POULSBO — Two heads — the old saying goes — are generally better than one.

Organizers of the West Side Hoops select basketball association are hoping that a combined effort of both girls’ and boys’ select squads will improve the competitive quality of youth basketball in North Kitsap.

For nearly two years, the organization has fielded two boys’ teams, but starting in the fall, at least two girls’ basketball teams will also play in the West Side family. The time to grow is now, as to meet the needs of North Kitsap, mentioned West Side Hoops’ coach and president Jeremy Landis.

“This exposes us to a whole other segment to the basketball community,” Landis said. “And expands our services to give more to the community.”

West Side will add several new coaches for its fall season on the boys’ and girls’ side. The varsity girls’ team will be coached by Jennifer Harris, a former North Kitsap Viking and current Olympic College player. A younger team will be coached by Brian Williams, who also has a lengthy coach’s resume.

On the boys’ side, D.C. Egge, formerly of Olympic College’s basketball team, will be coaching a new team as well.

In expanding the organization, Landis commented that the idea is to provide more area youth the opportunity to play basketball at a competitive level.

“My goal for the club is to really provide an opportunity for kids that want to play basketball at high level and a younger age,” Landis said. “… And for West Side Hoops to be a quality experience that kids can learn life skills through.”

For North Kitsap High School head girls’ basketball coach Dan Weedin, having a place where girls can increase their competitive skills during the off-season will be a huge benefit for the program.

“We’ve really needed an option for varsity and junior varsity players to play competitively in spring and fall,” Weedin said. “West Side Hoops will be a consistent place where the girls can go year round.”

A West Side Hoops’ informational meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Poulsbo Fire Department for the upcoming season, for anyone who wants to become involved in select basketball, be it coaches, parents or potential players, WSH officials said.

Tryouts for both the boys and girls will be in late August, though no dates have been confirmed yet.

West Side Hoops, founded almost two years ago, is a 501c3 non-profit organization, which aims to improve the overall level of youth basketball by offering a competitive, all-year opportunity for the area. Whereas other sports such as baseball and soccer have had select and select-like teams in the area for years, basketball is just getting started in North Kitsap.

“We’re kind of the new kids on the block,” said Rick Hoffer, coach of the WSH boys’ junior varsity team and vice president of the organization.

Fall league play for West Side Hoops begins in September.

Williams, the new WSH coach for what looks to be an eighth grade team, has coached the NK Sting and Lightening select youth teams, several All-Navy teams and a semi-pro team in Italy.

“I’ve basically been a basketball junkie my whole life,” Williams said.

Williams, with assistant coaches Randy Taplin, Steve Markey and Georgy Dimof, will take the Lightening and Sting teams and add them to the West Side Organization, a move which he said would concentrate basketball resources as well as generate more interest.

“We’re all looking forward to re-establishing the basketball culture in North Kitsap and would like to have West Side Hoops in the position to get more facilities,” Williams said. “This is a way to also create some clout for us when it comes to getting things like sponsorships.”

Most importantly, Williams commented, is the enthusiasm he said he has for the upcoming season.

“We’re ready to jump in and go,” Williams said.