Annual Peabody basketball clinic a slam-dunk success

PEABODY-For a Thursday morning during winter break, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School was certainly buzzing with students.Nearly 100 children from grades K-8 filed into to the high school gymnasium to participate in the Peabody Basketball Association?s fourth Holiday Clinic.Longtime High School Varsity Basketball Coach Jane Heil and Junior Varsity Basketball Coach Chris Mastrangelo organized this year?s free event with the help of 40 athletes from both the boys and girls varsity/junior varsity basketball teams. Participants learned the fundamentals of basketball from dribbling to passing, as well as the importance of being drug-free.District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, Police Chief Robert Champagne, Sgt. Scott Richards of the Police Narcotics Unit, and Councilor-at-Large Ted Bettencourt were the event?s guest speakers who discussed drug awareness with the kids.?I wanted to talk about the dangers of drugs,” said Bettencourt. “The decisions you make when you?re young can come back to haunt you.”Mastrangelo said that having someone like Bettencourt speak to the kids is important and effective.?He brings a lot to the table,” Mastrangelo said, adding how Bettencourt is a proven success story that began on the very same basketball courts the kids were practicing on Thursday.?Some of these kids might be young, but I think it?s right to say that (drugs) are bad,” said Heil.?It?s a friendly forum we have here,” said Mastrangelo.By the many high-fives, pats on the back, and motivational cheers, all students seemed to be enjoying themselves.?It?s so much fun,” said senior girls captain Michelle Grifoni who has played the sport since fourth grade. “It brings back lots of old memories.”Other captains Kristen Federico, Lindsey Consoles, and Tawny Palmieri said they try to be good role models for the kids.?They look up to us,” said Palmieri, whose favorite part of the day is seeing how much her group has improved.Fathers Dean Jenkins and Doug Finnegan watched their daughters courtside.?It?s great to get them out of the house,” said Jenkins, whose 12 year-old daughter Danielle attended the clinic. “It gives them more touches. The more times they touch the ball, the better.”?Mine?s just starting out, so it?s great for her to get a good skill set,” said Finnegan of his 6-year old Jade, who plays for the North Shore Hoop League.Both proud parents agreed that any sort of sport camp, at any age, is always a good thing.