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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-10-27, Page 21COKES A�E� R DELITE s2aas4o 1-888-820-7775 TRY OUR PIE! Exeter Times Advocate 11\11Al)VOCA11 ssroa S BEST G.I.C. RATES Your Investment 23568 1 year 5.5% S r(sublert to 6.45% Exeter235-3368 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.