Basketball is one of the most popular sports not only in the United States, but around the world. Starting kids in sports at a young age not only allows them to make friends, learn and enjoy the game, but it also gives them a chance to learn the fundamental skills needed to succeed in the sports they are playing. The North Canton Hoover Vikings basketball program offers kids a chance to build a strong foundation of basketball skills at a young age, and one opportunity is the Skills to Drills mentorship. Skills and Drills, which took place at Hoover on Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8 and 15, was available to boys and girls in kindergarten, first and second grades. They participated in skills and learned fundamentals on lowered rims.

“This is an intro to basic basketball fundamentals,” Hoover Boys Basketball Varsity Coach Mr. Mike Bluey said.

The point of this mentorship is to provide an enjoyable environment for young kids to learn how to play basketball, music is played in the background and the kids get to be with their friends while interacting with the coaches and players which are there to help them begin to better understand the game of basketball.

“We want to create a fun atmosphere; we want them to come back,” Bluey said.

This was the sixth year of the Skills and Drills program, which took place on Sunday mornings. The kindergarten sessions ran from 9:15 a.m.-10:00 a.m., and the first and second grade sessions ran from 10:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

The mentorship is being run by Coach Mike Bluey, and there are many players and staff that helped out with the program.

“There are boys basketball players and girls basketball players that are helping out, as well as some staff that are helping out on the coaching side,” Bluey said.

One of the players who helped out with the program was junior Lauren Moore. Moore has been playing basketball since she was around six years old, and went through a program similar to this when she was younger.

“For the program, I am helping the kids with all the drills we are doing and trying to help them understand more about basketball rules,” she said.

Her favorite aspect in helping out with the mentorship is making the kids enjoy basketball more than they already do, and that the best skills that they can learn are how to properly make a layup and the foot placement for it as well as having good ball handling.

“The most important thing for a young basketball player to learn is to get ball handling skills because that is one thing you will always need when you are on the court,” Moore said. “If you have those down at a young age you can only improve when you get older.”

This mentorship allows for high school students to be mentors for the young students who are just starting out on their basketball journey.

“My dad taught me a lot about basketball when I was younger,” Moore said. “The best thing he taught me was to be better than the day before because if you are staying the same as a player in basketball but also outside in real life you won’t be getting anywhere or getting any better.”

This mentorship helps to lead into the third, fourth, and fifth grade rec and travel leagues. The hoops in the gym are lowered so that they are not the full-size 10ft hoops. This helps the younger kids to ease their way into the sport so that they can get the basic shooting form before playing on a full-size hoop. This is a great way for young kids and their parents to stay involved in the community and prepare students for higher levels of basketball. This program is also a great way for young kids to start to get involved in the community and create friendships through sports that will last a lifetime.

North Canton resident Mr. Brian Palone got his daughter involved in the Skills and Drills program.

“[The mentorship] — it’s part of Hoover and is associated with Hoover Hoops, [and]b she loves basketball and sports,” he said.

This is his daughter’s second year playing basketball and his daughter has been enjoying the mentorship program so far this year. There are many coaches and players that get involved and help out with the program, and the parents are very appreciative of them helping their children further their skills and experience in the game of basketball.

“I appreciate them donating their time, they have done a good job,” Palone said.

Interacting with high school players is a great way for the kids to get to know the older players and to better understand what it will be like to play basketball in high school.

“I would tell [future athletes] to keep practicing and pushing themselves,” Moore said. “To become better players, but also be a great person so they can be an even better teammate.”