ItSA国际影视传媒檚 often said that if you donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a grassroots program in your sport, you wonSA国际影视传媒檛 have a future for your sport.
Basketball NWT has one such program and the latest edition of it wrapped up for 2021-22 last weekend.
Junior NBA in Yellowknife is all over for another season with the final sessions at St. JoeSA国际影视传媒檚 Gymnasium on April 10. It was a chance for the young players to show their parents what theySA国际影视传媒檝e been learning over the course of the season and have some fun playing against their parents.
Damien Healy, who helped coach the youngest group SA国际影视传媒� six to eight-year-olds SA国际影视传媒� said programs resembling Junior NBA have been going on in Yellowknife for some time but just under different names.
SA国际影视传媒淚t started as B and B Youth Hoops, then it became Steve Nash Youth Hoops but Canada Basketball renamed it Junior NBA,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淛unior NBA has been around in Yellowknife for a few years now.SA国际影视传媒�
In addition to the youngest division, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 the eight and nine-year-old group and the 10-12 age category, the oldest of the three. According to Basketball NWT, 65 players signed up to play across all three divisions this season and everyone who did sign up received their very own basketball and a jersey with a NBA team logo of some sort on the front.
Each category also has its own curriculum with age-appropriate skills and drills.
SA国际影视传媒淭he curriculum for it all comes from Canada Basketball,SA国际影视传媒� said Healy. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lesson plan with themes and suggested cheers for each week for the kids to do and diagrams for the coaches so they can teach everything properly and make it easy for the kids to understand.SA国际影视传媒�
The most important job for the coaches, Healy added, is to keep it fun.
SA国际影视传媒淔un and interaction is so important because it keeps the kids coming back every week,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淵ou want to make sure the kids are having a good time and that theySA国际影视传媒檙e engaged.SA国际影视传媒�
As part of the final sessions, parents were given the chance to be a part of the action and Healy said it was a chance for the players to teach the bigger kids.
SA国际影视传媒淲atching some of the parents, you could tell some havenSA国际影视传媒檛 played in a long time and there were some who really got into it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e played a bit of five-on-five and for the younger kids, that was the first chance for them to see what that was all about because weSA国际影视传媒檙e usually practising.SA国际影视传媒�
Junior NBA typically starts in the fall and goes until early spring but things were pushed back a bit due to the Covid-19 outbreak experienced earlier this year.
Healy, whoSA国际影视传媒檚 also president of Basketball NWT, said the interruption didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have an adverse effect on the proceedings.
SA国际影视传媒淓veryone came back after the break and we made sure we did everything under the (Chief Public Health OfficerSA国际影视传媒檚) regulations,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had to make sure everyone everyoneSA国际影视传媒檚 vaccinations were up to date and the parents werenSA国际影视传媒檛 able to come and watch right away but having them there for the last day was good. You could tell the kids enjoyed having them there.SA国际影视传媒�
