By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
HINSDALE — As part of a plan to get more kids involved in Hinsdale youth sports, the Hinsdale Youth Commission recently arranged for a member of the St. Bonaventure Men’s Basketball Team to conduct a basketball camp in the school gym.
Nichole Finnerty, a member of the Hinsdale Youth Commission and president of the school’s Parent-Teacher Organization, raised the issue of student involvement in sports this summer with the new Hinsdale School Superintendent, Scott Carroll.
The Hinsdale Youth Commission was active for about 20 years before Covid 19 hit in 2020, Finnerty said. A group of parents have recently reactivated the youth sports group to help increase the opportunities in sports for Hinsdale kids.
“Our goal is pretty simple: keep kids active in our community and leave no kid behind. We want there to be opportunities for every kid who wants to participate,” she said.
In her meeting with the new school superintendent, Finnerty mentioned the desire for more sports opportunities for Hinsdale students. “I told him how disheartening it has been watching our sports and opportunities move outside of the district. I love seeing Hinsdale have its own teams and watching our kids represent our little town.”
She also mentioned a basketball camp offered by a neighboring school district, but pointed out the cost was prohibitive to some families in the district.
“Scott agreed that we should be looking for ways to create those opportunities here. He immediately offered the use of the school and suggested reaching out to St. Bonaventure to see if someone there might be willing to help.”
A friend of Finnerty’s from St. Bonaventure put her in touch with Melissa DeRose, the university’s major gifts officer, whose son, Jack DeRose, is a senior guard for the Bonnies.
Jack, who was a Big 30 First Team selection at Olean High School, helped the Olean Huskies win the 2022 Sectional Championship. He’s now playing his fourth year as a 6-foot tall guard for the Bonnies.
The free basketball camp was offered to district students over three nights last month. “The camp had a great turnout,” Finnerty said.
“The school gave us a place, Jack was willing to give his time and the kids showed up,” Finnerty said. “Seeing them having fun and improving over those three nights was exactly what we hoped for.”
“That’s really what we want the Hinsdale Youth Commission to be about — bringing our community together, getting kids off the screens and active again, making activities accessible to families and giving our kids opportunities right here in Hinsdale,” Finnerty said. “Sometimes all it takes is reaching out, asking for help and getting people excited again. We’re just getting started but I’m really excited about where we can take it,” she added.
The first step was to get the Youth Commission active again, said Finnerty. Her husband Matthew coaches Hinsdale Majors Little League and helps her coach Olean Area Girls Softball. They operate a drive-through BBQ in Hinsdale.
“If we get more kids involved at a young age, they will continue with that sport into middle and high school,” Finnerty said. “Let’s keep out Bobcats as Bobcats.”
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