Young athletes in St. Laurent will soon have a chance to sharpen their basketball skills at no cost through an upcoming clinic hosted by Rival Basketball Winnipeg in partnership with the St. Laurent and District Recreation Commission.
The clinic will take place at the St. Laurent School gym, with separate sessions for students in grades 6 to 8 and grades 9 to 12 on several dates this spring.
Rival head coach Culley Kipling said the program was created in response to a clear need for more athletic opportunities in the community.
“The youth in St. Laurent have a lot of skill and potential to play basketball,” Kipling said. “They need more opportunities to develop their skills, so there is always a need for these types of sports programs.”
Kipling also pointed to the success of the local junior varsity girls team as part of the inspiration behind the clinic.
“The St. Laurent JV girls did really well this year, so providing camps like this allows them to further develop the skills necessary to compete,” he said.
One of the most notable aspects of the clinic is that it is being offered completely free of charge.
“The program is 100 per cent non-profit. Rival does not aim to make a monetary gain from youth,” Kipling said. “That is the opposite approach to developing youth in sports.”
He credited Tammy Hiebert, St. Laurent recreation director, for helping make the program possible by securing the necessary school permits and organizing local arrangements.
For Kipling, success will be measured by community participation and youth engagement.
“As long as youth show up and want to get involved, that is a win in my eyes,” he said. “The barrier of no camps being offered is removed — that alone is a huge achievement for St. Laurent.”
If the response is strong, Kipling said he would welcome the opportunity to continue the program.
“I am so passionate about basketball — it is an obsession that needs to be shared with our youth. Basketball is a healthy way to stay active and allows players to find a community to be part of and grow.”
Pre-registration is required. Parents and players can register or request more information by emailing rec@rmstlaurent.com.
Neighbouring communities interested in hosting their own free basketball clinics can contact Kipling at Culleyfiles@gmail.com.
