Hawks Empower 60 Girls at Youth Basketball Clinic in Atlanta

Girls Took Part in Basketball Drills and STEM Activities To Celebrate Women’s History Month

ATLANTA – Earlier today, the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy hosted the first Lady Ballers Youth Basketball Clinic of the year, in honor of celebrating Women’s History Month.

The event, supported by Google, took place at Carl E. Sanders Family YMCA at Buckhead and welcomed 60 girls to participate in the clinic in which girls, ages 8-15, learned the fundamentals of basketball, explored the dynamic crossroads of science and tech, and developed meaningful life skills. The Lady Ballers Program aims to empower, challenge, and inspire girls to excel both on and off the court, enabling them to rise above the competition.

“Our Lady Ballers Clinic is dedicated to creating a welcoming and secure space where girls can come together to enjoy the game of basketball while also gaining valuable life lessons,” said Hawks’ Vice President of Community lmpact and Basketball Programs Jon Babul. “Our program focuses on fostering a sense of inclusivity and empowerment, encouraging girls to develop their skills, build confidence, and form lasting friendships through the sport.”

The clinic involved Atlanta Hawks Youth Development Coaches, staff, and Google volunteers who helped coach and instruct the girls through different basketball stations and STEM activities.

Girls in attendance had to the opportunity to learn and develop their basketball skills through the use of different on-court skill instruction such as shooting, rebounding, ball handling, agility, defense, and passing drills. Throughout the clinic, Jr. Hawks coaches and volunteers assisted the girls on court with basketball contests.

Additionally, the kids built catapults to test and explore physics as they launched tiny basketballs on a miniature court. Later on, participants received prices and giveaways, including a t-shirt, swag bag, and wristband.

The Hawks, with the support of Google, announced a new initiative to further strengthen their continued commitment to the community. The Hawks will host an additional clinic next month along with one four-day week of Jr. Hawks Summer Camps, in which girls will focus on building life skills. STEM activities will be integrated into the one-week Lady Ballers basketball camp set to take place later this summer at Northside Youth Organization.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Hawks are set to host Women’s Empowerment Night presented by BMW on March 25. Throughout the game, the Hawks will celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring women’s contributions to the organization, the game of basketball, and the city of Atlanta.

The celebrations will include the graduation of the inaugural class of the She LEADS program as well as the launch of special retro classic varsity jackets from the Lady Hawks and Hawks Shop. To secure tickets for the game, visit Hawks.com/tickets.

For more information about the Lady Ballers Program powered by Google Cloud and future upcoming clinics, visit Hawks.com/LadyBallers.