Sports

Girls learn the basics of basketball

By Reporter Staff

COURTESY DAVID GURNEY | Recreational basketball players, front row, from left: Madison Hallman, Justine Karen and Abby Kotula; back row, Lauren Gurney, Sarah Lewis, Bianca Evangelista and Hayley Lowell-Liszanckie. Players not in the picture were Emma and Lindsey Gallagher, Lily Garrison and Caitlin Binder.

Shelter Island girls from 4th through 6th grades learned a little about basketball this past winter.

The girls, most of whom had never played the sport before this season, met on Saturdays from early November 2011 through February 2012.  The team was coached by Bill Hallman and Dave Gurney with help from Brian Gallagher.

The coaches saw the girls evolve into future basketball players. Although the girls thought they would be playing in the CYO, its teams were not eager to travel to Shelter Island or have the neophytes in the league, according to the coaches.

The coaches and the girls were not deterred.

The girls practiced the basics of dribbling, shooting, making layups and basic plays. They eventually got to play the CYO boys teams from the 4th grade and the 5th and 6th grade teams. These opportunities were a bonus because the girls had thought they would never play any games this season.

The girls learned a tremendous amount by playing the boys and found that they could play competitively against them, the coaches agreed.

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