Husky Hoops ... Former UConn Basketball Players Coming To Newtown

By Andy Hutchison

You’ve seen the University of Connecticut Huskies on television — maybe even in person — scoring baskets and winning ... game after game en route to NCAA championships. Now, up-and-coming basketball players in town will have a chance to see past UConn players right here in Newtown — and learn a thing or two from them, too.

Former UConn basketball player Brittany Hunter will hold a clinic at Newtown Youth Academy Sports & Fitness this summer. The high school camp will run July 19–21, and the middle school camp will run July 22 and 23. All camp days will run from 9 am to 3 pm.

The goal of the program, Hunter said, is to address the often forgotten and misunderstood aspects of competitive sports: injury prevention, nutrition, education, networking and recruiting, as well as competitive play, agility work, and drills.

“What we want to do is talk about things you might not see at another camp,” Hunter said. “Things that go beyond basketball.”

Hunter battled injuries and has had to deal with changing careers. She is now in graduate school at UConn and will talk about the importance of athletes preparing for life after basketball, or another sport, since not many of even the standout players make it professionally.

Hunter will coach with former teammates Mel Thomas, Caroline Doty, Heather Buck, Lorin Dixon, Jacquie Fernandes, and Gianna Smith (former college and professional player).

The UConn women certainly have made their mark in Connecticut and beyond, dominating the women’s college basketball scene in recent years. The men, too, have a strong following, and former player Jeff Adrein, who now plays hoops overseas, is also coming to Newtown.

Getting to Glory, a summer high school basketball camp with Adrien, will be held August 2–5 at the Newtown Youth Academy. Camp days run from 3:30 to 8:30 pm. Adrien helped the Huskies get to the Final Four in 2009.

The camp will feature full court games as well as contests, and will have surprise guests. The top camper will receive the Jeff Adrien Scholarship ($500), and one camper will win the Sportsmanship Award (monthlong membership to NYA).

Ken Good, manager of sports programs at NYA, is thrilled to have such notable and familiar faces around during the summer. “You’re talking about some of the premier players in the country,” Good said.

Good notes that the camps will provide a different perspective on big-time collegiate athletics.

“I think so often you see these people on TV and read about them in the newspapers and we think it’s easy for them,” Good said. “To hear their struggles and the triumphs these people have really puts things into perspective here.”

Prospective attendees of Hunter’s camp should visit www.PursuitBeyond.com for more information and to register for the program. Register for Adrien’s camp online at www.GettingToGlory.com.