Dribbling, passing, shooting, offense and defense, footwork and sportsmanship … it’s all covered in the youth basketball winter program put on through the City of Escalon Recreation Department.
Several Saturdays in January and February see teams suiting up for contests, with games staged in both the old gym on the Escalon High School campus and in the gym at El Portal Middle School.
Coaches work with the players on learning some of the basic points of the game, though those at the youngest levels don’t have to worry too much about dribbling once they start the game. Age divisions range from the youngest Jr. Rookies (ages four and five) on up to the All Stars for boys and girls, ages 12 to 14.
Games are tailored to the ages, with half courts used for the youngest groups and the full court for the older players.
On Saturday morning, Jan. 24, two teams of Kings were facing off in the ‘Starter Boys’ 9- to 11-year-old age group, one team wearing a white jersey and the other wearing a black jersey. Two referees worked the game, offering some guidance for the young players along the way.
The JV girls, ages 7-8, also known as 8u, spent some time warming up with drills before starting their games. The girls wore jerseys with the logos of women’s WNBA professional teams, including the Indiana Fever, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty and the Golden State Valkyries, to name a few.
Coach Josh Eichhorn was helping get the Fever team ready for their game.
“It’s the best, it lets me relive my youth, I get to be out there and dribble the basketball,” Eichhorn said of participating in the program. “I kind of coach all the sports and it’s just great to have kids this age starting to learn all the fundamentals. It is a challenge as a coach, though, to bring it down to this level and I find that challenge fun.”
He said at this point, it’s more about learning the game and having fun than keeping track of wins and losses.
“I just love seeing them energetic and wanting to come back for the next year,” he added. “That’s always my biggest goal, for whatever team, is I want these girls to have fun and want to come back.”
Escalon High varsity basketball player, junior Conner Jones, was among those serving as a referee for the games.
“It’s cool to ref them; I like to see how happy they are when they score a basket,” Jones said. “It’s really enjoyable and it’s nice to teach kids basketball.”
An Enochs High School student, Darcy Rush, also had her whistle ready as she prepared to ref a game.
“I really love basketball and it’s really cool to help kids learn how to play basketball better,” the sophomore said.
Mikaela Prins was on the sidelines, shouting both encouragement and some instructions to her Las Vegas Aces team on Saturday, and said coaching has been a great way to get involved.
“They’re so much fun to work with,” she said of the seven- and eight-year-old girls. “I just want them to have fun and learn the game.”
The gyms on the two school campuses are filled with not only the players and coaches on Saturdays, but also plenty of supporters in the stands, as parents, grandparents and siblings join in to watch – and often take video – of the contests.
The multi-week program has been a popular wintertime staple for years, and continues to draw plenty of participants.
“I think it’s a huge benefit for the youth to have team sports in their life,” Eichhorn summarized. “It feels like the turnout has been getting to be more and more, especially on the girls’ side … the whole point is everybody’s wanting to be outside and play and that’s the beauty of it.”
