By JARROD POTTER
IT IS going to be a massive weekend for Keysborough Cougars guard Adam Sliwinki, as the Big V mainstay goes from battling Craigieburn on Saturday night to frantically shooting free-throws on Sunday morning as part of the Helping Hoops 24-Hour Shootout.
Sliwinski is a passionate supporter of Helping Hoops – a charity run throughout Melbourne which offers free weekly basketball programs for disadvantaged and disabled children.
After watching the joy his sons Jaxon, 11, and Kilmer, 8, gain from participating in the weekly sessions at Noble Park Community Centre with coach Omar Cole, Sliwinski last year decided to get involved with the shootout and post as many free-throws as he could to help raise funds to support Helping Hoops.
He raised around $700 for the charity in his 2014 swish-a-second effort and he hopes to knock down $1000 for the cause this time around.
“My boys participate in Noble Park on Wednesdays – the experience of that has been really good for them,” Sliwinski said.
“With Helping Hoops it not only teaches them about basketball – but what they teach at Helping Hoops is a lot of life lessons and discipline and try to set them on the right path for later in life so they stay out of trouble.
“That’s where it comes in handy and it’s just a really good program that sets them up well and it’s getting bigger, which is great to see.”
Sliwinski is a valuable asset on the Helping Hoops shootout roster as he has rattled off his free throws in Big V Division 2 this season at a whopping 88 per cent.
While there will be a lot more to shoot on Sunday than in his usual match-day requirements, Sliwinski is keen to dig deep and try to knock down a flurry of buckets to support the Helping Hoops fund-raising campaign.
“I hit about 260 shots last year, which wasn’t too bad,” Sliwinski said.
“Shot them pretty quick last year and might change my strategy this year and take my time to try and miss less shots.
“It’s a hard 15 minutes – it takes a toll on your arms definitely – but it was pretty fun and a good atmosphere there and I’m looking forward to giving it another go.”
Sliwinksi travels to face Craigieburn on Saturday night – making it a long weekend for the Big V shooter – and he believes Keysborough is well placed to knock over the Eagles and stay on the higher rungs of the Division 2 Men’s ladder.
“It’s definitely a great rivalry between us and Craigieburn – especially after the (2012) grand final series,” Sliwinski said. “This weekend coming up has been the biggest one – going to work hard this week and we’re looking forward to finals coming up.”
If you’d like to get behind Sliwinski’s shooting efforts for Helping Hoops, a donation page has been set up at the following link: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/242015adam-sliwinski-24-hour-shootout
More information on Helping Hoops is available on their website www.helpinghoops.com.au
