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By Prabhvir Lakhan | Reporter

Hook shots, layups, jumpers, dunks, bank shots, no-look passes, and behind the back passes. Next semester, students taking Avon High School’s new advanced basketball class will learn all the fundamentals and ideas behind basketball.

“The idea got started because we were talking with Mr. Young, the department head, and there’s some other schools that offer similar classes, and we decided that it would be a good idea for students that don’t want to take APC or Team Sport but want to play basketball,” Advanced Basketball teacher Jeff Holloway said.

Advanced Basketball is going to be a semester long, and the early estimate for the amount of students that have signed up for the class is around one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty.

“I think that if you are interested in basketball and want to learn. It’s not just playing 5 on 5. You will learn fundamentals, team plays, how to practice, techniques, game-planning, scouting and film,” Holloway said.

The prerequisite for the class is basic knowledge in basketball. The students do not have to be an expert by any means, and a student must have obtained a C or higher in PE 1 and PE 2.

“It would be ideal to have advanced in one class and intermediate and beginner in another class because it would allow us to do more things with the advanced class that perhaps wouldn’t be done in an intermediate and beginner class,” Holloway said.

Holloway hopes that the class is successful and becomes something “fresh and new.”

“I’m hoping it grows, and it’s not just one or two classes. I hope we can offer this thing to anyone that wants to take it. I think it’ll help our student athletes. You don’t have to be on the basketball team, but it’ll help girls and boys get extra work, fundamentals, to make sure they know the rules, strategies, and get some game participation,” Holloway said.

As a coach, Holloway knows that “working on skills every single day” will enhance the knowledge and appreciation of basketball for his future students.When it comes to students that are confused about if they want to take the class, Holloway advises that if basketball is a sport they enjoy, then they should enroll.

“I think people will be surprised at how much you’ll learn being in this class outside of just watching the game. If you are on the fence, take a leap. I think you’ll enjoy it,” Holloway said.