Cash hopes to aid development of Penn Hills’ young girls basketball players

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 3, 2017 | 11:50 PM

The key to improving on a skill or talent is to consistently work on it. So, Penn Hills girls basketball coach Robert Cash has started the first biannual skill clinic for young girls in Penn Hills and surrounding areas.

The clinic's objective is to continue to develop key basketball skills, such as shooting, passing and dribbling, in the proper fashion all year round after their middle school, travel and AAU basketball seasons are over.

“I want to make sure the young kids are getting the right skill development and becoming better players,” Cash said.

After watching the Penn Hills middle school team, Cash realized more instruction needed to be provided if he wanted to have Penn Hills girls basketball experience yearly success.

Cash, who led the Indians to the PIAA quarterfinals last season, has intentions of making the clinic available during two parts of the calendar year as he has sights on running it in March or April.

“I took this opportunity to put a skill clinic together now and then in March in between their end of their travel season and before AAU season just to make sure they get more skill development all year round so they aren't just getting work done during the middle school season,” Cash said.

“Hopefully for Penn Hills' sake, that helps to continue to help our kids develop as basketball players and keep our programs rolling.”

Cash ran his first session in late October but planned three more sessions for girls in grades 4-8 on Nov. 5, 12 and 19 at the Penn Hills High School gymnasium from 3 to 5 p.m.

The four sessions cost $60, which includes a T-shirt and the opportunity to watch Cash run a practice for the varsity team after the last session.

“Not only do they get to work with the high school kids, they will get an opportunity to see them go into practice and get ready for the season as well as see me do a little bit of coaching and how I interact with my kids,” Cash said.

The clinic includes instruction from Cash, as well as Spencer Stefko, Brian Murray, Christopher Giles, Jason Rivers, Alisha Johnson and Ishmael Swain.

Also, the elementary and middle school girls will have the opportunity to learn from current high school basketball players, such as all-section juniors Tayonna Robertson and Ariana Dunson.

Cash believes this experience is beneficial for both the younger and older basketball players.

“It always helps because even for the younger kids as they see the success that the older kids are having. Just that connection between them makes the younger kids want to do more and be there more,” Cash said.

“But for the older kids, it allows them to see why they learn and why they are learning some of the things. It goes hand and hand with being a student of the game for the older kids.”

Cash will accept walk-ups on any of the remaining dates. For more information, contact Cash at Robcash80@gmail.com or 412-726-5916.

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills