Sports

Chase Harler, C.J. Goodwin Among Instructors at Youth Basketball Clinic in North Wheeling

WHEELING -- What better way to kick off summer than with a basketball clinic featuring four top-caliber clincians?

That's exactly what the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple did on a sun-drenched Monday morning on the Wilson Park court in North Wheeling.

Hosted by the City of Wheeling, the one-day event was the brainchild of former Wheeling Central and West Virginia University hoop standout Chase Harler, in cooperation with the North Wheeling Community Youth Center.

Harler said his message to the couple of dozen youth who attended, was one of discovering something that you love and then pursuing it to the fullest.

"Just find something that you are passionate about. It could be basketball. It could be school. It could be anything," he said. "I think sports are important for younger kids to figure out teamwork and hard work. Find your passion and set your goals. Then wake up every day and try to achieve them."

Joining Harler, who will be part of Best Virginia when The Basketball Tournament begins later this summer, was former St. Clairsville and West Liberty product Dan Monteroso; former Linsly performer and current Dallas Cowboy cornerback C.J. Goodwin; and Wheeling Central graduate David Park, who was a member of the 16th-seeded UMBC team that knocked off No. 1 Virginia in the NCAA Tournament in 2018

Monteroso said it's a shame when he drives past a park and sees an empty basketball court.

"The sad thing today is you see a lot of courts like this one that are usually empty," he said. "When I see kids out here on the court today, it's great. This is the game I grew up loving. It means a lot to me to be able to give my time back to the kids. I hope they take at least one thing that we taught them today and use it during their careers.

"Every kid thinks they have to go to a personal trainer to get better and pay all that money when these courts are out here for free. The community puts these courts up free of charge," he stressed. "I'm a firm believer that you only get better by playing, so to get these kids out here today playing on the court is great."

Goodwin said he's willing to do anything to help out kids.

"I'm just here to help some friends. Rev. (Darrell) Cummings has been my pastor all my life and Chase has been a good friend. Anything I can do to help, especially with kids, I'm all for it," Goodwin said. "I don't care if it was tennis, I would come out and help the kids."

When asked how basketball helped him become an NFL player, he responded, "I think basketball players are absolutely the most athletic individuals on this earth. The movement that basketball players have to make during the course of a game is incredible. I think playing basketball helped me tremendously. I know I can run. I know I can jump. If you can catch, then you can play football."

Following the three-hour camp, each participant was treated to pizza and received a t-shirt.

The North Wheeling Community Youth Center's summer program is held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. ntil 2 p.m.

For more details, call (304) 233-8899.