On Saturday, the entire Atlanta Hawks team and coaching staff will host a free, one-hour clinic for 60 children ages 9-13 at Wade Walker Park Family YMCA.
As part of NBA Cares Week which begins Oct. 20 through Oct. 27, where the NBA and its teams and players participate in events and activities across the country to support the communities in which they live, work and play, the Atlanta Hawks will teach the game of basketball through drills, skills and friendly competition with a focus on the benefits of health and wellness. Atlanta Hawks cheerleaders and mascot will also be in attendance.
“We recognize and take great pride in the impact that Atlanta Hawks basketball makes both on and off the court,” stated Bob Williams, President, Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena. “Opportunities to directly connect with our fans in the city we call home, especially with partners like the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, are ones we value and embrace.”
Wade Walker Park Family YMCA in Stone Mountain opened in September 2012 as a healthy living collaboration with DeKalb County, serving more than 6,000 residents of all ages and donating more than $200,000 in financial assistance scholarships in 2013 alone. This branch exemplifies the four core benefits of the YMCA model: to ensure school readiness, improve academic achievement, empower healthy living and inspire teen leadership.
“Because basketball was established by James Naismith at the Y, working with the Atlanta Hawks is a natural fit,” said Edward Munster, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta.
In addition to hosting a basketball clinic, the Atlanta Hawks have entered into a multi-year partnership with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta that supports 16 local branch basketball programs. Once registered for the YMCA basketball league, each participant will receive an Atlanta Hawks branded jersey and a ticket to a Hawks home game during the 2013-14 season. The YMCA of Metro Atlanta will also recognize four of their volunteers as part of the Atlanta Hawks’ “Be Greater” platform started during the 2012-13 season.
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