|
 THE
BIGGEST LITTLE TEAM IN BASKETBALL
(VIDEO: Requires
RealPlayer)
Written by: Bob
Burke *, Health & Fitness
Instructor, Mighty Leopards Basketball
Coach
What benefits can a basketball ball
handling exhibition team bring to your
students, school, and community? Learn
more! In Zillah, Washington, a community
of about 2500 people living 150 miles
east of Seattle, a group of 5th graders,
known as the Mighty Leopards (formally
known as the Mighty Mustangs) are the
home of ‘The Biggest Little Team
in Basketball.’
The program began for Zillah School
District 5th graders in 1991 and still
continues today. The first group attracted
35 participants. The past 15 years have
averaged 80 participants on the team
out of a total of about one hundred
5th graders the district enrolls each
year. The fifth grade is now the middle
grade of a three year intermediate school
that houses 52% Caucasian, 41% Hispanic
and 5% American Indian children.
 The
program was created when 5th graders
were housed in a K-5 elementary building.
The purpose of starting the program
at that time was to develop school pride,
and help develop the 5th graders as
leaders and peers for the younger students
to look up to as role models. It was
decided that every 5th grader should
be eligible for the team. The idea has
always been to get as many kids involved
as possible regardless of athletic ability,
economic status, activities already
involved in, physical fitness status,
and emotional and physical disabilities.
Parameters were set to be conducive
so each of the objectives could be met.-
what?
The Parent Teacher Association has
created a scholarship fund for students
who cannot afford to buy the shorts
and jersey. Students already involved
in other activities are excused from
practice and are welcome back the next
day.
There are only sixteen practices beginning
the week of Thanksgiving break and ending
the week of winter break. That’s
four weeks of one hour practices Monday
through Thursday. Oversized students
and those with special needs are encouraged
to turn out. Adjustments are made regarding
part of the performance they will participate
in, with a view to ensuring that they
can be successful and comfortable. If
students do not have the physical capability
of being an ‘on floor’ participant,
they are invited to be ‘team managers.’
 THE
MIGHTY LEOPARDS
The Mighty Leopards are a
basketball ball handling exhibition
team that performs a choreographed routine
of ball handling drills, dribbling,
and acrobatics to the sound of music
and the applause of entertained audiences.
They perform in front of 4-6,000 people
each season. Each performer is equipped
with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt
with any number of their choice and
a nickname on the back. Each performer
gets his or her own basketball checked
out to them for the season. They have
the option to buy the ball or turn it
in at seasons end. Very few are returned.
Performance venues attract a variety
of different audiences. They travel
to other elementary schools and perform
audience participation assemblies. Each
of the Leopards goes into the audience
and brings one of the local students
to the floor. He or she teaches his
or her counterpart a few new skills,
and they then perform together. This
is an invaluable interaction between
students from different communities.
The Mighty Leopards also
perform at halftime during local high
school games, and the community responds
with large crowds and even louder cheers.
It’s a program that builds self-esteem,
and family and community pride. The
team also performs at community college
games, four year schools like Central
Washington University an NCAA Division
II University, and professional level
games.
In February of 2009, the Mighty
Leopards spent the day at Central
Washington University. The group of
80 spent one hour with a class of college
P.E. majors. The college students gained
hands on experience with actual students,
and the 5th graders themselves enjoyed
the activities and leadership of the
young future teachers from CWU. They
received tours of the music facility,
the Recreation Center, ate a buffet
style dinner on the campus, performed
an assembly for a local elementary school,
and finished the evening with a halftime
performance before a large, appreciative
CWU crowd.
 Venues
like these provide an opportunity for
the participants to see all levels of
play, meet different types of people,
and experience the atmosphere that each
performance brings.These assemblies
and performances have had a tremendous
impact on the overall behavior and academic
wellness of the school. Detentions are
at a record low, and respect among students
has highly increased over the years.
Over 1500 students have so far participated
in the program.
“Some Quotes”
Administrators:
• “It doesn’t matter
who you are everyone is equal and can
succeed.”
• “It brings a lot of pride
to our students, but it brings a lot
of pride to our community also.”
• “Being involved in a team
activity and performing in front of
people is invaluable.”
Teachers:
• “It doesn’t matter
if they can’t read or can’t
write, or are hyperactive or don’t
understand, they can still be a part
of this team.”
• “When people think of
this school they think of this team.”
• “The kids are staying
active in the winter and it helps in
the classroom.”
Parents:
• “They get to do a lot
of things other kids don’t get
to do.”
• “It’s a tradition,
kids in the first grade are already
making up their nicknames and practicing
the moves.”
• “It helped my kid to learn
to play with something other than his
video game.”
Former Participants:
• “That experience put the
ball in my hands more than it normally
would have. It really helped me with
my hand eye coordination.”
• “It was my first team.
It taught me responsibility.”
 BASKETBALL
FOR EVERYONE
A ball handling program like this can
help children of all skill levels to
develop coordination, body movement,
and timing. It also fosters self-esteem
and team building in a fun and rewarding
environment.
The program stresses teaching/learning
by demonstrating positive relationships
between participants and coaches, in
addition to developing positive relationships
between peers. Regardless of age, skill
level, language barriers or other special
needs, ‘Basketball for Everyone’
is a powerful vehicle for creating a
positive learning environment in a school
or community. And it’s proved
especially invaluable for working with
children with discipline problems and
learning disabilities and children who
may not normally be involved in team
sports.
A teaching video/DVD that demonstrates
how YOU can implement this program in
your school can be found at www.intermedia-inc.com
“Basketball for Everyone”
- click on physical education or self-esteem.
* Bob graduated in 1973 from Central
Washington State College with a Secondary
P.E. major, Elementary PE minor, and
an Elementary Education minor. In his
early teaching years in elementary self-contained
classrooms in small school districts,
he saw a need for something special
to build self-esteem, school, and community
pride. Now, nearing the end of his teaching
career, Bob believes that this program
may have been the most valuable lesson
he ever taught.
|
