Basketball Clinic Benefits Stretch Scholarship

SWAMPSCOTT — Improve your basketball skills with a clinic to benefit the Stretch Award, a basketball scholarship in memory of  Joe “Stretch” Balliro, a local pharmacist and volunteer youth basketball coach.

Admission is a $10 donation to benefit the Stretch Scholarship. In addition to instruction from the area’s top varsity coaches, participants will receive Stretch Award T-shirts, athletic gear, backpacks and other items. Refreshments, including coffee, bagels, pastry, water and pizza will be available.

After the clinic, there will be various basketball games to watch, including varsity players versus coaches and other rivalries.

Joe "Stretch" Balliro was a local pharmacist and long time volunteer girls basketball coach. A basketball player himself, Balliro’s greatest strength was his willingness to work with the benchwarmers to get them into the game.  He believed sportsmanship, team work, hard work and fun were the greatest outcomes from the sport.