THOMPSON — NOW recently teamed up with Putnam Science Academy to host a free indoor basketball clinic at Tourtellotte Memorial High School. 110 children 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 was the final event in a series of free 2019 events hosted by NOW designed to introduce sports and wellness activities to children in the 10-town area of northeastern Connecticut.
The Basketball Clinic saw a record number of children, with over 100 registrations in less than two weeks. The high number of participants is a testament to the popularity of the sport and NOW Executive Director Sarah Wolfburg shared her appreciation for Putnam Science Academy’s partnership in running the clinic, “We are always glad to work with Coach Tom Espinosa and his players. NOW has had a long friendship with Putnam Science Academy and the success of this event is thanks to them.” In addition to coach Espinosa, PSA was represented by Coach Kevin Donavan, Coach Josh Scraba, and players Amir Sanders, Marty Silvera, Mekhi Gray, Jonnie Williams, Eli Everett, Viktor Shvetc, Melvyn Ebonkoli, Vladislav Goldin, Max Armstead, Jayden Brewington, and Travis Whitehouse.
NOW has offered a variety of clinics in 2019, including: Baseball, Track & Field, Soccer, Yoga, Swimming, Football, and Basketball. All NOW Clinics are designed to introduce area children to sports, offering instruction by local coaches and student athletes. The clinic also featured a new initiative to collect new stuffed animals to be used during youth medical exams at Day Kimball Healthcare. The stuffed animal drive will be a fixture at future NOW events and clinics.

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