On Sunday, December 16th NOW teamed up with Putnam Science Academy to host a free indoor basketball clinic at Tourtellotte Memorial High School in Thompson. Seventy-six children, ages 6 to 13, participated in the clinic, learning a variety of skills from PSA coaches and athletes. The two-hour event saw participating children rotate through eight skill stations, with a goal of introducing and improving such skills as passing, shooting, dribbling, footwork, and more. The clinic is the final event in a series of free 2018 events hosted by NOW designed to introduce sports and wellness activities to children in the 10-town area of Northeast Connecticut.
NOW Executive Director Sarah Wolfburg discussed the planning process for the clinic, “We were excited to once again offer a basketball clinic to children in the region and were very grateful to partner with Putnam Science Academy. ” Wolfburg continued, “Coach Tom Espinosa is always quick to volunteer his coaches and players to participate in NOW clinics and the result was a fun and informative event.”
In late 2017, NOW received $1,000 in grant funds from the Jewett City Savings Bank Foundation to assist with clinic costs. Over the past year, NOW has offered a variety of clinics, including: Track & Field, Baseball, Spectrum of Sports with The Arc Quinebaug Valley, Football & Cheerleading, and with the December 16th clinic, Basketball. NOW Programming Staff are already working on scheduling 2019 clinics, with plans for additional Baseball and Track & Field events planned for late February and early March, respectively.
NOW is a non-profit human services organization focused on youth wellness. NOW provides children with the opportunity to participate in area wellness activities and athletics programs, offering scholarships to the youth of the community with up to 95% of the cost being subsidized by NOW. The mission of the organization is to provide ALL children, regardless of financial resources, equal opportunities to achieve & maintain youth wellness, beginning at an early age.
