Michael Steadman loves basketball, but a physical handicap prevents him from being more than a student assistant coach on the Shaker High School varsity boys basketball team.
Now, Steadman has another outlet to showcase his basketball knowledge and help other children facing physical and emotional handicaps, thanks to Colonie Youth Center’s new Shooting Stars Challenger Basketball League. The program gives people age 5 to 21 a chance to play basketball with the help of volunteers such as Steadman.
This is very fun, said Steadman. `I can’t express this. If you stand here and watch them, they already have a lot of skills. They can dribble, they can pass and they can shoot. And when they make a basket, they look back with the biggest smiles on their faces.`
The 10-week program is the brainchild of retired North Colonie special education teacher Gail Wrieden, who has also started challenger programs in Colonie for baseball, soccer and bowling.
`I wanted to keep them going in sports through the winter,` said Wrieden. `A lot of the kids that are here are also part of the challenger baseball, soccer and bowling leagues.`
`She came to us in mid November and said, ‘I have an idea. I’d like to start a challenger basketball league.’ And we said, ‘How soon can you start?’` said Nikki Caruso, Colonie Youth Center interim executive director.
Right away, as it turned out. Within a month, registration forms became available. By the time the first session took place Jan. 5 at Sand Creek Middle School, 34 children were signed up.
`I expected (a large group for the first session) because (challenger) baseball started with 30 (children), and now it’s up to 51,` said Wrieden. `These are a lot of the same kids.`
Nancy Tetreault of Colonie didn’t hesitate to sign her 7-year-old son, Brian, up for the challenger basketball program. He was already playing in Wrieden’s baseball, soccer and bowling programs, as well as the Albany Cougars ` a hockey program for people of all ages with physical and emotional handicaps.
`It’s very rewarding to watch him grow,` said Tetreault. `It’s a slow road, but he’s definitely getting better (at sports). It’s nice that they have these programs available, too.`
Peg Ellett’s 14-year-old daughter, Jessica, is another multi-challenger sport participant, but was more excited about the basketball program than the others.
`If I had to ask her what her favorite sport is, it’s basketball. She’s a basketball junkie,` said Ellett, a Latham resident. `She couldn’t wait to come here today and play.`
Like other challenger programs, the Shooting Stars league emphasizes learning the basic skills of the sport and allowing everyone to participate with the help of volunteers, many of whom are high school athletes. At the first day of the Shooting Stars league, members of Shaker’s boys and Colonie Central’s girls basketball teams taught the players how to dribble, pass and shoot the basketball. The younger players shot at a floor-based basket 4 feet off the ground, while the older players shot at a standard 10-foot hoop.
`The (volunteers) show them what to do and talk to them,` said Wrieden.
Shaker varsity boys basketball coach Jeff Holmes said it was important for him to get his players involved in the program.
`It kind of brings a lump to my throat watching (my players work with the kids),` said Holmes. `They are having such a good time. I’m sure that when they leave, they’ll think, ‘Boy, that hour went by fast.’`
Steadman helped with the younger athletes, showing them how to make a bounce pass and how to shoot the ball.
`Shooting was what I always thought was fun,` said Steadman, a senior at Shaker. `Being handicapped, I’m not as fast as the other kids, so I try to work on shooting.`
`He shoots the ball on the sidelines all the time,` said Holmes. `He’s actually a really good shooter.`
Wrieden said that the interaction between the high school athletes and their younger counterparts is what makes the program worthwhile.
`The goal is to get the kids to learn basketball skills and have a good time,` said Wrieden.
`It’s a good social experience, and it’s also good to get the kids up and moving,` added Tetreault. `Any activity is good for a kid.`
The Shooting Stars Challenger Basketball League will run every Saturday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Sand Creek Middle School off Sand Creek Road in Colonie through March 8. The program is still accepting registrations for any child in the Capital District.
For information, call the Colonie Youth Center at 438-9596.“