Two local athletes, Jasdeep Gill and Charnjot Gill, are sharing their passion for basketball by coaching young athletes’ practical basketball skills.
The G2TrainingAcademy is open for Chestermere youth of all ages and all skill levels.
“We grew up here, and we want to provide an outlet for kids in Chestermere to get the experience necessary to play at the next level,” Jasdeep said.
“I know there are a lot of kids in Chestermere who want to go to the next level but don’t have that outlet to get them on the right path,” he added.
Both Jasdeep and Charnjot had extremely successful basketball careers.
While in high school, Jasdeep played for the U16 National Basketball Team, and the U15, and the U17 Provincial Basketball Teams.
Later, he advanced to play for the University of Calgary for five years, where he won the Canada West Conference and made the national tournament twice, going as far as the national final which was televised on Sportsnet.
While Charnjot also played for the U15 and U16 Provincial Basketball Teams, Charnjot lead his team to divisional, zone, and provincial championships in his senior year at Chestermere High School and went on to play for the St. Mary’s University Lightning and the Mount Royal University Cougars.
Charnjot also currently holds the record in the ACAC for the most three-point conversions in a single game, which is 12.
“Playing at almost every level has been an awesome experience; playing for our country, our province, and our community,” Jasdeep said.
While Jasdeep and Charnjot have a wide range of experience playing for a variety of basketball teams, they also have experience coaching.
“We’re trying to give back to the kids and see where they can take it themselves,” said Jasdeep.
Having one-on-one training sessions with the athletes is essential for Jasdeep and Charnjot.
“We’ll have an individual session to gauge where the athlete is currently at, then we give the athletes the option to do a one-on-one session, or we can get them into a group of similar ages and similar skill levels,” Jasdeep said.
However, the group sessions have roughly five athletes, which allows Jasdeep and Charnjot to still provide the athletes with one-on-one training.
“It’s more so about having that one-on-one time, because that’s something you never get with club or school ball, it’s always team-based,” Jasdeep said.
Currently, there are approximately 25-30 youth in the training academy.
Every training session is different and is entirely dependent on the athlete’s skill level and goals.
“For high level, we focus on dribbling, shooting, passing, footwork, and more developmental skills, it’s not always about the flashy stuff you might see on TV,” Jasdeep said.
“Some kids are in high school, and they know how to play the game and are looking for more game like scenarios, and more creative training,” he added.
While other athletes are just beginning their basketball journey and are learning the basics such as how to hold the ball, how to shoot the ball, and how to pass.
Creating the training academy was extremely important for Jasdeep and Charnjot as both athletes were able to reach their goals, and now want to give local youth the same opportunity they had.
“There is so much potential in basketball. There are a lot of kids who have the same ambitions and dreams, but they don’t have the right guidance or the right path to get there”.
“That’s something we want to create in the community,” Jasdeep said.
The former Athletic Director at the Chestermere High School (CHS), Brian Utley referred to Jasdeep and Charnjot as outstanding high school and university players.
“They were two of Chestermere’s top players in the history of the school,” Utley said.
He added, “It is nice to see these young men giving back to the basketball community in Chestermere.”
For the coaches, seeing the young athletes gain confidence, and improve their skills within a short amount of time makes hard work of running a training academy well worth it.
“The best part for us is watching the growth in the kids” Jasdeep said.
For additional information regarding the G2TrainingAcademy, please email g2trainingacademy@gmail.com.
Or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/g2trainingacademy, or the Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/g2trainingacademy/?hl=en.
