|
Cousy League helps city youths |
|
|
Sunday, 09 December 2007 |
|
By TERRY NAU Sports editor WOONSOCKET --- The Bob Cousy/Recreational Department Basketball League is one of the enduring traditions in this city's youth sports program, having served youngsters for over 30 years.
"The main goal of the league," says director Dennis Harmon, "is to provide children between the ages of 7 and 15 an opportunity to learn and play basketball in a safe and positive environment."
The league was in serious trouble nine years ago, Harmon recalls.
"Jim Cannon, the director of Parks and Recreation, approached me and said that the league was about to be cancelled because there wasn't anyone to run it," Harmon admits. "I love basketball so I didn't hesitate to say I would do it.
"I run the league by basically doing a four-week basketball clinic," Harmon adds. "We work on the fundamentals and do drills for those four weeks. At the end of the fourth week, our volunteer coaches do a draft of players. The following week, we begin games."
The league has two divisions - Pro and College. Each league is comprised of four teams, depending upon the number of kids involved.
"We have middle school referees doing the games," Harmon says. "The league runs for 11 weeks. It ends in March or April with playoffs and a championship game."
The league awards t-shirts and trophies to the winning team in each division.
"It's a great league and I enjoy running it," says Harmon, who played in the league as a kid in the early 1980s. "In the nine years since I've been running the league, I haven't had one major problem. I'm proud to be able to say that."
The league plays its games every Saturday at the Woonsocket Middle School Annex Gymnasium. This coming Saturday marks the first week of the four-week clinic on fundamentals.
Harmon advises parents who want to enroll their children to show up at 9 a.m. this coming Saturday at the Middle School Annex Gym with their kids in tow. Bring along a birth certificate to verify age.
|
|
Last Updated ( Monday, 10 December 2007 )
|
Horoscope