Elementary school basketball program in its second year

Times Contributor 

 

After great success last year, the second annual elementary school basketball program is now underway in Strathmore.

Coaches and players from the basketball teams of Strathmore High School and Crowther Memorial Junior High School are teaching Grade 5 and 6 students the fundamentals of the game. The program began two weeks ago and will run until the end of April, finishing with a 3-on-3 tournament that begins on April 26.

“We wanted to capture the enthusiasm from hosting provincials this year,” said Strathmore High School Associate Principal and senior boys team coach Kyle Larson, who is also running the program. “We are excited to be doing this again. We ran it last year, and received great reviews from the elementary school principals.”

This year, the program has grown with the number of enrolments having gone up. The kids that are in the program will learn skills such as ball handling and shooting, and will each have a basketball in their hands.  

“It’s still very much about skill development,” said Larson. “Last year, we were quite happy with how well and how quickly the kids developed, and how they played in the tournament at the end of the year.”

The idea behind the program is to introduce the game to the kids with the goal of having them develop a love for basketball, and possibly play on the teams in junior and senior high.  

“Unlike the winter sports such as ringette and hockey, there is no basketball available to the elementary school kids around town,” Larson said.

Larson also mentioned that with the coaches taking some of their players to help out, it will be a great benefit for the kids in the program. 

“The kids connect well with the players because they are closer in age,” he said.