About the Course
Basketball Club will give young athletes and basketball-curious children the opportunity to immerse themselves in the mechanics of basketball (moving, dribbling, passing, shooting) in a manner that aims to engage a full range of skills and ability. The session will be movement and engagement forward, with no traditional "practice" structure. Virtually all of the time in this session will be spent playing basketball: children may hone their athletic abilities by exploring the gym with their own basketball, or practice their teamwork skills by playing self-regulated group games and learning to "share the rock". The club's purpose is not necessarily to make good players but rather great teammates, encouraging kids across age and ability levels to work together, learn from each other, communicate towards a shared goal, play safely, and above all, have fun. There will be no "coaching" as we know it in Basketball Club: instead, there will be guidance, comradery, and an emphasis on encouragement that will allow each child to meet The Beautiful Game on their own terms and to feel good about themselves and their game no matter the results
Your Instructor
Tom Whalen
Tom Whalen is the assistant to the Kindergarten Teacher at High Meadow. Born and raised in Staten Island, NY, Tom has lived his entire life in the world of education, teachers, and students. His values are rooted in Montessori education, as cultivated by his many years attending and working for the now defunct Staten Island Montessori School, where his mother Stephanie served as director for decades. After 15 years teaching writing and linguistics at SUNY New Paltz, Tom has found a new home at High Meadow, where he has embraced a role as a caregiver, mentor, and advocate for children and teachers. You can find him on campus talking to people, listening to children, and, quite often, holding a basketball.