Giving back: CMU women's basketball holds kids clinic
Sophomore guard Micaela Kelly high-five's a kids clinic participant during a basketball clinic for kids on Feb. 23 at McGuirk Arena.
It is all about giving back to the community.
Fresh of its 76-52 win over Northern Illinois, the Central Michigan women's basketball team spent the hour-and-a-half following the Mid-American Conference victory by running a basketball clinic for children.
Players instructed the kids, all of whom are below the eighth grade, in a rotation of stations. Each station hones in on a different skill of the game of basketball. The three on the floor at McGuirk Arena were passing, dribbling and defense.
"It's really cool as a player because we go up into the crowd and we have those little kids come up and talk to us," said senior forward Reyna Frost. "It's really cool to have them come onto the court and we can try to tell them things that they need to work on and make sure that they're still having fun."
It was not just the participants that were having fun, as the players said they enjoyed themselves through interaction with the youngsters.
Senior guard Jaeda Robinson and sophomore guard Micaela Kelly specifically could both be seen smiling and giving their all to every second of the clinic.
For Kelly, hosting a clinic where children can interact with the players they look up to is special.
"I love kids," Kelly said. "They bring me a lot of energy and joy. I love the fact that they can be so positive."
After the rotations of dribbling, passing and defending, the participants took on a number of team-based games. The first was a dribble relay race from the baseline, to the 3-point line extended, and back to the baseline to the next person in line.
The next was a drill that the Chippewas work on in practice where the players hand the ball to the person in front of them, alternating between the legs and over the head. The player that passes the ball runs to the front of the line until the line gets to the center court line. Then, they go backward all the way down to the baseline.
To end the clinic, four participants had five seconds on the clock to bring the ball from center court and score a "buzzer-beating" basket.
Head coach Sue Guevara said that clinics like this are important because the players are role models for the children, and her players are great with the children.
"They'd probably be really good elementary school teachers," Guevara said. "They're very patient with (the kids). They're teaching a game that they love."
Guevara went on to say that her players were in the same shoes as the kids that participated in the clinic. She gestured about the players at one point being "this big," at about four feet tall.
The parents involved were excited for the opportunity to have their children playing basketball and working with the CMU players.
Andy Molyneux, 36 from Mount Pleasant said that it was an encouragement to his daughters, Lucy and Gwen – who are in the third and fourth grade, respectively.
"It helps them to really have fun with the game," Molyneux said. "It's an encouragement for the girls to want to come out and see basketball games and get to see what it would look like to play at a higher level."
Molyneux went on to say that he would recommend the same kind of clinics to other parents.
"It's really good for the children to get to come out and play, and it's good for the women that play on the team to be able to give back to the community," Molyneux said.
Assistant coach Heather Oesterle put the program together and many in attendance said it was a successful event.
Participants, like Morgan Fuller, 11 of Mount Pleasant, said she learned a lot and her favorite part of the day was "being with the CMU players."
For Lucy Molyneux, 8, of Mount Pleasant, her favorite part of the day, in particular, was working on her passing with Kelly and freshman center Jahari Smith.
After the team-building games, the players signed autographs for the kids. Kelly said that she believes memories the kids made will help grow the game in today's youth.
"This is something that will stick with them forever," Kelly said. "They got our autographs, that'll be something they want to hang up and show their friends.
"It means a lot and it can help grow the game of basketball."
