How to Run a Basketball Clinic Before You Even Bounce a Ball Katelyn Keese

Katelyn Keese looks up to one of her basketball coaches from Poolesville High School immensely. When she decided to start volunteering her time and running basketball clinics for youth, Katelyn Keese immediately reached out to her former coach about how to do it and do it well. Organized sports in high school or even in college is literally a different ball game where you have players who have willfully joined the sport. Youth who are participating in a clinic may or may not have ever been on a team and need a lot of guidance.

The first thing that Katelyn Keese took notes on was how to manage the crowd. Some days, she could have a gym full of thirty to forty teens. Katelyn Keese needed to establish what time they would start the clinics and the importance of being on time. Teens are notorious for having a thousand excuses, some of which may be valid. However, Katelyn Keese needed to make sure everyone understood that she would start the clinic at a certain time each day. She would encourage participants to arrive a bit early as they would get some extra time with the ball before the clinics started. 

After all of the arrival tactics were hammered out, Katelyn Keese covered accountability. If a participant was going to be late in the morning or needed to take a longer break because of a responsibility, he or she needed to tell Katelyn Keese. Again, this kind of training is what helps youth understand that they are important to the “team” and that their actions matter to someone. Simply disappearing because you have to will not be accepted. Katelyn Keese is constantly reminding them that being accountable for their behavior will serve them well in college and in their professional lives.

Katelyn Keese: Lessons on the Soccer Field

Katelyn Keese has been playing soccer since she was three years old. Her town had a league that started teaching kids some basic soccer skills and her parents thought this would be fun for her. Year after year they signed her up and she continually learned and advanced in her love of the game. Little did they know that Katelyn Keese would become passionate about soccer and continue to play all the way through high school. Other than learning the game, staying fit and being a key player, Katelyn Keese learned a great deal about life.

Being a member of a team is so important to a developing mind. Katelyn Keese learned from such a young age that her actions affected others and vice-versa. There was an impact if she missed too many practices or games. Her parents saw the growing accountability and responsibility in her and were impressed by how mature she was becoming. Katelyn Keese felt important to her team and this built confidence during her crucial teen years. While other young women were overly concerned with material items and their appearance, Katelyn Keese cared about playing a great game.

Since starting college, Katelyn Keese once again feels herself referring back to her days playing soccer. Most notable to her in the present is when she eventually became the team captain. Her natural leadership skills while still being an equal player are what make her so comfortable doing group work for her classes and in her internship. She also feels that the way she functions in a team and as the leader will prepare her for the work environment. She realizes there will be challenges of dealing with people who are not on the same level as her in terms of team work does not seem to faze her.