Summer program back on city’s west side

The sounds of dribbling and cheers after a swoop are back at the Flanders Field and Playground on the west side of Marietta.

On Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5 to 7 p.m. MOV Rebound for Kids is filling the Harmar courts with laughter this summer instead of the needles found at the park last year.

“I’ve not found any needles this year or had anyone tell me they’ve found any,” said Jackson Patterson, the volunteer leader of the program. “And we’re getting more kids and more life back into the park again this summer.”

The program kicked off last summer as a way to encourage more play at the park and discourage drug abuse on the city property. This spring equipment saw new paint donated by Huntington Bank and on Thursday new hoops, bought by the city’s recreation department, were installed by volunteers.

“It’s a drop-in program, so depending on weather and what other activities are going on in the neighborhood at the Boys and Girls Club or even at the pool we see varied attendance,” said Patterson. “We can have anywhere from five to 20 kids here playing basketball and climbing all over the park.”

On Thursday night Jaxton Hinzman, 6, and Brantlee Thompson, 6, were practicing their dribbling and passing with not only the coaching of Patterson but also Evan Masselli, 13, of Marietta, laughing and running across the courts.

“It’s more basketball at night,” said Masselli. “But it’s fun, we’re all just playing.”

And playing instead of getting into trouble is the goal, explained Patterson.

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