It didn’t matter that it wasn’t actually midnight, but it was exciting and dark enough outside when Bellport Middle School’s two boys basketball teams cashed in on an invite by their varsity coaches, Pete Grossi and Rich Brown, to meet the varsity players at a clinic after school last Wednesday.   An opportunity for the varsity players to run the middle-school players through a series of stations offered both the varsity players and the middle-school boys a challenging and exciting experience. A pair of varsity players were stationed at each basket and ran a skills-oriented drill with a small group of middle-school players. Although the middle school had its concert that night, the head coach was excited to make the event happen.

“This is so amazing to see,” Grossi said. “I am so proud of the varsity kids for how well they are instructing. After all, they are the role models and inspiration for the middle-school boys.” 

It’s this type of thinking that promotes a climate of community basketball.  “I want you to all think of yourselves as family,” Grossi said as he insisted that each of his varsity players sit next to the middle-school boys when he was welcoming everyone to the event.