Mini Ball is continuing throughout the Spring in Eckville and brings benefits to basketball players both old and new to the sport.

Korbyn Lentz, a Grade 12 graduating player for the Eckville Senior Aces Basketball team, is one of the many senior players in Eckville coming out to coach and support the next generation of Eckville basketball.

It is Mini Ball. It is getting kids involved in the sport of basketball – introducing it at a young age,” he said. “It is about getting them to understand the sport.”

According to Lentz, Mini Ball teaches these elementary kids the basic fundamentals of the sport as well as many other invaluable lessons.

“It isn’t about winning; it is about learning the basics and getting them ready to play junior high and senior high ball,” Lentz said, adding that he wishes this program would have been around when he was in elementary.

“No, I actually came in Grade 6 – the year after that they started,” he said. You can tell with the kids who have come up through it how better they are at basketball than some of the kids that haven’t played.”

Leaning fundamental skills leads to an easier learning curve down the road, according to Lentz.

“It is so important and it is where is all starts,” he said. “People in the NBA and WNBA start at young ages. They start at four and five learning how to dribble properly and all the fundamentals of basketball.”

People able to give back to the sports community in Eckville is very important to Lentz.

“I have played here my whole high school career and the community have always supported me,” he said. “I feel like it is my job to give back and support the community to get Eckville basketball going again.”

Lentz added that the community should “come and support the kids in the final games. It would be really meaningful for them to see you out here.”

todd.vaughan@sylvanlakenews.com