By John Patten, Managing Editor
Teamwork follows skill building at special basketball clinic
It’s a scrimmage you’d find in any Hillsborough gym most weekends — two squads of five players facing off. After inbounding the ball, the red team’s guard moves across the court, passes to a player posted up under the basket, who shoots and scores.
At first glance, most wouldn’t notice that this group of players, who are all between 12 and 18 years old, are also all special needs students — some autistic, some with Down syndrome, some with cerebral palsy … but all with an obvious enjoyment of the game.
The scrimmage Sunday followed an hourlong skill building session, the seventh of eight planned in a special program offered at the YMCA for area special needs children. The program was organized by Jeannie and Lou Ciaccio, of Hillsborough, with help from the YMCA. About 25 signed up, with 18 to 20 turning out most weeks for the sessions.
”The main thing is the kids are happy,” Ms. Ciaccio said. “It’s not really about winning.”
Maybe not, but don’t tell the players — scoring gets lots of high fives and cheering from fellow players. And after working on everything from dribbling to posting up and shooting, and passing, the kids have a lot to cheer about.
Mr. Ciaccio used ideas he’d gained working in a clinic for special needs kids last year, sponsored by the Girl Scouts and organized by Scout leader Pam Figard, who helped with the Ciaccios clinic. The Scout clinic used training exercises outlined in a book for developing Special Olympics teams.
While the skills practiced are the same as one might practice for any basketball team, Mr. Ciaccio noted the presentation changes.
”Sometimes, you have to think about how you present the skills,” he said. For example, a “spot drill” — teaching kids how to run to a spot, post up and make a shot — was turned into a game, with three teams participating. “It’s more about thinking through the approach.”
The program was offered to local special needs children at no cost — thanks largely to the YMCA making a half-court available on Sunday afternoons, and a crew of volunteers and parents. Mr. Ciaccio noted many of the 15 to 20 volunteers helping do not have special needs children of their own, but show up to help nonetheless.
”It’s very rewarding to be around 20 or 25 special needs kids,” he said.
From the perspective of the parents, the clinic’s best aspect was simply giving their kids an opportunity to have fun around others. For teenage special needs children, opportunities for such engagement are rare — and they respond accordingly.
”They rise to the occasion, whether they’re special needs or not,” Daniel Drive resident Lori Fitzgerald said.
Brokaw Court resident Caryn Jordan pointed out that since so few such programs exist for kids, she and her son, Daniel, jumped at the chance to join the clinic.
”He loves it — he can’t wait to come here on Sunday afternoons,” she said.
The last clinic will be held Sunday, but the Ciaccios are hoping to organize another, perhaps bigger, clinic for next year.
”Next year, I want to get a bigger gym,” Mr. Ciaccio said. “I could see as many as 50 to 75 kids (in the clinic) with a full gym.”

