More than 50 children from the Child Alliance and Drew Child Development programs (which provide services for children in the child welfare system) were in for a treat this past Saturday at the Boys and Girls Club in Harbor City. Los Angeles Lakers legend and head coach Byron Scott hosted a clinic that taught the elementary and middle school children the basic fundamentals of basketball. But more importantly, the event was used to promote education.
“It’s so important to bring awareness to our youth about how important education is, and sometimes you have to do that in different ways,” Scott said. “Sometimes you try to do that with basketball, and sometimes you have to do it through different vehicles. The bottom line is to get them in here through basketball and then really try to educate them on how important it is to get their high school diploma and their college degree. Because education is going to take them a whole lot further than basketball ever well.”
Before Scott taught a single basketball drill, he spoke to the children about the importance of having faith, listening to their parents, and doing well in school. Besides a day of playing basketball, the event also featured a workshop on academics, and the children learned about proper nutrition.
The basketball instructors were provided by YouBall, which is Scott’s company that trains professional, college, and high school basketball players.
“Certain kids in certain areas need that pro training,” said Amani Daanish, director of YouBall Sports Camps and player development coach. “Sometimes you have to pay a fine price for that type of training. We want to bring it to certain neighborhoods and offer our services for free.”
The children were broken up into groups, where they preformed ladder drills, learned ball handling skills, and performed shooting drills.
Most of the children who attended the workshop came from South Los Angeles and Compton for the most part.
“We’re very excited because children in our program do not get the opportunity to attend events that promote health,” said Iris Cruet-Rubio, program director at Child Alliance. “When I say health, I’m not talking about just physical health, but also emotional, social, and mental.”
“It appears to me that they’re really engaged, said Mike Jackson, president and CEO of Drew Child Development Corporation. “They’re listening to the coaches, they’re being respectful. It’s very clear that the parents are supporting them being here, and that’s really important.”
The children appeared to have a great time running around, shooting hoops with a basketball legend, and they were able to go home with a memorable experience that will motivate them to do well in school.
