Hernandez shows the players some ball handling drills.
Kids enjoy Digicel NBA Jumpstart
Sixty-five children had the unique opportunity this weekend to be part of the Digicel NBA Jumpstart Basketball Camp at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.
Under the tutelage of Adrian Alvarez, Assistant Manager of Basketball Operations of the NBA and Jayson Hernandez, Assistant Coach of the Orlando Magic, the male and female basketballers had the opportunity to be part of the Digicel regional youth basketball movement.
“Improving in basketball is good, it is great but if you can take all those talents and all those values off the court and keep it with you for the rest of your lives, that would be true success for us,” Alvarez explained at the start of the clinic.
The two day basketball clinic started Saturday on National Heroes Day, fittingly at the multisport complex named after Barbados’ only living national hero. Sir Garfield Sobers ironically is also a Digicel ambassador and all those on hand took a moment to applaud him before the proceedings started.
Hernandez in speaking to the participants, said that it was his first time in Barbados and he was excited to be here and felt blessed to learn not only from the coaches present but also the children that would be under his care.
“I want to learn as much from you from being here. You learn twice as much by teaching, they say.”
He also said that basketball has brought him across the world and he looked forward to forging relationships on the island. The Orlando Magic Manager reminded the kids that though the clinic would give them skills and drills to take with them to improve, one thing to understand was that the way they worked while applying the knowledge gained would carry over to everything they did in life.
Seven lucky players will chosen to attend the regional elite clinic in Trinidad to join with other players chosen to attend. The vision of the clinic was to continue to make a positive impact on the youth through sporting opportunities. Digicel and the NBA signed a multi-year agreement to ensure that it would continue to be a reality. (AS)