UPB introduces basketball to the younger generation
December 01, 2022
By Madisen Carter
Unlimited Potential Basketball recently hosted its first Little Hoopers Clinic last month, and it was a huge success! The Little Hoopers Clinic welcomed three to five year olds into the UPB Training Facility to be introduced to the game of basketball and get used to the atmosphere of the game. We enjoyed having the kids in the gym and seeing them develop throughout the four weeks with their peers.
The Little Hoopers Clinic was inspired by UPB’s lead trainer Coach Packie and CEO Bianca Turner’s daughter Alessia and how she wanted to be on the court playing the game. The Turners also believed that this clinic would be a great way for parents and their children to bond with each other and help plant an early seed of love for the game of basketball.
“We [had the clinic] to provide an opportunity for parents and kids to bond [and to] develop a passion for getting active in the newest generation,” Bianca said. “Having fun is the focus of [the clinic.]
During the 45 minute clinic, the children were able to learn from Coach Packie and other UPB Trainers the fundamentals of passing, dribbling, and shooting. We were happy to see the children learning and improving over the course of the clinic and seeing them be able to successfully shoot a basket by week four.
The parents were on court the entire time helping the children get comfortable and gain confidence along the way. After the final week of the clinic, we were able to speak to some of those parents about why they chose to sign their children up for the clinic and what they all enjoyed most about it. Here is what they had to say:
“I signed up because I see Packie and UPBTraining doing really well. I see a lot of kids develop coming out of this program. l see just a lot of development over time from ages starting from three [years old to] 18, even [to] the pros now… I just love [my son’s] development and progress. Just seeing him over three weeks, his development over time is really good.” - Michael Chan
“I thought it'd be a good first experience to get involved with basketball but I know [Coach] Packie is really patient with kids too. So I know it's a good start to get them kind of in the mood to play… My favorite part is I like that he takes them through lots of drills. He seems to really challenge the kids but at the same time [the drills] are fun and they're still capable of doing them… The parents are involved with the kids and the coaches. So it gives the kids a good opportunity to bond with their parents but also learn the game of basketball at the same time.” - Adriana Reed
“My son really likes basketball and he wanted to work on his skills and do it in a great facility like this… I think he likes the social aspect and hanging out with his buddies.” - Andy Ahlers
We are excited to announce that we will be bringing our Little Hoopers Clinic back in the new year! The clinic will last for four Sundays at 9-9:45AM starting on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023. Please note that the athletes are required to join all four of the sessions of the clinic. You can click here to sign up. We look forward to seeing all the Little Hoopers again soon!
