San Mateo Japanese Youth Organization (JYO) is a non-profit, recreational basketball organization for boys and girls in Kindergarten through 8th grade in the greater San Mateo area. There are no tryouts and players of all skill levels are welcome.

Along with learning the game of basketball, JYO provides youth with opportunities to develop lifelong friendships and build a strong community. Our core values include:

• Teamwork
• Sportsmanship
• Discipline
• Fun
• Equal Play

JYO is not a competitive club or AAU team. Unlike club and AAU programs, which have paid coaches, tryouts, and no equal playing time rules, JYO is coached by parent volunteers, welcomes players of all skill levels, and is committed to equal playing time for every player.

San Mateo JYO has been a cornerstone of the Japanese American community since post-World War II, founded by the Japanese American Gardeners Association to give children of Japanese ancestry the opportunity to play team sports. Today, JYO serves more than 200 boys and girls across the Peninsula.

San Mateo JYO is part of the Nikkei Youth Basketball Association (NYBA), a broader Bay Area organization that governs league rules and play for grades 4 through 8, with participating organizations including San Francisco Associates, San Francisco Taisho, San Jose CYS, and Tri City.