SFCC, Child Safe offers basketball clinic to area youth

The State Fair Community College (SFCC) women and men's basketball team, along with the softball team, hosted the "For the Kids Basketball Clinic" in conjunction with Child Safe of Central Missouri, Inc. on Saturday, September 10 inside the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center with approximately 100 individuals participating.

According to their website, Child Safe of Central Missouri is an advocacy group committed to serving children who are alleged victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, exploitation and other traumatic events that involve a crime.

"Child Safe contacted us over the summer and wanted to provide camps to the youth in our community that didn't have a financial cost in order to participate," said Lady Roadrunners Head Basketball Coach Nicole Collier. "We put our heads together about what we could provide. Child Safe really came through big to help us promote the event. SFCC is committed to getting the youth of our community on campus and into our facilities. That's what made this such a great partnership."

Participants had the opportunity to participate in nine different stations, each focusing on a different basketball fundamental, including ball handling, shooting, defense, and on-court communication. In addition to the basketball fundamentals, participants learned how to communicate with each other, work as a team, and listen.

"The clinic went really well and it was a great community event," said Collier. "It was an opportunity for us to give back to our community and for the community to get to know some of our athletes on a more personal basis. Our student-athletes did an amazing job of interacting with kids."

Each participant got to have their T-shirt autographed by the student-athletes. Anyone who attended this event can get in free to any SFCC game, along with their family, as long as they're wearing their shirt from the event. SFCC will also host Child Safe Night on November 5 and January 21 where Child Safe will be recognized at halftime of the women's game.

David Rohrbach SFCC Athletics