YORKTON – Yorkton and area youth basketball players had an opportunity to hone their skills as the University of Regina women’s basketball team sent players to the city Saturday for a clinic.
Darcy Zaharia, one of the clinic organizers, said that his daughter has been involved in school basketball, and in talking to some other parents there was interest in expanding opportunities in the sport.
“We wanted to give them more,” he said, adding that desire led to creating a club program that operates outside the schools and has the girls involved playing basketball into the spring.
The program is focused on Grades 6-8 and in year one had the team playing home-and-home sets with the Preeceville Express, then joining with the Express to attend a tourney, or two, offered Zaharia.
Zaharia then found that Roby Sharpe at the Regional High School was hoping to host a women’s university game.
“We’re still working on that, he said, adding that in the interim he contacted the Cougars about holding a clinic in Yorkton and found the coach “very receptive to come.”
Accessing a SaskSport grant, Zaharia said the clinic was off the ground, and it has proven popular. He had initially hoped for 50 participants, but had 75 register.
“That’s more than enough for the gym (at YRHS),” he said, adding interest came from across the region including Kelvington, Preeceville, and into Manitoba.
Having the university players at the clinic provides more than training, suggested Zaharia.
“The girls have someone to look up to,” he said, adding he recalls as a youth Roughrider Bobby Jurasin coming to Yorkton, and how that impacted him. “I wanted to be Bobby Jurasin for football.”
Zaharia said they hope the players doing the clinics will not just teach them a few skills, but inspire the participants to further pursue basketball both in school and via club ball.
