Playing with Wildfire

Times Reporter   

 

The Wildfire basketball program is going into its seventh year at Strathmore High School, and for the first time, it is being held in the fall.

“We run two programs, a spring one, where we’re trying to become more of a club atmosphere where the kids are coming out playing, practicing and going into tournaments competing a little bit,” said Kyle Larson, head instructor of Wildfire Basketball. “It’s also an interest generator to get kids playing as well. It’s an introduction (to the game), lots of kids are coming into Grade 6 or 7 this year, so it gives them a chance to get an initiation of the game.

“We do have some competitive teams and it has grown over the years. The first few years of the program we started with 15 kids and (we are currently) running three or four teams.”

Wildfire, having gained popularity with the spring program, introduced the fall program this year.

“Basically we’re running in a camp-style format,” said Larson. “The kids get six sessions of an hour and a half. We’re doing skills and drills for first half and then they scrimmage for 45 minutes.”

This enables players to prepare for the school season and get them playing on the court some more.

The practices run on Monday nights for the Grade 8s from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Grade 9s and up, play from 7:30 to 9 p.m.