Helping out with hoops
SLIPPERY ROCK — Women's basketball practice officially begins Friday at Slippery Rock University.
The team's been on the floor for a number of weeks already — but not their own.
The Rock players have been providing instruction for Hoop Heroes, an after-school basketball program for boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program is run by the Slippery Rock Parks and Recreation Department.
"The college players have been a perfect fit for this program," said SR Parks and Recreation director Mary Messer. "The kids look up to them. Some of the kids have watched them play."
This program debuted as the PeeWee Globetrotters under Darlene Bullock's direction 20 years ago. A SRU physical education student helped out back then.
Only recently has the program existed in its current format, with about 35 youngsters getting together from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. each Tuesday at Slippery Rock Elementary School and at Harmer Elementary in Harrisville.
Eric Flood, a junior sports management major at SRU, oversees the program.
"We get flyers out to all of the schools to get the kids involved, then set up different stations in the gym for the players to work with them," Flood said.
"The girls are great. They connect really well with the kids."
Flood helped out with the program last year before Messer asked him to run it.
"It's been a nice experience, organizing something that teaches kids a sport," Flood said.
Stations include dribbling, passing, shooting and defense. Nearly half the SRU team shows up each week and they split up each station.
First-year Rock coach Tanya Bauer Longo said all 16 of her players, including recruits, are involved with the program.
"The girls look forward to it. It's fun for them and a way to give back," Longo said. "We want our players to be four things: a good student, good player, good community member and good teammate."
The Hoop Heroes program began Sept. 21 and ends Tuesday with a performance by the young participants for their parents.
"Our entire team will be there," Longo promised. "We'll leave practice early for that."
Besides getting youngsters interested in basketball, Longo said she likes the Hoop Heroes concept "because my players actually get to become coaches."
"They see it's not as easy as it looks," she said, laughing.
