About
First Shot Basketball School offers basketball classes for kids that include non-competitive basketball lessons for beginners and competitive advanced training for more experienced children. Classes teach the fundamentals of basketball through skill training in shooting, passing, and dribbling, with specific class options such as Supertots, Pee Wee, Basics, and Olymipx Powerball Advanced Training. The program also offers Powerball Advanced Training for serious players ages 12–15 and runs all activities in safe indoor gyms.
• Ages: 3–15 years old
First Shot Basketball School was founded in 1997 by Joel Mansbach and describes itself as the leading basketball program in youth sports located in Queens, New York, with a 27-year history. The program’s stated goal is to use basketball to build confidence and encourage teamwork, focusing lessons and teaching methods on each child’s strong points and recognizing small achievements. The mission also states that the classes help children understand how to work as part of a team and that sports can play an important role in a child’s growth when taught in a supportive and positive environment.
Classes are taught by caring basketball teachers, not volunteers, who are described as experienced basketball teachers paid and trained to First Shot’s standards. The staff is hand-picked, screened, and trained in the art of teaching and talking to children in a kindly, positive manner, and many coaches have been with the program for years. Each full class has four basketball coaches, with a stated student-to-coach ratio of 5 to 1, and the program notes that if there are 15 children in a class, families can expect to see three coaches. The program limits most classes to 20 students, offers small classes with lots of one-to-one instruction, and states that the low child-to-coach ratio ensures each child receives individual attention and improves at his or her own rate while having fun.
First Shot Basketball School offers non-competitive Supertots, Pee Wee, and Basics classes, as well as competitive Olymipx Powerball Advanced Training. The program states that there are no “stars” in First Shot and that everyone plays all the time, with each student treated equally and each full class including four coaches. The teaching approach is described as well organized but never overwhelming, with a focus on fundamentals, teamwork, skill training, and helping every child feel confident on the court. The program states that it teaches basic skills such as shooting, passing, and dribbling along with good sportsmanship, explains each child’s role on a team without pressure, and notes that even competitive classes are never cut-throat.
The program describes its environment as a healthy, camp-like atmosphere that encourages sportsmanship, individual excellence, teamwork, and creating lasting friendships in a warm, camp-like environment. It states that the teaching style is geared to make each player feel like a winner inside, and that it is an ideal program for children who want to learn but feel unsure of their abilities. First Shot Basketball School explains that it does not simply put a child on the court and say “go play,” but instead uses the First Shot method to prepare children with the right foundation for the game and to show each child how capable they are of succeeding.
First Shot Basketball School offers a free trial lesson and make-up opportunities for missed classes during the season, with “Free Trial Lesson” and “Make up opportunities for missed classes” listed among its features. The program also notes that every child plays all the time and that there are no “stars” in its classes, only successes. The school reports that it is proud of its 5-star reviews.
Last updated February 26, 2026.
• Ages: 3–15 years old
First Shot Basketball School was founded in 1997 by Joel Mansbach and describes itself as the leading basketball program in youth sports located in Queens, New York, with a 27-year history. The program’s stated goal is to use basketball to build confidence and encourage teamwork, focusing lessons and teaching methods on each child’s strong points and recognizing small achievements. The mission also states that the classes help children understand how to work as part of a team and that sports can play an important role in a child’s growth when taught in a supportive and positive environment.
Classes are taught by caring basketball teachers, not volunteers, who are described as experienced basketball teachers paid and trained to First Shot’s standards. The staff is hand-picked, screened, and trained in the art of teaching and talking to children in a kindly, positive manner, and many coaches have been with the program for years. Each full class has four basketball coaches, with a stated student-to-coach ratio of 5 to 1, and the program notes that if there are 15 children in a class, families can expect to see three coaches. The program limits most classes to 20 students, offers small classes with lots of one-to-one instruction, and states that the low child-to-coach ratio ensures each child receives individual attention and improves at his or her own rate while having fun.
First Shot Basketball School offers non-competitive Supertots, Pee Wee, and Basics classes, as well as competitive Olymipx Powerball Advanced Training. The program states that there are no “stars” in First Shot and that everyone plays all the time, with each student treated equally and each full class including four coaches. The teaching approach is described as well organized but never overwhelming, with a focus on fundamentals, teamwork, skill training, and helping every child feel confident on the court. The program states that it teaches basic skills such as shooting, passing, and dribbling along with good sportsmanship, explains each child’s role on a team without pressure, and notes that even competitive classes are never cut-throat.
The program describes its environment as a healthy, camp-like atmosphere that encourages sportsmanship, individual excellence, teamwork, and creating lasting friendships in a warm, camp-like environment. It states that the teaching style is geared to make each player feel like a winner inside, and that it is an ideal program for children who want to learn but feel unsure of their abilities. First Shot Basketball School explains that it does not simply put a child on the court and say “go play,” but instead uses the First Shot method to prepare children with the right foundation for the game and to show each child how capable they are of succeeding.
First Shot Basketball School offers a free trial lesson and make-up opportunities for missed classes during the season, with “Free Trial Lesson” and “Make up opportunities for missed classes” listed among its features. The program also notes that every child plays all the time and that there are no “stars” in its classes, only successes. The school reports that it is proud of its 5-star reviews.
Last updated February 26, 2026.
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