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Future Panthers learn about b -ball paw power
By Craig Bradford
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — Developing the next court star is just a
• small part of South Huron District High School's
Panther Basketball Camp.
The camp, offered at SHDHS for 10 consecutive
Wednesday nights from Sept. 29 through till Dec. 1,
has been a popular fixture for almost 20 years. This
year 84 children in Grades 6-8 from all of SHDHS's
feeder schools are learning the basic basketball
skills from 16 SHDHS student coaches.
For the first two weeks the high school basketball
hopefuls were put through skill sessions to learn
the basics of shooting, dribbling and passing. For
the next six weeks the children are broken into
groups for the half-hour long practice before play-
ing two 15 -minute games. The last two weeks are
devoted to games.
SHDHS sports co-ordinator Terry O'Rourke said
the main goals of the camp are to improve the pro-
file of high school basketball among the students
who will soon be SHDHS students. It's also a
chance for current SHDHS Students to give back to
their school and sports program.
"It's a good community program," O'Rourke said.
"There isn't much for kids to do in the winter
except for hockey."
SHDHS teacher -coach Nicole Kovats agreed.
"This gives (the children) a chance to learn the
skills they may not have been taught and to spark
their interest in the sport," she said.
She added elementary school basketball prograins
sometimes only practice for a couple of weeks
before the one and only tournament of the season.
Camp coach Melissa . Prout, 16, , enjoys the ses-
- sioas.
"I think it's neat because I get to help people learn
more skills," she said. "Plus I love basketball."
Prout added she likes meeting new kids and
admitted to liking the games best.
"(The children) learn more through the games
than they do at practices," she said..
An extra attraction for Prout is she gets to watch
her, sister, Julie, 13, develop her basketball skills at
the camp.
A quick poll of the campers found that they, like
Prout, feel the practices are fine but the games are
the most fun.
Future Panther power. South Huron District High
School student. Melissa Prout, left, leads her Panther
Basketball Camp group through a skills drill last week.
The program hit its peak 10 years ago with 115
children, an amount of participation O'Rourke said
is too mtich to manage. There were 65 children in
the debut year of the camp and O'Rourke said the
level has never dipped below 75 children.
The camp costs $25 per child for the 10 weekly
sessions plus an official camp T-shirt and, a chance
for, prizes like basketballs and other T-shirts at the
end. ThQugbAhe, can}p is about half way ib rou .
those -wanting ; to participate; via.n .atilt }sign . up.ax a
reduced cost. For more information, call O'Rourke
at 235-0880.
the lay-up. South Huron DistrictHighSchool stu-
dent Melissa Prout, left, helps Exeter Public School
student Tiffany Hayes with her lay-up form at the
Panther Basketball Camp last week. In the back-
ground is Pete Phouttharath, another student coach.
K -W Optimist Club member Gord Robinson presents outgoing president Al
Cooke with a life membership plaque. Under Cooke's guidance, the club achieval
Honor Club status by completing eight commitments.The Kirkton-Woodham club
was the only one in the zone to achieve the Honor Club status in 1998-99.
Past president Al
Cooke and his wife
Shirley present
Gord Robinson
with an Optimist`
International flag
at last week's annual
meeting in apprecia-
don of the dedication of
the club members during
the past year.
photoslKcte Monk
The Kirkton-Woodham Optimist Club inducted their officers Oct. 13 at the K -W
Commtnhity Centre. Back row from left past -president Al Cooke, treasurer Bob
Scott and director Don .Richardson. Seated from left vice-president Dave McPhail
and president Bob Rourke. Directors David Foster and Larry Rundle and secre-
tary wh* Scott were absent.