Forty-two kids showed off their skills in the final day of the Lake City Basketball Elementary Fall League.
They had been working hard to get better as players for the last seven weeks. Coach Russ Reid said they had shooting, dribbling and 3-on-2 competitions. The afternoon ended with 4-on-4 games.
“The athletes had a ton of fun – it was also great to see so many parents out to watch their athlete,” said Reid, who with other coaches worked with the kids every Sunday.
Reid has seen the young kids have a solid understanding of the basic skills and rules of basketball.
“We think our overall approach, to make the game fun, made an impact on the kids trying skills that may have been above them or new to them,” he said. “We believe that playing a sport should be first and foremost fun for the athlete — especially at the introductory level. If kids are excited about a sport it, makes the learning process that much smoother.”
A highlight for Reid was the players’ excitement. He said when they managed to understand and complete a skill, their smiles were pure joy and excitement. The game was new to many and the kids grew leaps and bounds. Reid also enjoyed working with Brian Hurst and the volunteers, who he thanked. He also said it was great to see high school students give back.
The program earned a lot of positive feedback and Reid had people asking when the next session would be. It is something Lake City Basketball will do again.
“Parents were excited to expose their athletes to the sport,” he said. “We think programs like the Lake City Youth Basketball as well as the Lake City youth camps (run by Dustin Hyde) will strengthen the skills and understanding of the game for the middle and high school programs.
Reid said there is a group that will discuss options and they are considering another skills session, a 3-on-3 league as well as a few other ideas.