Maidenberg hopes a good number of players join his Pro Skill Basketball-affiliated hoops program
Malibu High Sharks girls basketball coach Justin Maidenberg has dribbled into an additional basketball position. Maidenberg, who begins his second season as the Sharks coach this winter, is now also the director of Pro Skills Basketball’s Los Angeles club teams.
Maidenberg was named to the position in late August. In the role, he aims to teach basketball skills to girls interested in playing the sport in Malibu and West Los Angeles.
“I’m so excited to bring Pro Skills Basketball to Malibu and the areas of Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood,” he said. “Malibu is such a beautiful city with caring and thoughtful residents that I felt it was the right time to immerse it in the club basketball space.”
Pro Skills Basketball is a nationwide youth basketball program, which has over 200 boys and girls club teams in 30 cities.The squads compete in tournaments and take part in youth basketball camps and clinics.
Maidenberg is establishing the Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered organization’s Los Angeles clubs. He is starting off with girls hoops and wants to have teams composed for girls players ages 8-18 to compete in tournaments by December or January. Ideally, each of these teams would be composed of girls on the same grade level — from third-grade to 11th-grade teams.
The coach believes Malibu and West LA are ripe for girls basketball.
“Girls basketball can expand in West LA,” Maidenberg explained. “I’m starting with kids that are just interested — age doesn’t matter. I want to develop their skill sets and enter them into tournaments. Girls basketball is emerging inpopularity because of the emergence of talent in the WNBA, which is really cool to see. In the next two to three years, you could see girls basketball here really grow.”
Maidenberg wants to change the perception of youth basketball clubs being “money grabs” by way of teams charging high fees for kids to participate.
“I’m about teaching and development,” he said. “I want kids to really enjoy the experience they have of being taught the game. I want them to learn basketball and have fun.”
Maidenberg hopes a good number for Malibuites join his hoops program.
“Malibu really is a special play that deserves the recognition of being filled with high-character talented athletes,” he said.
For more information, email jmaidenberg@proskillsbasketball.com or visit www.proskillsbasketball.com/losangeles.