Terry O'Hara and Todd Meeker will start a National Junior Basketball (NJB) basketball program in the area for the first time this season, providing local youngsters a place to develop as basketball players close to home.

In past years, Willow Glen youth have had to play in neighboring programs in Evergreen, Coyote, Almaden, Los Gatos and West San Jose. But now the local kids will have their own program.

O'Hara, a construction litigation attorney at the downtown San Jose law firm of Bustamante & O'Hara, will serve as city director and president of the Willow Glen NJB chapter. He helped run the Almaden NJB chapter last year.

Meeker, a teacher and the boys head varsity basketball coach at Willow Glen High School, will be the director of basketball operations for the new chapter.

Willow Glen NJB is open to boys and girls in grades K­8 in the Willow Glen area. Sign-ups for players and coaches will be held Sept. 14 and 21, 1­4 p.m. each day, at River Glen Park at Bird and Pine avenues. Sign-ups will be closed when all teams are filled.

Players in grades K­2 will participate in the NJB clinic, which introduces youngsters to the fundamentals of basketball. Players in grades 3­8 will compete in team play.

The NJB All-Net program is open to boys and girls in grades 6­8. Practices begin in November.

For further information, visit the web- site at www.willowglennjb.com, or contact O'Hara at terry@willowglennjb.com or 408.592.3041.