MARBLEHEAD — Local kids will get a chance to shoot hoops with a couple of Boston Celtics next Sunday at the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA.
The Jr. Celtics will take over the YMCA for a three-hour basketball clinic with kids ages 5 to 14, and will feature an appearance and coaching from a yet-to-be determined Celtics player and former player.
Jr. Celtics is the official youth basketball platform of the Boston Celtics. The clinic will be led by youth basketball coaches, or VIPs from the organization who will engage with the kids and share their expertise with the Marblehead community, according to Sam Taub, director of youth basketball and development for the Boston Celtics.
“It’s going to be an opportunity for youth players in the community to learn from the Celtics both on- and off-court skills,” said Taub. “It’s basically going to be three hours of basketball fun.”
Participating youth will be divided into teams based on age. The clinic schedule includes a mix of large group activities or exercises, small break-out drills, friendly competitions and improvement-based games.
Jr. Celtics started in September and next Sunday’s event marks the first time a clinic will be held on the North Shore. Taub said the organization recognizes there’s a “tremendous appetite” for basketball beyond Greater Boston and have been trying to identify ways to get into the area.
“This is one of only two player clinics that we do throughout the whole season so it’s a pretty tremendous opportunity bringing a player to Marblehead,” Taub said. “The most important thing is just to have a tremendous experience. No kid is going to play any sport if they’re not having a good time doing it.”
Families can sign up for the program at the Jr. Celtics Basketball Clinics website: https://www.nba.com/celtics/jrceltics/clinics. The clinic runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
