Covid-19 shuts down Women’s League playoffs, and ends the season without a champion for the 1^st time

2021: 1^st Female coach in B11/12 – Francesca Iurlano (and runs the table during the season); 1^st use of TNA “The Neighborhood Academy” and Legends of Pgh gyms; All players and coaches wear masks during play and on the bench; No fans are permitted at Shady Side games during the entire season; Games are live-streamed to make up for a lack of fans; No practice is held the entire season

​​​​2021-22: 1^st Girls age group to exceed a boys age group in registration G5/6

2022-23: B1/2 hits 17 teams, most ever for a single age group with 102 registered players; 600 players register to play in the youth leagues; First Internationally Certified Referee used in our league, Evgeni Zaikan; B5/6 Elshahat wins the championship game with only 2 players left on the court as his other players fouled out in the 4th quarter. ​​​​​​​