SALEM - Dennis Heenan taught the game of basketball back in the 1980s to Salem YMCA kids like Jonah Pringle, Carla Bocage, Elena Connelly-Marrero and Paul Bucco. Today, after helping the Cambridge YMCA develop their youth programs, he’s back at the Salem Y teaching their kids how to play.

 Hired as the Salem YMCA youth director in 1984, Heenan became the program director and associate executive director before taking a similar position at the Cambridge YMCA in 1994. After returning to education 1997, he continued to stay involved with the Cambridge YMCA.

 “This year, I became a house master at the Higgins Middle School in Peabody and wanted to stay more local while still continuing teaching and coaching basketball. I put a proposal together for Debbie Amaral, executive director of the Salem Y, and was able to bring the program back home,” says Heenan.
 His philosophy is very simple: Participation, fun and learning.

 “If somewhere along the way a child becomes a great basketball player, that’s fantastic,” he says.
 He also makes sure that the kids play at least half, if not more of a game.

 “We have substitutes every four minutes at every level,” he adds. “Whoever is on the bench reports into the game every four minutes, regardless of skill level. More than anything, we want the kids to have fun. If the game and the skills sessions aren’t fun then I haven’t done my job and the kids will lose interest.”

 Some of his former students, like Jonah Pringle, now helps Heenan coach. His son, 7-year-old Jonah Jr., participates in the program. “Dennis teaches the values of basketball as well as the fundamentals. He makes it a fun experience that kids carry with them as they grow up,” says Jonah Sr.

 As an educator, Heenan believes it’s important that children learn to be a good person as well as learn the skills of the game. He tries to reach out to each and every kid he can and make them feel valued in some way.

 “Each of them needs to hear positive feedback on a consistent basis regardless of skill level. If they hear something good from me or a coach, they’ll stick with it. Somewhere along the way maybe they’ll develop their skills. That combined with the positive role models our program provides may not guarantee that they will make their high school teams, but will go a long way in ensuring they grow into a responsible and respectful adult.”

 Another former student, Elena Connelly-Marrero, knows the importance of this first hand.
 “I was burned when I was child on my arms. I was very self conscious about the burns and always wore long sleeve shirts,” she recalls. “Dennis has a birth mark on his arm but he always wore short sleeves. That made me think, ‘If he can do it, so can I.’ He gave me the self esteem to not worry about the burns, which was a big deal when I was a kid. I’m glad that my sons, Paul and Jonathan, can participate in his program too.”

There is still space in the basketball program for boys and girls ages 5-8, which meets on Saturdays at the Salem YMCA, Sewall Street. For more information or to register, contact Mary Sholds at the YMCA at 978-744-0351 or online at www.northshoreymca.org.