Ronan Lil’ Dribblers celebrate finale
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The future of Ronan basketball looks bright.
The Ronan Lil’ Dribblers program came to an end Monday night at the Ronan Events Center with the 16 teams of third- and fourth-graders and fifth- and sixth-graders squaring off against each other.
Program organizer and Ronan Chief basketball coach Steve Woll said the program is not only good for the 163 kids that signed up for the program, but also for the 32 high school players that coached the teams.
“I always tell them ‘now you know what I go through everyday at practice,’” Woll joked.
But all joking aside, Woll said by teaching the kids the fundamentals of the game, his players are also relearning them. He said that the younger players look up to their older counterparts, which helps build a tighter bond with the community.
The high school players seem to be doing a good job in coaching. Only in its third year, Woll said you can see the difference in the younger players that take part of the program.
“They’re growing right in front of your face and sometimes you don’t see all the improvement. But there is a huge difference between the players that take part in it and the ones that don’t,” Woll said.
Monday was also awards night for the Lil Dribblers’ Shootout, which was held Nov. 5 and raised around $1,300 to buy a shooting gun, for the school.
Nate Dennis was the top shooter in the shootout. The fifth grader knocked down 50 baskets in two minutes.
The 50 baskets were the most Woll said he’s ever seen in his 19 years of organizing shootouts.
“I practice every day for about an hour,” the 11-year-old said.
Last year, Dennis was sick during the shootout, but the year before that he won with 31. This year during the shootout, Dennis said he had a pretty good feeling he was going to win again.
“I only missed three,” Dennis said.
Kianna Finley was the top fifth/sixth grade girl with 39 baskets. Ally Buhr was the money raiser for fifth and sixth graders. Sage Chiefstick’s 30 baskets won the third/fourth competition. Karolyna Old Person was the top money raiser in the third and fourth grade.
J.J. Tanner was voted the top boys’ coach in both age groups. Lane Perez was voted the best girls’ coach in the third and fourth grade and Sophia Woodcock was voted the best girls’ coach in the older group.
