FRC athletes boost rec success for excited little basketball players
Imagine you’re about 3 feet tall and you’re standing on a shiny basketball court at the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds gripping a basketball almost bigger than your arms can hold. You’re so excited you can hardly stand it!
And then you look up, way up, and see the smiling faces of your basketball coaches — real, honest-to-goodness athletes from the Feather River College baseball team who are switching sports just to show you how to have fun learning to shoot the hoops.
That’s just about the size of the action and fun that was packed into an eight-week basketball clinic recently sponsored by the Central Plumas Recreation and Park District.
“I’m so thankful and appreciative for the efforts of FRC Assistant Coach Greg McCarthy and the entire FRC baseball program,” said CPRPD Recreation Supervisor Kyle Stone.
With 38 players from kindergarten, first and second grades enrolled in the program that began in January and wrapped up Feb. 26, Stone explained the program was designed to introduce young children to basketball fundamentals in a clinic format.
The sessions were made possible through a partnership between CPRPD and the FRC baseball program and all games and lessons were held at the fairgrounds in Quincy.
“Each week, a group of baseball players directed by Coach McCarthy rotated in and volunteered their time to help introduce the kids to the fundamentals of basketball,” Stone said proudly. “The clinics gave them an opportunity to have a fun, exciting activity to do in the winter months.”
The rec supervisor specializes in developing local partnerships to extend and enrich programs that serve Plumas County youth.
For the K-2 program, he worked with FRC’s athletic department to involve all interested coaches and players.
“Everyone on the baseball team put in time at one point or another to make this program function, which is awesome considering how busy they all are with their own schedules!” Stone explained.
Expressing gratitude for the positive role modeling, expert coaching and investment of time and attention for the benefit of the youngsters, Stone added, “It is this type of community support that helps make programs possible for kids. Thank you to the FRC program and also to the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds for working with us to provide a facility for the kids to play in.”
