Inside the gym at Cushman School kindergarteners and first graders excitedly hopped around as they began to play a game of basketball — some for the first time ever. 

So it was no surprise when some of those kids began to run across the court — ball in hand — hoping to score in the eight-foot net that towered over them.

Sunday, Jan. 12 marked the first day of the Dartmouth Youth Activities League’s Smurf Clinics, an eight-week program designed to help five- to seven-year-old kids learn the fundamentals of basketball. 

Stevie Kaplan, who is coaching in the clinics for the first time for his son, Luke, who is in kindergarten, said participation this year is about the same as recent years, with 24 kindergarteners and 40 first graders. 

“It introduces them to the game of basketball, which is a great team sport,” Kaplan said. “The clinics here teach them the fundamentals of dribbling, the right thing to do when passing, shooting. It’s really fun. It gets them out of the house with all the kids — their friends.”

Mackenzie Roy, 6, said she enjoyed her first day of the clinic, especially when they finally got to play a game.

Roy said her favorite part was her attempts at shooting the ball in the basket.

She added she was inspired to take up basketball by her 15-year-old brother who’s an avid player of the sport.

Declan Crane, 6, said he had a “great” time, adding he enjoyed “the game and I liked the position I was in.”

Crane said his favorite parts of the sport are shooting the ball and passing, but he admits he will need to work on those in addition to his dribbling.

Kaplan said his goal is to see the kids improve.

“There’s kids who are touching the basketball for the first time — not really sure how to dribble, how to shoot — and in the next eight weeks, I want to see those kids be able to feel comfortable with the basketball,” he said.

He added, “All the coaches are all volunteers donating their time — the DYAA really appreciates that.”