Days before the 2013-14 men’s basketball season starts, team members took time to offer up their basketball expertise to a group of eager boys and girls.

The team held a children’s basketball clinic yesterday in Bohler Gym for elementary to middle school children.

The clinic began with a short speech from an assistant coach, who talked with the kids about the upcoming Halloween festivities and generated lots of laughs as he had the entire men’s basketball team introduce themselves and give their favorite childhood Halloween costume. 

Actual drills began after junior guard DaVonte Lacy led the participants in group stretches. The children were split into four groups and sent to four different stations, practicing an array of drills. They did a little bit of everything, including high-post shooting, ball-handling skills, defensive form drills, and passing drills. 

Seventy-four participants attended the clinic, including children who had signed up and walk-in attendees. Parents were welcome to stay and watch.

One of those parents was a member of the WSU English department and sixth-grade AAU basketball Coach Bryan Fry. Fry said he wanted his child, and handful of players from the team he coaches, to learn the fundamentals of the game and actually learn how to play the game the right way. 

“It’s hard to get a lot done in just an hour, I feel like they did a good job,” Fry said. “Getting to work with different players and rotating drills quickly was good. WSU sports do a lot with the community to stay involved. It’s part of the Cougar spirit.”

The clinic wasn’t just about participants gaining from the basketball team. It also brought value to the teachers of the camp, including senior guard Will DiIorio. 

“I’ve been doing these things for a while now, and as a scholarship player it’s really a great opportunity to be able to give back to the community,” DiIorio said. “It feels good to be able to… be a positive influence, and really give back to the fans that support us during the season.”

Tyne Gray, the mother of one of the participants, was happy to see the children and the athletes coming together for a good cause.

“It was really good, they did a lot of different drills, it seemed very organized, and the kids had a really good time,” Gray said.