EC men's basketball coaches and players volunteer at local basketball clinics

PEORIA, Ill. – Over this past weekend the Eureka College men's basketball coaches and players assisted in two separate clinics, one Saturday and one Sunday, teaching the fundamentals of the game to youth boys and girls.

There is nothing better than being involved with youth clinics this time of year," head men's basketball coach Chip Wilde said. "March Madness is an exciting time with the IHSA & NCAA Tournaments going on and everyone has basketball on their minds. It is always a great experience for our coaches and players to be able to work with the young players in Peoria and Central Illinois."

On Saturday, head coach Chip Wilde and his two assistant coaches, Amos Arbogast and Ryan Mulcrone, teamed up with other coaches from around the state of Illinois as part of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association "Learning from the Legends" basketball clinic. The free 2 1/2-hour clinic was for children grades 4 through 6 and was held at the March Madness Experience in the Exhibit Hall of the Peoria Civic Center. Approximately 150 boys and girls from across the state of Illinois attended the clinic.

Sunday, the Red Devil coaching staff along with EC basketball players Parker Gibson, Shea Feehan, Hank Thonas,Alex Wiegand, Chet Griffith and Jared Sale partnered with the Kiwanis Downtown Early Birds of Peoria to present an All-Star Youth Basketball Clinic hosted by Dunlap High School and recent EC Hall of Famer and alum Greg Crider.

Randy Begole, a Kiwanis member & Eureka College graduate, helped organize and coordinate the event.