SUNDRE – The first of two summer clinics in a new sports program intended to get youth bouncing into basketball recently wrapped up.
Alongside the help of co-organizer and Sundre High School senior basketball coach Chelsea Thiessen, Annalise Fricker endeavoured to introduce the Youth Hoops Basketball Camp courtesy of support from sponsors as well as Sundre’s Family and Community Support Services through the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society.
Whether hockey, baseball or rodeo, the community has “a long history of fostering youth sport” and “stands behind building developmental programs in order to provide opportunities and a bright future for the next generation,” Fricker wrote in a statement about the program.
Participating in team sports helps to develop and establish fundamental life skills ranging from leadership and sportsmanship to accountability and discipline. And regardless of whether a young athlete is playing recreationally or competitively, simply engaging in physical activity goes a long way toward having a positive impact not only on their physical health and development but also their mental well-being, she said.
But since 2020, schools have reportedly experienced a declining rate of participation in team sports like basketball and volleyball, and according to a survey conducted by Jumpstart Canada, many parents are pointing to fewer and increasingly costly opportunities to get children involved in sports, she said.
“There is a lack of access to sport which negatively affects their children’s health and well-being, and community sport faces an unknown future,” she said.
“Parents surveyed by Jumpstart stated that their children’s feelings of isolation, lack of fitness, anxiety, and self-esteem due to the inability to participate in team sport have increased dramatically.”
However, the community in Sundre has a tendency to step up and fill a need when one is identified, she said.
“This is especially true when it comes to the next generation: our children.”
Fricker, who has spent most of her life in Sundre where she decided to settle with her family, coaches the high school’s junior basketball team and said there is a need in the community to foster additional opportunities for youth to get engaged in physical activity, more specifically team-based sports.
“While we have fantastic baseball and hockey teams, we need to diversify our children’s access to different sports,” she said, adding that the more sports a youth plays, the more their physical and mental health benefit in terms of improved co-ordination and motor skills as well as boosting their sociability through teamwork, respect and patience.
“The foundational skills that kids require to effectively participate in the game of basketball or volleyball is unfortunately lacking and volunteers to help with coaching are sparse,” she said.
The first, four-day camp that was held earlier this month at the Sundre Community Centre was exclusively developed as an all-girls program but the upcoming clinic in August will be co-ed.
As of July 6, the organizers said there yet remained three spots. They decided to cap registration at roughly two dozen players per camp to ensure there’s enough time to adequately focus on providing each youth with the instruction and attention they need to help establish the basic skills foundation.
Contributions from sponsors ensured all the kids could participate in the program at no cost while still being provided lunch, a basketball, camp T-shirt, snacks as well as a water bottle.
With the first, fully-registered camp wrapped up and the next almost booked already, the organizers are optimistic about making the inaugural program an annual staple.
“I am hopeful to continue to offer sports camps free of charge for the youth of Sundre,” said Fricker.
