Youth Clinics Grow Kids’ Confidence and Strengthens the Colorado Springs Basketball Community

For 26 years, Doug Scott taught physical education classes in the cafeteria at Webster Elementary School in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Four years later, the P.E. teacher stands under eight basketball hoops in the school’s new gym, setting up the space for students from kindergarten to fifth grade to test their skills with USA Basketball. 

USA Basketball hosted youth clinics at Webster Elementary School on March 3, one of the many youth programs it offers every year. These initiatives are focused on growing the game and reaching youth in diverse and underserved communities. Throughout the day, USA Basketball-licensed coaches guided Webster Elementary students through 45-minute sessions on dribbling, passing, shooting, layups and footwork. 

The excitement surrounding the basketball-packed day began long before over 500 students rushed to the gym to practice their hoops. In the weeks leading up to the event, kids buzzed with anticipation as student council-made posters decked the walls and announcements rang through the halls, all promoting the clinic.  

“Fourth and fifth grade boys that think they’re legends in their own mind are like, ‘Is LeBron James coming in?’ and ‘I’m going dunk on Steph,’” Scott said. “I’m like, people, these gentlemen have jobs.” 

While some overzealous kids compare themselves to the likes of NBA champions and Olympic gold medalists, to Scott, the real focus of the day is on the smaller things — accepting failures, learning from them and continuing to take risks. High-fiving smiling kids as they run past him, Scott said the most rewarding part has been watching his shy or unconfident students slowly gain their confidence. 

USA Basketball’s Youth & Sport Development director Andrea Travelstead echoed Scott’s sentiments. The organization values the sport’s beginners just as much as its veterans. 

“We have a tremendous charge that we take seriously when it comes to assembling national teams and going out and competing for gold medals but the sport is more than that,” Travelstead said. “Equally important, if not more, to us [is] that we’re promoting the sport, we’re staying involved in the sport at all levels. These clinics are not about trying to train or identify the next national team player, it’s just trying to grow the sport and keep participation high in basketball.” 

Although it was USA Basketball’s first time at Webster Elementary, and the first event of its kind in the school’s newly built gym, the school and its Colorado Springs community are no strangers to the rock. Webster Elementary feeds into Mesa Ridge High School — back-to-back Class 5A boys basketball state champions in 2023 and 2024. 

“The really cool thing about that was of those two teams, four of those boys went to school here [at Webster Elementary],” Scott said. “So, we had them bring the state championship trophy, the nets, and then they got to spend the day with the kids at recess and hang out with them.” 

The girls of Colorado Springs can hoop too — take it from Webster’s very own kindergarten teacher Kaitlyn Mileto. Mileto, a previous player and head coach of Mesa Ridge High School’s girls varsity basketball team, earned first team all-conference recognition for all four years and had her jersey retired at Mesa Ridge in 2023. 

As many athletes’ basketball roots began in these local schools, this youth clinic in Colorado — where USA Basketball is headquartered — is especially meaningful. Travelstead said USA Basketball hosts its youth clinics in different cities across the country but likes to start off the year in Colorado Springs to give back and connect with the local community. 

“We know a lot of these kids don’t have opportunities like this on a day-to-day and maybe don’t even have opportunities to play basketball in general,” Travelstead said. “When we see them smiling and high-fiving each other and screaming ‘USA’ and just being excited to be in the gym with us, that’s really all we’re hoping for.” 

The skills that kids pick up go far beyond the court — and as someone with college basketball player and coach experience herself, Travelstead can attest to this, and hopes kids can learn not just basketball skills, but life skills from the clinic. 

“[I] personally know that a lot of the values and skills that I’ve developed that helped me in every aspect of [the] day or work come from the court and come from learning those good characteristics of being a good teammate and working hard and trying your best,” Travelstead said.