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The boys work on their defensive positioning during one of the practices for the boy's city basketball league in Battlement Mesa, Colorado.
PARACHUTE/BATTLEMENT MESA, COLORADO - He spends more time behind the pulpit than on the hardwood, but that didn’t discourage Bill Cornelius from getting a basketball skills program off the ground in Parachute and Battlement Mesa.
“I’m a pastor,” he said. “I don’t get to work with basketball much in church.”
With the help of many volunteer coaches, the pastor of Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church took the initiative to get a boy’s city basketball league together. The practices started on Nov. 6, and so far, 46 boys have been given tips from 16 coaches.
One of the volunteer coaches, Rex Smith from Battlement Mesa, loved the thought of a fall basketball program. His son, Justin, 8, was on the under-10 soccer team coached by Cornelius, and that’s how he first heard of a possible basketball program. His other children, Garrett, 14, and Megan, 11, have also helped at practice.
“I’m thankful that someone would take over and get this together,” he said. “I haven’t tried to teach basketball to kids this young; the basket is six feet above their heads. They have to put their full body into it, just to get the ball to the rim.”
The eagerness displayed by the kids seems to say that the program is working.
“I think that this is one of the sports they want to do. Give any kid a basketball and they start dribbling right away,” Smith said. “At this age it’s important for them to feel comfortable to come out and do something like this. They can get intimidated, and some kids are more aggressive than others.”
He wants the kids to realize that if they want to play, they shouldn’t be held back by anything.
The league is open to second through fifth grade boys. Practices are every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m., with the second and third graders at the Bea Underwood Elementary gym and fourth and fifth graders at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. A tournament may be set up on Saturday, Dec. 13 to get the boys together one last time for some games.
“Right now, we’re just working on the basics,” Cornelius said. “We’ll incorporate that later on when we get into the games. I love seeing the smiles and joy on their faces. I don’t know if it’s really a challenge, but it’s tough keeping up with their enthusiasm. I want to take what they offer, that enthusiasm, and mix it with what we have, some experience and wisdom. Hopefully, it’ll all be fun.”
The boys go through five stations for 10 to 15 minutes at each stop. They work on dribbling, passing, jump shots, lay ups and free throws.
Tammi Rivas of Parachute also had a son on that U10 soccer team, 9-year-old Reyes Ramos, and is glad to have a chance to teach kids the game of basketball.
She likes to stay involved in her children’s activities. She coaches a cheer team that her daughter,
Karlyita Ramos, 6, is on and she’s the chairperson of her 11-year-old son’s, Antonio Ramos, soccer team.
“I hope to give them some guidance and try to be insightful for them on the court or in life,” Rivas said. “I want them to be successful in whatever they do, and this program will help them with that.”
Cornelius moved to Battlement Mesa four months ago, and before he knew it, he was a soccer coach. The youth soccer seasons recently finished and he thought it would be a good idea to have another activity lined up for the kids.
“Some of the moms brought up the basketball idea and asked if I’d organize it,” Cornelius said.
“I fielded the good ideas and ran with it.”
In School District 16, there are more than 200 boys in second through fifth grades and Cornelius said he’d love to have them all come out.
He’d like to see if this program could merge with Parachute’s Parks and Recreation league that starts after the new year.
Boys in Parachute and Battlement Mesa can still take part in weekly practices that run to Dec. 11. Sign up at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. There is a $10 fee to cover the cost of a T-shirt and basketball for everyone.
“I’m a pastor,” he said. “I don’t get to work with basketball much in church.”
With the help of many volunteer coaches, the pastor of Shepherd of the Mesa Lutheran Church took the initiative to get a boy’s city basketball league together. The practices started on Nov. 6, and so far, 46 boys have been given tips from 16 coaches.
One of the volunteer coaches, Rex Smith from Battlement Mesa, loved the thought of a fall basketball program. His son, Justin, 8, was on the under-10 soccer team coached by Cornelius, and that’s how he first heard of a possible basketball program. His other children, Garrett, 14, and Megan, 11, have also helped at practice.
“I’m thankful that someone would take over and get this together,” he said. “I haven’t tried to teach basketball to kids this young; the basket is six feet above their heads. They have to put their full body into it, just to get the ball to the rim.”
The eagerness displayed by the kids seems to say that the program is working.
“I think that this is one of the sports they want to do. Give any kid a basketball and they start dribbling right away,” Smith said. “At this age it’s important for them to feel comfortable to come out and do something like this. They can get intimidated, and some kids are more aggressive than others.”
He wants the kids to realize that if they want to play, they shouldn’t be held back by anything.
The league is open to second through fifth grade boys. Practices are every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m., with the second and third graders at the Bea Underwood Elementary gym and fourth and fifth graders at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. A tournament may be set up on Saturday, Dec. 13 to get the boys together one last time for some games.
“Right now, we’re just working on the basics,” Cornelius said. “We’ll incorporate that later on when we get into the games. I love seeing the smiles and joy on their faces. I don’t know if it’s really a challenge, but it’s tough keeping up with their enthusiasm. I want to take what they offer, that enthusiasm, and mix it with what we have, some experience and wisdom. Hopefully, it’ll all be fun.”
The boys go through five stations for 10 to 15 minutes at each stop. They work on dribbling, passing, jump shots, lay ups and free throws.
Tammi Rivas of Parachute also had a son on that U10 soccer team, 9-year-old Reyes Ramos, and is glad to have a chance to teach kids the game of basketball.
She likes to stay involved in her children’s activities. She coaches a cheer team that her daughter,
Karlyita Ramos, 6, is on and she’s the chairperson of her 11-year-old son’s, Antonio Ramos, soccer team.
“I hope to give them some guidance and try to be insightful for them on the court or in life,” Rivas said. “I want them to be successful in whatever they do, and this program will help them with that.”
Cornelius moved to Battlement Mesa four months ago, and before he knew it, he was a soccer coach. The youth soccer seasons recently finished and he thought it would be a good idea to have another activity lined up for the kids.
“Some of the moms brought up the basketball idea and asked if I’d organize it,” Cornelius said.
“I fielded the good ideas and ran with it.”
In School District 16, there are more than 200 boys in second through fifth grades and Cornelius said he’d love to have them all come out.
He’d like to see if this program could merge with Parachute’s Parks and Recreation league that starts after the new year.
Boys in Parachute and Battlement Mesa can still take part in weekly practices that run to Dec. 11. Sign up at the Battlement Mesa Activity Center. There is a $10 fee to cover the cost of a T-shirt and basketball for everyone.
