Youth Players Get Pointers From Huskies

By Andy Hutchison

Up-and-coming area middle school and high school basketball players practiced their 3-pointers and got some pointers from current and former University of Connecticut women’s team players at Newtown Youth Academy in late July.

Pursuit Beyond, a camp run by former UConn player Brittany Hunter and former Adelphi University player Gianna Smith, was offered to high school players from July 19 to 21 and for middle school athletes July 22 and 23. The camp went beyond the X’s and O’s of basketball and topics included injury prevention, nutrition, education, networking and recruiting, as well as competitive play, agility work, and drills.

Hunter pointed out that the camp was designed to focus on some of the important aspects of playing sports that are overlooked.

“They think they’re going to come to camp and learn how to become Michael Jordan — and that’s just not going to happen,” Hunter said. “So we try to teach them that there are other fundamental parts that are very heavily involved when you get to college — so it’s fun.”

Of course that thrill of learning from top-notch athletes the young campers look up to is still evident and, quite frankly, the possibility of getting better as a result of having the UConn stars running the show was the first thing on the middle school players’ minds.

“I like that we do things the college women do,” said Kelly Merrick, a rising seventh grader from Newtown during a lunch break at a recent session. “Learning from such fantastic athletes is making us that much better players.”

“It’s going to make us so much better,” added Mali Klorczyk, Merrick’s classmate.

Among the camp counselors were some current UConn standouts, including Caroline Doty and Lorin Dixon. The young attendees got to meet and learn from the defending NCAA champions, as well as past champs and players who have gone on to continue their basketball careers overseas.

“We bring as much energy as we did at UConn,” said former UConn player Mel Thomas. “I think the kids really feed off of it and they have a great time. I think it’s the most spirited camp I’ve ever been a part of.”

“I really like it because it helps my skills since they won so many games and championships,” rising eighth grader Jenna Hansen said.

“I think this is so cool to play with the people you usually only see on TV,” classmate Samantha Kruzshak added.