Campers Learn Basketball Basics

It was shirts versus skins on three courts at Concord Carlisle High School Friday morning as boys in fourth-ninth grade were challenging themselves and their opponents in the upper and lower gymnasiums during the final day of the Patriot Boys' Basketball Clinic.

The all-day clinic, in its second session (the first session ran June 28-July 2), has been providing roughly 60 boys the opportunity to learn individual basketball skills, such as dribbling and passing techniques, as well as develop the capacity to really play basketball. Friday was the final day of the weeklong camp.

Camp director and CCHS boys' basketball coach David Cohen, who has been teaching the clinic on and off for 15 years, noted that he strives to develop the clinic to progress the boys' talents.

Cohen gets help from five other coaches: Kevin Clarke, John Patterson, Chris Seller (a varsity player at C-C), Edwin Delva and Aaron Joncas.

 "We're improving the program from just playing basketball to teaching how to play basketball," Cohen said.

The philosophy of the clinic is "founded on the principles of Progressive Player Development (PPD)," the clinic's website says. According to the site, PPD presents the game in a sequential and logical manner, teaches the fundamental skills in the context that they occur and focuses on the interdependent nature of all basketball skills and emphasizes how these skills are related.

Cohen explained that every day has had a different theme.

"Monday was one 1-on-1, Tuesday was 2-on-2, to build up to the championship game today," the coach said.

Just before the basketball began bouncing down the sidelines during the scrimmage between the fourth and fifth graders in the upper gymnasium, Clarke and Seller, the two teams' coaches, decided to have more fun by introducing the players on the teams public-address style.

The youngsters were rowdy and ready for their glory as they stood on either side of the bleachers.

 "At small forward, we have Nick," Clarke exclaimed, as Nick ran onto the court flailing his arms and showing a wide smile.

"On team Lex, at 5-foot-4, we have Alex," Seller shouted.

The rest of the boys were introduced with just as much excitement, enthusiasm and energy as they were running wild up and down the court and into the bleachers.

Then, their game began.

Downstairs in the first-floor gymnasium, two scrimmages between the older boys were being played.

"Shoot it, you got this," one boy shouted as his teammate ran along the right sideline and shot a wide hook.

Swoosh.

"I like the competitiveness," said Nick Popov, an 11-year-old seventh-grader watching from the sideline.

Adam French, another seventh-grader watching the game also watching the same game, agreed.

"I play because my friends were doing it," French said when explaining why he came to this clinic. "I love basketball."

That was a sentiment shared by Popov.

"I like playing basketball," Popov said with excitement, adding that he played on a winter travel team. "And now (after this clinic) I really like (basketball)."

Popov and French said they would love the chance to attend this clinic next summer.