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Coach offers b'ball clinics at Hall of Fame

By Lori O' Brien

Correspondent



SPRINGFIELD Gary Mindell has a passion for basketball and relishes the opportunity to teach what he knows about the game to young people.

Mindell will share his love for the game and provide basic instructions at a series of Coaches Clinics this summer at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Clinics begin July 6 and are conducted on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. through Aug. 3. His one-hour clinics, now entering its fourth year, are conducted in Center Court and are open to all ages.

Clinic groups tend to vary in size and Mindell noted he has seen an increase in girls participating in the clinics over the years.

"Girls are good students of the game," he said during an interview with Reminder Publications.

Mindell, a 27-year physical education teacher in the Springfield school system, is also the varsity basketball coach at the High School of Commerce.

While parents watch from the sidelines, Mindell drills home the basics of the game and reviews the fundamentals, skills and techniques needed to be successful on the court.

"You have to love the game and have to have the passion," said Mindell, adding it's the start to becoming a "very good" basketball player.

Mindell's passion for the game and his love for teaching are apparent when he talks about the opportunity he has been given to conduct the clinics.

"I look at it both as an honor and a privilege in my hometown to conduct the clinics," said Mindell, adding "there is only one Basketball Hall of Fame."

Mindell said he makes every clinic special, and tailors it to the age groups and levels of participants at the clinic. Everyone is welcome to attend the clinic which is part of the Hall of Fame's admission fee.

When Mindell isn't on Center Court sharing his knowledge of basketball during the summer, he also stays busy teaching at a basketball camp in the city, as well as providing private instruction at his home.

Ultimately, Mindell hopes his passion and enthusiasm for basketball is passed on to the young people he coaches who also hope one day to excel at the game.

"My goal is to share an understanding of what they have to do and how they have to do it to be successful," said Mindell.

Mindell referred to discipline, dedication and commitment to the game as necessary elements for anyone considering basketball as an avocation.

For more information on any of Mindell's programs, he can be reached at (413) 783-3877. For more information on the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, visit www.hoophall.com.