FULTON, NY – The Fulton Youth Basketball shooting and offensive skills clinic yielded roughly 75 participants from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
The turnout was an increase from the number of participants that attended last year; a statistic that keeps growing annually, just as the participation numbers for the Fulton Youth Basketball league, according to program director Sean Broderick.
Held at the city-owned Fulton War Memorial, kids flooded the gym Monday and Tuesday (Feb. 19 and 20) to learn skills centered on the fundamentals of shooting, dribbling, and passing.
Even more so, Broderick said, the kids had plenty of fun.
“It was a great two days for our kids. They learned important basketball skills, they had fun, they were surrounded by the camaraderie of their teammates and friends, and they even made new friends. That’s all that we’re really trying to do, build relationships, provide some fun, and play basketball,” Broderick said.
The clinic was run by Broderick with the assistance of an all volunteer coaching squad consisting of several Fulton Youth Basketball coaches as well as Fulton Raider student athletes.
“We are very fortunate to have these athletes and coaches volunteer their time to support what we’re doing, not only at our clinic but each week in our league,” Broderick added.
The young participants gathered each morning to begin with stretching before being split into groups based on age level, spending two hours going through stations to focus on dribbling, shooting, and passing.
Scrimmages incorporated game-like situations and rounds of “knockout” served as fun competitions. Kids were all smiles as they moved through the day’s events.
An annual dance contest at the clinic’s finale left the kids and coaches alike with big smiles and plentiful laughs.
Fulton Youth Basketball is a community program run by volunteers, however a significant partnership allows Broderick and the FYB program to offer all that it does.
“We are very thankful for our partnership with the City of Fulton and the Recreation Department staff for allowing us the use of the War Memorial for our kids. We are lucky to be able to do what we do because of this facility and our volunteers. It’s a great benefit for families in our community,” Broderick said.
Fulton Youth Basketball information is posted to the program’s Facebook page, including several video updates from the clinic.
To sign up for text alerts from Fulton Youth Basketball, text the message “@Fultonyo” to 81010.
“Be on the lookout for an upcoming clinic over spring break and events over the summer,” Broderick said.
