Basketball events come to city
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Aspiring hoops stars have the opportunity to hone their skills under the tutelage of celebrity players later this week.
Finer Things Academy and Beltway Entertainment will present a celebrity basketball youth clinic and basketball game Saturday.
The youth clinic for students age 7 to 17 runs from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at McGuffey Centre. The celebrity basketball game begins with an exhibition at 6 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. game, both at East High School.
Both events feature the New Legends of Streetball, a group of former AND1 streetball players including city native Montwell Tarver.
The event’s purpose is twofold, said Kathy Hammond, chief executive officer of Finer Things Academy.
“It’s bringing back alumni who played basketball in the city of Youngstown,” she said. “It’s a community-minded event to bring the community together and to bring awareness back to the McGuffey Centre. And it raises money for upcoming programs and projects that Finer Things Academy wants to do.”
Hammond organized the events, along with Tarver and Tyrone Dawson of Beltway Entertainment, also a city native.
The youth clinic costs $20 to participate although sponsorships are available for those who can’t afford it.
Tickets to the game are $15 at the door.
Registration forms for the youth clinic are available at the center, 1649 Jacobs Road. Information about the youth clinic or game is available by calling Hammond at 330-553-2737 or through the New Legends of Streetball Celebrity Basketball Game and Youth Clinic Facebook page.
Hammond also is looking for a 10- to 18-year-old singer to perform the national anthem at the game. Those interested should upload a video of their performance to the Facebook page.
Finer Things Academy in the city ran the extracurricular sports program in the city schools’ elementary schools. With legislation passed by the General Assembly last month that would have a CEO manage and operate the city schools, Hammond isn’t sure where her organization might fit into the new structure.
If she’s unable to run the program through the school system, she plans to offer youth volleyball at the East Side center. Volleyball is offered at the center this summer and would be expanded into the fall using funds raised through the clinic and game.
Hammond also hopes for conferences and workshops to help young people identify their strengths.
“Self-esteem was an issue for me because I never finished college,” she said. “I allowed myself to believe couldn’t accomplish anything because I didn’t finish college.”
While she emphasizes education first, Hammond said some people have no interest in pursuing a degree.
“There are a lot of young people who have fantastic entrepreneurial ideas,” Hammond said. “I want to help those young people identify their strengths and learn what they need to do to make dreams happen if they decide a four-year degree is not for them. ... That’s a passion of mine.”