Photo by Sam Yu The Knicks and Blazers played on opening day of the Basketball Coaches Without Boundaries youth league at courts off Taney Avenue in Frederick. Going up for a shot for the Blazers is Connor Corbitt (18). Defending for the Knicks are C. Pirrone (2) and Neil Rozich. Purchase this photo

"Our organization is a group of guys that grew up playing basketball on outdoor courts," Whiten said Saturday as he got ready for the opening ceremonies. "People don't do that much anymore. I thought why not do it? There is a certain ambiance to having it outdoors."

"It's unique, something different," said McDaniel basketball coach Kevin Curley, who was one of the speakers at the ceremony. "I am a little surprised they do it."

The youth league is just one part of the Basketball Coaches Without Boundaries organization that the 52-year-old Whiten founded 10 years ago. (He got the name when he heard about Doctors Without Boundaries, a group of doctors that help people thoughout the world.) BCWB has held a basketball clinic for 10 years. It had a traveling team the first couple of years and started it up again this year. Last spring the group started an indoor summer league for women 18 and up, and this summer they will hold a summer league for men. Last year it held a fall youth league.

But the youth summer league is the biggest part of the program and BCWB president Dwayne Whiten said Raymond Whiten is the main reason the league is still around.

"If not for Ray's vision and determination, we would not be where we are today," Dwayne Whiten said. "He kept it going. At the start, a lot of it came out of his pocket."

Lynn Whiten, Dwayne's wife and vice president of the organization, said when her husband first heard of the idea he didn't think it would work because Ray Whiten lives in Princes George's County and would have to travel to Frederick several times a week.

"My husband said it was crazy," Lynn Whiten said.

The league has 12 teams in the junior division (grades 5-7) and eight in the senior division (grades 8-10). There are about 240 players, including 30 to 35 girls who mostly play on the boys teams. (They hoped to have four separate girls team, but that didn't work out.)

The teams play eight weeks during the summer on Friday nights and all day on Saturdays. They play two games at a time on the two courts. The senior division teams play 20-minute halves; the junior division plays 16.

Raymond Whiten, who played basketball at Frederick High School from 1973 to 1975, said he's not surprised it has been such a success.

"We struck a need back in 2000," he said. "It's something that should have been here a long time ago. It gives the intracity kids who don't play baseball an avenue to play another sport. It gives them another outlet during the summer."

"It gives the kids a positive involvement for eight weeks during the summer," Dwayne Whiten said.

Initially, the league was primarily comprised of players from the city, but now there are participants from all around. Urbana , Middletown , Mount Airy and Linganore have teams in the league.

The league holds a draft in which players are picked for each team. Everyone has to play several minutes each game. Lynn Whiten makes sure of that.

"We do have to remind coaches of that sometimes," she said.

The size of the league has not changed much. It began with eight senior and 10 junior division teams. Now there are 12 junior division teams. They had hoped to add four more teams this year, but couldn't come up with enough coaches.

Initially, it costs $25 to join the league. The cost is now $95 dollars and a $25 fundraising free, which goes to scholarships. There are about 15 to 20 players on scholarship.

The league has seen a few changes over the years:

n When it began, a flip chart was used to keep score. Now, score is kept electronically.

n A few years ago, league officials bought their own truck. They used to rent a truck, load it up on Friday and unload it on Sunday.

n They now pay officials, something they didn't do at first.

n This year, for the first time, they bought the players uniforms.

The whole operation is a family affair. Raymond Whiten's son, Ray Whiten Jr., is in charge of the adult league. He works at the City of Frederick Armory and said people asked if BCWB would start an adult league.

"I didn't have to convince my father," he said. "He always been interested in an adult league."

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THE PLAYERS AND GUESTS sat and stood on the courts Saturday and got ready for the opening ceremony. They put on their new uniforms for the first time and were eager to start.

"This is my third year and it gives me a chance to see a lot of competition around the county," said 15-year-old Xavier Stewart of Walkersville . He plays on the Timberwolves team. (The junior division teams are named after colleges and the senior teams after pro teams). "I know how good I have to be."

Taylor Johnson is one of the girls who plays on a boys team. The 13-year-old Crestwood Middle School student is in her second year in the league.

"It's a chance to get together and see different talent," she said. "I also like playing outdoors. It's different."

She said playing on a boys team helps her learn different things about the game. But she also said it can rough.

"It's another avenue for me, it makes me a better player," she said.

Former St. John's Catholic Prep and current McDaniel player Kevin Henry said being at the ceremonies brought back a lot of good memories. He played in the league for four years.

"It was just so much fun and it definitely helped my game," he said. "I was able to fine-tune things and had an opportunity to play more basketball."

At the ceremonies, Raymond Whiten was recognized for the work that he has done. But he didn't seem that interested in getting any recognition. He was just glad the league has gone so well. He doesn't mind driving the long distance from his home to be there.

"I grew up here, this is where I belong," he said.