GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — They're hooping it up virtually at Midwest Basketball Training.
"We were talking to a lot of the parents and kids that we train, they were bummed that they couldn't get in the gym," said Pat Freeman, a trainer with Midwest Basketball Training. what's a way that we can solve this problem? I turned my garage into a studio.
MBT offers free classes on Zoom or Facebook Live twice a week that hundreds of kids participate in as well as offering small group classes for a fee. Freeman and staff members Josh Pratt and Annie Isler help coordinate all of the classes.
They have been a hit with kids and parents alike.
"Since there is no basketball and there isn't as many things as you can do," said Jaxon Young, a seventh-grader who plays on a Coon Rapids team but now is participating in the MBT classes.
"There's a chatbox so you can socialize with your friends. I think one time there was up to 1,500 people taking a class," he said.
Jaxon's younger brother, Konner, who is in the sixth grade, is also taking part in the basketball classes.
"I do school in the morning and all afternoon I'm outside doing training," he said.
Jaxon and Konner's dad, Jon, believes it's been a good outlet during this unsettling time.
"I would say this helps my two kids and that they look forward to doing something active to hang out with their friends in a different kind of medium." Jon said.
There also have been "guest" instructors stopping by for some classes including former Gopher Trevor Mbakwe to current Badger Brad Davison.
"From a kid's aspect we've had them give advice and ask questions. I think the kids love it," said Freeman.
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