KILAUEA — Athletes did a balancing act with their schedules to get in the advice and coaching of Dennis Agena at the Kalakaua Basketball Clinic. “One of the players has a 1 p.m. practice and the clinic runs until 3:30
KILAUEA — Athletes did a balancing act with their schedules to get in the advice and coaching of Dennis Agena at the Kalakaua Basketball Clinic.
“One of the players has a 1 p.m. practice and the clinic runs until 3:30 p.m.,” said Karen Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association. “Another one had cross country on Saturday and came after that.”
But the clinic was worth the effort as coaches and players took advantage of the Agena teachings in basketball at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center.
Matsumoto said the clinic started Saturday and ran through Monday afternoon and was a great way to start the Fall Break for the 62 students who registered for the three-day clinic.
“We had the Kaua‘i Bus running for kids from the Westside,” Matsumoto said. “There were about 30 kids riding in. But the Kaua‘i Bus was not available, Sunday, so Yamaguchi Bus Service provided service for the Westside kids.”
The remainder of the students were from the Kapa‘a, Kilauea, Princeville and Hanalei areas, Matsumoto said.
“It’s good when another coach comes in the the players get to learn from them,” said Max Manera, coach for the Lihu‘e community basketball team. “I know I learned a lot by coming.”
Although the clinic was limited to students between 5 through 12 years old, there were players from high school who attended the clinic that was jointly hosted by the KYBA and The County of Kaua‘i.
“Coach Agena said he’ll be coming back in November to do a clinic for the high school players,” Matsumoto said. “The players really like how he coaches because he does a lot with attitude and how the students should learn to be a student, first.”
Philip Baclayon, a coach with the Kapa‘a High School team, said Agena is currently scheduled to do a clinic during the first weekend in November at the Kapa‘a High School gym.
“We’re really lucky that we can get someone like him to help our youth,” Baclayon said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
