By Ian Williams, MEAC Strategic Communications Intern
NORFOLK, Va., March 4, 2023 – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) kicked off the 2023 MEAC Basketball Tournament week by bringing back the annual Youth Clinic on Saturday at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
In its ninth year, the clinic was revived for the first time since 2020 following the effects of COVID-19. The conference’s head men’s and women’s coaches were on hand to give the children an opportunity to have fun and learn the sport to which they dedicate their lives.
“Watching the kids interact with the coaches, I love it,” MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills said. “They’re serious about their craft, and just being able to have them interact with the coaches to learn and just to see them with smiles on their faces, I love it.”
Kids practiced their skills on the court through different basketball drills that focused on their dribbling, shooting, and speed. Some of the youth used the knowledge of the sport they recently acquired in head-to-head competitions against each other and the coaches.
The day concluded with a relay race dividing the children into two teams. After each kid crossed the finish line, they met in the middle as a team.
“It’s just a great experience to be able to spend time with the kids during the day and then get ready to compete next week,” Howard University head women’s coach Ty Grace said. “Just to be able to come out and show them things that we played while we were younger and that those types of games and things are still happening now, it’s great, there having fun, they’re enjoying themselves, and the coaches get to let our hair down a little bit, so it’s been a great event.”
iHeart Media was on site to provide music and entertainment. Participants were given gift packs to take home courtesy of Coca-Cola and R&R Productions, and each member got to take home their own game ball.
For more on the 2023 MEAC Basketball Tournament, please visit www.MEACHoops.com.