We have events available for the kids 4-6 days a week, and surprisingly a lot of them show. A few were scared at first, but they fell into the routine in ease. One play, Matthew (pictured on the right), has even started outpacing my Middle School and High School kids in drills, shooting performances, and grit. Goes to show what happens if you give a kid some hope and a chance.
For the season, we played against mostly 3rd and 4th grade teams, and we will do so again this summer. Although we've won a few, we lose most by 10-30 points. I do that on purpose so that the kids are forced to notice the small things they need to work on. Come Fall, I will play them against their own age group to show them how far they've progressed. Then for next Spring and Summer, I will repeat these steps... hoping that each time the gap between us and the older teams closes and the gap between us and the teams our age widens.
As for 4-7 year olds, I've gone back to the drawing board by creating a once-a-month fun, one-hour clinic designed for them. I'll use the lower hoops once again, and I will also get smaller balls. It's tough to keep the attention of the youngest kids, but even tougher to keep the patience of their parents who are not yet used to taking their kids to event after event. Once a month seems about right. I was also thinking that these kids could act as the water boys and girls for our older teams. That would be cool!
All of this, of course, is to initiate the Pr0digies program. I'm using basketball as a base so that the overall goals aren't too daunting or boring. Once I get kids year in and year out, I will offer the rest as a unique extra to anyone interested. If I can find a parent proficient in a certain facet that I wish to incorporate, that would be the ideal place to start.
Welp, wish me luck!