Hawks salute Women’s History Month with youth basketball clinic

The clinic, powered by Google, engaged girls ages eight to 15 of all skill levels. The Lady Ballers Program is designed to encourage participation in youth sports through instruction in fundamentals and team concepts while providing academic enrichment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Throughout the morning, participants rotated through structured basketball drills led by Hawks youth development coaches.

The athletes focused on improving shooting mechanics, rebounding, ball handling, footwork and passing while receiving individualized feedback. The clinic also included contests and competitions where the players could apply their skills in a collaborative setting. In addition to the physical training, the athletes participated in a STEM session led by Hawks staff and Google volunteers.

Working in teams, the girls built “trashketballs” and “moon darts” to explore scientific concepts such as force, motion and gravity. This hands-on exercise required the participants to design and test their projects to optimize accuracy and distance. Jon Babul, Hawks vice president of basketball programs, emphasized the importance of merging athletics with education during the event.

“Today’s Lady Ballers Clinic reflects our shared and continued commitment with Google to empower young women both in competition and in their broader personal development,” Babul said. “By combining basketball skill development, interactive STEM learning and collaborative team challenges, participants strengthen both their athletic and academic abilities while forming lasting friendships. ” The clinic’s location at the Martin Luther King Jr.