LYNN — A few dozen local athletes crawled out of bed the day after Thanksgiving and got a chance to improve their hoops skills on the court at the first annual Lynn English boys basketball clinic.
“It’s been good,” English coach Antonio Anderson said. “We just wanted to do something small for the young kids that are on Thanksgiving break. It’s a fun time.
“The energy has been good too. In the beginning it think there was a little Thanksgiving hangover and kids were a little tired. But after the morning stretch, once we got into the ball handling, the kids picked it up a little bit.”
The two-day camp ran from 8 a.m. to noon Friday and continues on Saturday morning. Girls and boys from multiple grades showed up to take part at Thurgood Marshall Middle School.
“The older kids are high school kids,” Anderson said. “Sean Calnan plays football at English, and they just played their Thanksgiving game (Thursday). A guy like that is here just trying to get tuned up for Monday (first day of winter tryouts).
“It’s a great group,” Anderson, who played Division I basketball at Memphis and professionally in various stints, said. “We’ve got young middle school girls and boys as well as elementary. They all know each other, they all play together all the time so it’s good for them to be here.”
The cost of the clinic was $50. Discounted rates were offered to students with honor-roll grades, local Pop Warner players and cheerleaders.
More than a few familiar faces took advantage of the chance to work with Anderson and his staff.
“I know a lot of the young kids here, I have them at my skills academy in the summer,” Anderson said. “They come and they work hard no matter what they’re doing. They’re getting a lot of shots in, a lot of ball handling and shooting.”
Players ran through a handful of ball and conditioning drills, with Anderson putting a focus on some key fundamentals that might be overlooked while younger players learn the game.
“There’s plenty of ball handling and a lot of passing as well,” Anderson said. “We’re going to work on proper footwork, we want to focus on a lot of the things that don’t usually get taught at a young age. We’re trying to teach those things and add those fundamental and mechanics to their game.”
Anderson couldn’t have organized the clinic without the help of his English staff members who have been just as much apart of the Bulldogs recent success as he has.
“They all do a great job,” Anderson said. “We preach family in our program at English. I’m no better than them, we’re all one. We’re all one staff. Their opinions matter to me. It’s good for the kids to see the guys that help me during the season and coach with me. It’s their time as well. They take the time out of their day to come out and help, it’s been good.”
Overall, the clinic gives Anderson a chance to give back to young athletes in the same community that he grew up in.
“I think the more people see the people of Lynn giving back, the better,” Anderson said. “It’s not just me, a lot of people are out here doing things for the kids whether its basketball, football or baseball wise in the community. I just want to do my part in giving back what I can.”
