Athletics start children in right direction

By Brian Johnson
Nevada Herald
For one week, June 7-11, kids from grades 3-8 came to the Nevada High School Gym to learn how to play basketball and hopefully get their start toward a bright future.
On Friday, 32 boys from grades three and four finished their time at the Nevada High School Youth Basketball Camp.
That day, Nevada varsity basketball head coach John McNeley, along with four assistance from the team had the children play of unusual game of basketball.
McNeley divided the children into two groups. Then he divided the them into separate groups of four.
After separating the children, McNeley had two out of the four groups play. When one of the teams scores, the defensive team has to sit out so that a fresh group of players can come in.
It may seem complicated but McNeley devised the game to show the young players discipline, which he said is the reason for the camp.
"This week we tried to stress fundamentals," McNeley said. "We try to have fun and all of that, but this week is about teaching the kids how to get it done right."
McNeley's teachings must of soaked into the children's head. During the drills, the children played with intensity. They rushed to pick up lose balls, they drove the lane trying to get easy lay-ups. In one incident two children slammed into each other knocking the wind out of them both.
"This is extremely important," McNeley said when asked if discipline and fundamentals were important to children this age.
When the drills were over, some of the children got awards like autographed pennants by Dante Hall, Los Angeles Lakers stickers and posters of some college team like Kansas and Missouri. Every child received a black and white basketball, a camp T-shirt, a jump rope and protective eyewear.
Next year, some of the 32 boys will return for the camp. Other will just remember a week of hanging out, shooting hoops and being a part of a team.