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WILKES-BARRE — About 70 local boys and girls in grades 2 through 8 had the chance to learn how to dribble, shoot and score from professional basketball players Saturday.
They are participating in a clinic this weekend designed to teach them hoops with a helping of life lessons.
The camp was spearheaded by the Wilkes-Barre Police Explorers mentoring program. The two-day event at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center includes training from professional basketball players, basketball skills contests, lunch provided by the CYC, strength and fitness training, and a chance to enjoy open swim time.
“This is a collaboration between the CYC, the Wilkes-Barre Police Explorers program, the S&J Clutch Basketball Academy and FAME Strength,” said Ryan Smith, CYC program executive.
Youngsters eagerly learned from instructors Dave Jannuzzi and Chris Shovlin, former Wilkes University basketball standouts who made it to the professional level and now run the S&J academy at the CYC. They organized free throw contests and one-on-one games for the players to showcase their skills and encouraged the kids to focus on healthy competition.
Wilkes-Barre Police Officer Robert Collins approached the CYC about starting the basketball camp earlier this year. He uses the center’s gymnasiums for practice sessions for the Explorers teams he organized in January.
“This is the first year of the partnership between the two organizations,” Smith said. “This weekend’s camp is the second of hopefully many more to come.”
For more on the police department’s Explorers program, call Officer Collins at 570-472-8495.
