It’s too early to call Leo Lenarduzzi an MVP sleeper, but the numbers are looking good.
By late last week, little Leo had slept through six nights in a row. Those are impressive stats considering he’s just a couple of weeks old.
But Leo’s dad Ryan warns of a common sports superstition: if you’re on a winning streak, the worst thing you can do is talk about it. So, enough about Leo, and more about sports.
The son of Bob Lenarduzzi, current president of the Vancouver Whitecaps and former pro soccer player, Ryan grew up around sports. Sitting on the bench watching his father play, Ryan says he was a “sponge” learning the ins and outs of what it took to be an athlete.
Although he enjoys soccer, basketball turned out to be his game and he played for Handsworth secondary and later university ball across the country.
He was the athletic co-ordinator at Capilano University for eight years, and now owns Lenarduzzi Sports, which runs Level 10 Basketball Academy featuring club teams, development programs, after-school camps, and personal training.
“I got everything out of sports,” says Ryan. Besides offering fitness and technical skills, sports help kids develop relationships and personal skills, such as resilience, he adds.
This summer, Ryan is running the first official Nike Basketball Camp on the North Shore. A pilot program, the one-week session is open to kids ages 10 to 16 and is described as a general skills camp. An official description notes players will work on refining fundamental basketball skills and enhance their skill set at the post, wing or guard position.
Instructors will work to the ability of participants so all levels are welcome, says Ryan. He has learned that the best way to teach kids is with age-and-stage-appropriate coaching.
In his regular school and summer programs, Ryan uses a variety of methods to help build confidence first, including using mini hoops for the youngest basketball beginners.
If players have confidence in themselves, it’s easier for them to absorb the instruction needed to improve their skills. And sports skills are something kids can take with them and use throughout their lives.
These days, although he is instructing more than playing, Ryan says at the end of the day he is sweating as much as the players because he still loves to be active.
“I love being in the gym,” he notes.
And while he admits basketball isn’t the easiest game to play, as with learning many new skills practise and persistence helps.
And the effort is worth it.
“Sports are a way to connect and engage with different people, create opportunities for personal growth and, most importantly, have fun,” says Ryan.
The Nike Complete Skills Camp, held at Collingwood School, is a full-day camp running July 24-28. To register for the camp go to sportscampscanada.com. For more information about Level 10 camps visit the website lenarduzzisports.com.
