By Kim J. Harmon

While other kids were out swimming or fishing or playing catch in the backyard last week, about 30 youngsters got together at the Edmond Town Hall gym to fine tune their skills at the Future Stars Basketball Academy.

Directed by former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Frank Oleynick (drafted in 1976 by the Seattle Supersonics), Future Stars – which has visited Newtown before – attacked the fundamental basics of the game of basketball over the course of its four-day program.

Future Stars was founded in 1997 in an effort to bring parents, children and community recreation staff together in a dynamic, fun-filled learning atmosphere. Teaching basketball is just one of the goals of the Future Stars. There is also the effort of providing positive role models, positive support, and stressing the importance of education.

At the Town Hall gym, the students – the future stars – learned the fundamentals of shooting, shooting free throws, passing, defensive positioning and, above all else, attitude. From 9 am to 12 noon, Monday through Thursday, the young players were drilled in these aspects of the game.

Mr Oleynick holds himself up as an example to his young charges on how an organized, instructional and consistent approach to basketball to pay off in the long run. Growing up in Bridgeport, he excelled at ever level of basketball.

He was an All-League player at Notre Dame High School in Fairfield and was an All-American selection at Seattle University. In 1976, he was a first-round selection of the Seattle Supersonics, then coached by the legendary Bill Russell.

He founded the Future Stars Basketball Academy in 1997 and offers, one-on-one individual instruction, summer camps and summer leagues, all-star coaches youth league, fall instructional sessions, string instruction and team competition, educational disciplines, coaches clinics, speakers bureau, membership and discounts, birthday parties, special events and, above all else, and accomplished staff of assistants.