Coaching Clinic in SJC

Highlighting The San Jose YMCA Handball Coaches

Junior WPH Press, San Jose, California

The San Jose YMCA runs a “Youth Handball Program” every Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, typically recruiting kids from parents that exercise/play at the YMCA. On April 2^nd, the San Jose YMCA handball coaches organized a “Coaching Clinic/Play Day” idea to reach out to kids outside the YMCA.

Jose Neri, father of 13-year-old Alex, gathered ~20 kids from outside the YMCA, from various parks and sporting events he attends with son Alex. The message was simple: learn a new sport, keep the equipment, watch some pros, and have free food! Combine them with 10 kids from our Youth class, and it got busy!

This was good advertising for the YMCA, to potentially bring in new members. There were also financial aid grants for non-members. The courts get utilized. Everyone wins. Just need to get the word out! Pamphlets, social media …  nothing takes the place of face-to-face conversation and simply inviting parents to let their kids try handball.

The clinic was run by our Youth Handball Coaches: Tom Urquhart, Tom Fitzwater, Jose Neri, Brian Gillenater, and Mike Linnik. We handout equipment (thanks First Ace!), run a one-hour clinic from 10-11am. The youth have a pizza/sandwich lunch and watch the Pro action. After lunch there is a one hour “free time” where they practice what they learned, and just have fun playing ball with their new friends.

Pros Erik Torres, and top Open players Rene Lopez, Miguel Negrete, Joel Perez, and top Big Ballers Jay Sanchez & Carlos helped put on a display of power and fitness. Erik played Rene Lopez in an exhibition match, so it was a fun workout for the players. Pro Loren Collado came down to talk to kids and their parents about the game.

Coaches did simple, fun drills: first we run them around the courts and do short sprints to warm them up. Kids absolutely love to run around on a court. Some yoga followed (we didn’t call it that – it’s just “stretching”), then we begin throwing, overhand, sidearm, low sidearm. Then the fist shots … who can reach the ceiling? A little double bounce (ie. front court only) mixes it up to make it fun, then it doubles action. We allow 3-6 bounces … just get the ball to the front wall! Finally, the ever popular “Gatorade challenge”, where they line up and try to hit a Gatorade bottle. Winners get gift baskets of candy and chocolate. Every bottle hit becomes a huge photo-op for the parents and kids.

The parents in the gallery get to see what fun their kids are having, and how it helps their kids burn off their youthful energy. Coaches hand out forms to parents to join the next Youth Handball Class, and possibly think about membership as well.

Coach Mike Linnik

NorCal Handball

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