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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME
Onekama School Offers Free Basketball
Clinic for Elementary Girls
The Onekama School gymnasium
is busy on Saturday mornings, filled to the brim with young girls
dribbling, shooting, and scoring. For the fourth year, Onekama
Elementary School is offering a free winter basketball clinic for girls
in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade.
The clinic runs for six consecutive Saturdays, January 8 through
February 12. It is staffed entirely by volunteer parents who lend their
time and talents to keep students active and healthy in these cold
winter months.
“Playing basketball with my friends is a lot of fun,” said Onekama first
grader Sophie Wisniski. “The coaches come up with fun games for us to
play, and they teach us all about how to do lay-ups and free throws,
too.”
The basketball clinic ties in
well with Onekama School’s health and wellness goals. |
In 2007, a school-wide
Wellness Committee was formed with the goal of improving student health,
increasing physical activity levels, and providing students with
nutritious food choices. Recommendations were made by parents, students,
and community members and approved by the Board of Education.
“Our goal is to provide healthy choices for our students in order to
support their academic and physical growth,” explained Onekama
Superintendent Kevin Hughes. “The basketball clinic complements our
efforts. From the foods offered in our cafeteria, to the climbing wall
in our gymnasium, to the health curriculum in our classrooms, we are
working to help our students establish healthy lifestyles that they can
carry with them after they graduate.”
The volunteer coaches – including Charity Domres, Terry Ingleright,
Dennis McCarthy and Heidi Wisniski – have been pleased with the response
to the program. “Each winter, the program continues to grow, and this
year we have our highest numbers yet,” said McCarthy. “It is great to
see the girls’ enthusiasm and interest for the sport.” |
