Rec Sports

Stampede Performance Lab boosts youth athletic development

Every Sunday, Cal Poly’s Mustang Strength Complex becomes a training hub for local middle school athletes. Here, students are learning the fundamentals of weightlifting, with a focus on safety and technique. The program, now known as the Stampede Performance Lab, began as a strength-building initiative for a youth football team. It has since expanded into […]

Published

2 weeks ago

May 20, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The program, now known as the Stampede Performance Lab, began as a strength-building initiative for a youth football team. It has since expanded into a community program open to students from all athletic backgrounds. Anna Grexton, a kinesiology senior and a Cal Poly Track and Field athlete, is leading the charge.

Grexton has spent nearly four years working in Cal Poly’s athletic training room. Now, she structures each youth training cycle to last three weeks, with one-hour sessions that combine foundational lifts like squats and deadlifts with accessory work aimed at joint health and long-term athletic performance.

“Those are often very big lifts that sports will have people do, but it’s also easy to get hurt if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Grexton said.

A portion of the program’s monthly earnings now supports the university’s weight training and conditioning program, funding equipment repairs and updates, Grexton said.

Additionally, the Stampede Performance Lab recently received permission to begin working with high school students. They are now reaching out to local high school coaches to build partnerships, Grexton explained.

The idea for the program came last fall from Cal Poly track and field coach Les Courtemanche, who co-owns the Stampede Performance Lab and coaches the Pacific Coast Youth Football League. His athletes’ parents wanted to continue training beyond football season, especially to prepare their kids for high school athletics, Courtmanche explained.

To bring the concept to life, Courtemanche reached out to Grexton in August. At the time, she had been working toward getting her strength and conditioning license.

“It was a great opportunity to give back to my own student-athlete and give her a chance to gain experience as a strength coach,” Courtemanche said.

For Grexton, this experience holds personal significance. Following a severe injury last year, she became deeply focused on injury prevention and rehabilitation.

“I broke my ankle pretty badly last year, and the athletic training room, especially, was instrumental in keeping me healthy,” she said. “They were the ones that got me to walk again.”

Grexton said the community aspect of sports continues to draw her in.

“I just love sports and the energy around them, it brings people together. There’s such a community around it,” she said.

Courtemanche, who observes Grexton during sessions, said he is impressed by her growth as a coach.

“She communicates and she’s very detailed with her instruction, which is super important for youngsters that are starting to really get a feel and understanding of their body,” Courtemanche said.

Grexton has seen improvement in her students.

“One of the dads came in today, and he said his son’s squat form is so much better,” she said. “He goes home and practices it, and it looks so much better than it did before.”

Participant TJ Ferrari said the program has taught him not just how to build strength for his athletics, but also how to use proper technique.

“I’ve learned a lot of things about strength,” Ferrari said. “I just want to get stronger, get better and I want to be able to win the football games,” Ferrari said.

For Grexton, that’s exactly the point — providing her students with the tools to succeed athletically and stay healthy physically.

“I don’t want them to go through all these injuries that I’ve seen, like all my teammates have,” Grexton said. “I want these kids to go into high school and college with a really strong base so that they’re able to stay healthy and get to the top of their game.”

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Rec Sports

Making Youth Sports Travel a Win for the Whole Family

Published

18 minutes ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The roar of the crowd, the thrill of competition, the camaraderie among teammates – youth sports offer invaluable experiences for kids. But for the families who cheer them on from the sidelines, the reality often involves a whirlwind of travel, early mornings, and logistical puzzles. From baseball diamonds in the spring to cheer competitions in the winter, the year-round nature of youth sports means families are frequently on the road. IHG Hotels & Resorts aims to be a valuable teammate for traveling sports families, offering a diverse portfolio of hotel options and price points designed to make youth sports travel a breeze.

Conveniently located across the U.S. and Canada, IHG’s brands are tailored to accommodate the unique needs of teams and their biggest fans. Here are some winning tips for families hitting the road for youth sports:

Fuel Up for Success:

Embrace the Free Breakfast: Kids Eat Free at Holiday Inn and the entire family can enjoy complimentary hot breakfasts offered at Holiday Inn Express, Garner and Atwell Suites. This not only saves money but also precious time, ensuring everyone starts their busy game day with a nutritious meal. With options ranging from hearty scrambled eggs to lighter choices like fresh fruit and yogurt, there’s something to please even the pickiest eaters.

Make Space and Save Time:

Consider a Suite Life: For longer tournaments or when traveling with multiple siblings, apartment-style accommodations like Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites can be a game-changer. Separate living areas provide much-needed space to relax after a long day, while fully equipped kitchens offer the flexibility to prepare some of your own meals and snacks, saving money and catering to dietary needs. The free onsite laundry facilities are a lifesaver for those inevitable muddy uniforms and spilled drinks.

Prioritize Rest and Recovery:

Sleep Like a Champion: A good night’s sleep is crucial for both athletes and their cheering squad. Hotels like avid prioritize sound sleep with high-quality mattresses and bedding, a choice of firm and soft pillows, blackout roller shades, and thoughtful design to minimize noise disruption. Ensuring everyone is well-rested can make a significant difference in energy levels and overall enjoyment.

Smart Spending and Future Adventures:

Leverage Loyalty Programs: Make your travel dollars work harder for you by booking with IHG One Rewards. Earn points with each stay that can be redeemed for future family getaways, turning those sports trips into opportunities for well-deserved vacations.
Stay Longer, Save More: For those extended tournament weekends, look for deals like IHG’s offer to save up to 15% on stays of three or more nights. These savings can help offset the costs associated with travel.

By choosing accommodations that cater to the unique needs of families and implementing smart travel strategies, you can transform the experience from a logistical challenge into a memorable adventure for the whole team – both on and off the field. So pack your bags, prepare to cheer, and remember that with a little planning, you can conquer the sidelines and make every tournament a win.

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6/3/25: Chubby Mermaids – NowKalamazoo

Things to do in Kalamazoo Sponsored by Check out events by category: Kalamazoo Farmers Market – Kalamazoo Farmers Market6/3, 8:00 AM Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep: Sheer Genius! Exhibit – Kalamazoo Valley Museum6/3, 10:00 AM Edison Blossoms – Edison Neighborhood Association6/3, 11:00 AM Bridge Club – Richland Community Library6/3, 12:00 PM Craft Stitching Group […]

Published

5 hours ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Things to do in Kalamazoo

Rec Sports

Annika Sorenstam’s sports mom advice for navigating youth sports

Cooper Flagg’s mom shares her best tips for parents navigating youth sports Mackenzie Salmon sat down with Cooper Flagg’s mom Kelly to talk about how she successfully navigated the world of youth sports. Sports Seriously Have you been this kid? “I wouldn’t raise my hand in class to answer a question in case I would […]

Published

5 hours ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Have you been this kid?

“I wouldn’t raise my hand in class to answer a question in case I would say the wrong thing,” Annika Sorenstam says. “I was always afraid that my classmates would laugh at me.”

She would even miss on purpose – maybe hit a three-putt, maybe leave the ball at the bunker – coming down the stretch at junior golf tournaments so she wouldn’t have to speak in front of a crowd.

“They wanted the winner to give remarks of some kind, even at early ages,” she tells USA TODAY Sports, “just to kind of teach you more than the game itself, and I remember just being so afraid of it. I could finish second or third and still get a prize.

“But you can imagine that would haunt me because I practiced a lot and I’m very competitive and got home knowing that I could have won it.”

Sorenstam, who would go on to win 10 major tournaments, 72 events on the LPGA Tour and make hundreds of post-round comments, says shyness has always been her weakness. But today it’s a smaller hurdle she can clear because of lessons she learned from her parents and from sports that she has continued to apply.

She’s now a mom of two teenagers (Ava, 15, and Will, 14) trying like us to distinguish their individual traits, and to give them room to grown into them, like she did.

“I always tell people, ‘Get back to me in 10 years,’ ” she says. “I’ll let you know if it worked.”

Sorenstam, 54, has been instructing for 18 years through her ANNIKA foundation, which empowers and advances the cause of young women in golf and life. This spring and summer, she is running clinics for Bank of America’s “Golf with Us” program to help give more boys and girls access to experiences similar to what she had.

She doesn’t formally coach Will, her rising junior golfer, though.

“I’ve learned you don’t want to be a helicopter parent,” she says. “You’re so invested and you’re so engaged and you’re so caring. We all love them so much and we just want them to succeed, and then it’s just, how do you handle it?”

Here’s her advice for parents and their athletes to help us all figure out golf, sports and overcoming our fears.

Foster independence through enjoyment of sport

Sorenstam’s mother, Gunilla, would swing a golf club when she was pregnant with her. She jokes with her daughter about how the action propelled her into her future.

Sorenstam describes her development as more of “one of those slow loves.” Slow, indeed.

She grew up near Stockholm, Sweden, where she could whisk down ski slopes. Tennis, which she played for eight years, was her first love, not golf.

“I really didn’t like it in the beginning,” she says. “It was for older people and I wanted to chase a ball.”

Gunilla and her father, Tom, weren’t experts as much as facilitators for Sorenstam and her sister, Charlotta, who would also play on the LPGA Tour. The freedom to choose their favorite sport sparked curiosity.

“It was just giving us the resources,” Annika says. “Driving us to the golf course or driving us to the tennis tournaments, providing the stuff that we needed. Not like a coach or anything; it was more they’re loving parents and not very pushy and just kind of help us and guide us through the steps. And I think that worked quite well.

“I disappointed them in my own way, but not through the score. And I always felt like they had my back. And on the contrary, I wanted them to be pleased and happy with what I was doing.”

She reflects today with a knowing chuckle about how right it felt: the way the support built her up inside and helped her along her teenage journey.

A seminal moment came when she was 16, and she had found her sport. “I want to play golf,” she told her parents.

“I don’t think I really knew where the golf would take me,” she says. “It was more just kind of a hobby. I enjoyed playing. And then I got a little better. And then I played some tournaments. And then one thing kind of led to another.”

‘Go with the flow’: Instead of having expectations for your kid athletes, be willing to adapt and change as they do

It’s a process she started over again when her kids were very young and they traveled with her to golf events.

“They probably thought that was work,” Sorenstam says, “and that’s not what they wanted to do.”

These can be delicate times with our kids and their sports. We can teach lessons on grip, ball position and aim by sprinkling them in while playing with friends (“It’s very convincing when friends play a certain sport,” she says) or having putting competitions.

“I am a big believer in understanding the fundamentals of the sport early on,” Sorenstam says, “and then just let them learn and let them test.”

We don’t always have to emphasize drilling. We can take breaks, she says, to stack golf balls into pyramids or stress the concepts of the sport with a soccer ball.

“Introduce them to the game so it doesn’t become so focused on golf and having to do everything perfectly,” she says. “I think that’s when you lose your kid early, because it’s all this structure. There’s a fine line of having structure. There’s a fine line of having etiquette. And I think you have to find that balance.

“When your kid leaves the golf course or the driving range you want them to have a smile on their face. Then I think you’ve been successful.”

Over the years, we have seen Will’s eyes drawn to not only Tiger and Charlie Woods but to his mom as they play the course at the PNC Championship together.

“Slow down, Mommy,” he said in 2023 as they walked down the 18th fairway in Orlando, Florida. “I don’t want this moment to end.”

Will and his sister tried just about every other sport Sorenstam and husband Mike McGee played – “I was the mean mom; I didn’t give him a chance to play football,” Annika says – before Ava made the varsity softball team and he settled on golf. It’s all he wants to do.

Sorenstam has explained how she loves watching him become more of a feel player than her as he experiments with his shots. She sees a natural separation from us that comes with development.

“We practice a lot together,” Sorenstam says, “but he’s also kind of a student of the game, so about a year ago, I said, ‘I think you need to find a real coach’ and he was like, ‘Well, I want to work with you.’ I said, ‘That’s fine, but then you have to listen.’ That didn’t really work out very well so he’s working with somebody.

“It’s good to get a different perspective. I love to attend some of his lessons and learn so that when we do play, I can be of help a little bit, because I know what they’re working on. … I know a little golf and sometimes he wants to talk about it and I feel like I can add some value, and sometimes I’m just his mom and let him do his thing.

“You just gotta go with the flow. He asks a lot of questions, not so much technique with me maybe, but just (about) traveling and what was your greatest shot, your most important memory. I love to have that discussion.”

Coach Steve: When is it time to stop coaching your child in sports? Ask yourself these 3 questions

‘Feel the temperature’: Put your kids in situations to succeed, fail and express themselves

Golf was hard, but Sorenstam dove into the challenge to figure it out. It was like finding a missing piece of the puzzle that formed her identity.

Playing it was fun, but then it became terrifying.

Tom and Gunilla started to see a pattern in Annika’s near-misses at tournaments. They called ahead to an upcoming one. When it was complete, Annika was asked to say something.

“My reply was, ‘Well, I didn’t win,’ and they said, ‘We know, but we’d like to hear from you,’ ” Sorenstam says.

Her heart was pumping, her palms sweating. Her dad told her to grab her seven iron and say something simple like, “I let my clubs do the talking.”

“I realized after that, ‘Oh, that was it,’ ” she says, and public speaking became easier.

“It’s interesting how parents sometimes, they say we did so well, but she or he played so poorly,” she says. “It’s like they have a third person. I think it’s really important to separate the athlete vs. the human and just really understand that the sport is helping you to grow as a human being, and not vice versa. Be able to separate that and not judge by the score.”

Her dad’s was a calculated nudge she has learned to use as a parent herself.

She likes to ask Will three questions after he plays:

How did it go?

What did you do well?

What can you do better?

“And it’s kind of up to him. I’m not going to tell him: ‘I think you should do this better,’ ” she says.

He’ll tell her something, and then say, “I got it.”

“Whether he actually knows or not, he’s telling himself, ‘That’s probably what I need to do,’ ” she says. “And I think for us, it’s worked quite well, because I want him to be accountable and responsible for his own thing, and then if he doesn’t know, then just ask me. I don’t want him to feel when we get in the car ride home that he’s like trapped in a car, and I’m bombarding him with questions. You have to kind of feel the temperature.”

Coach Steve: Tips for the car ride home. Hint: Don’t be like Andre Agassi’s dad

It’s putting the power of the experience in our kids hands for their own self-discovery, she says, no matter what our level of accomplishment. We learn with each kid when to push and when to pull back.

“Hopefully he feels the safety net, but I’m only there if he needs it,” she says. “Otherwise, I’m just gonna let him do his thing because that’s how he learns. I’ve learned that myself: If he gets in a sticky situation, or if he’s on the golf course (and) it’s not working, he can’t ask me anyway. He’s gotta try to figure it out. So I might as well try to give him all the help early on and let him learn from his mistakes.”

‘The goal is to make great individuals’: We can go the distance with sports

The message with Will is one Sorenstam emphasizes to young golfers, whom she worked with in Phoenix in May and tentatively plans to see at clinics in Denver (August) and Austin (September) through “Golf with Us.”

Bank of America is offering kids 6 to 18 a free one-year membership through June 15 to its Youth on Course program, which grants access to rounds for $5 or less at affiliated courses. The clinics are open to Youth on Course members in the market and to children from youth partner organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Sorenstam says she’s not necessarily trying to create the next superstar but use golf, or whichever sport they choose, to help unlock things like dedication, curiosity, competitiveness and attention to fitness.

“The goal is to make great individuals that represent the sport, and not so much just result and performance,” she says. “It’s really tough today with pressure and expectations. It’s better if you can build a solid foundation and then once you have that, you can go out and be successful in whatever you choose.

“There’s so many things you can do within the sport, whether it’s running an event or sports marketing or manufacturing. If you love sports, there’s so many things you can do more than just play it and you can still be around the sport.

[Don’t forget sports writing.]

To help kids find the right fit, we can be engaged from a distance while letting them learn, explore, hit and miss on their own.

Kids are more resilient than you think, especially the shy ones.

“People think that people that have done well, it’s a straight line, straight journey; that you have no issues, you’re not scared, things come really easily,” she says. “But I think we all have weaknesses that we got to work on and try to improve.”

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

Got a question for Coach Steve you want answered in a column? Email him at sborelli@usatoday.com

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Location eyed for Kalamazoo County youth sports facility

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Kalamazoo might be the host of a new youth sports facility. Discover Kalamazoo shared the recommended location with city commissioners Monday night. The site sits between US-131 and Drake Road — right outside of Oshtemo Township. Advertisement Jane Gosch with Discover Kalamazoo said the location is within a 15-minute […]

Published

6 hours ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Kalamazoo might be the host of a new youth sports facility.

Discover Kalamazoo shared the recommended location with city commissioners Monday night. The site sits between US-131 and Drake Road — right outside of Oshtemo Township.

Jane Gosch with Discover Kalamazoo said the location is within a 15-minute drive of several hotels around the county and is near a public transit line.

Plan would build youth sports facility in Kalamazoo County

The $40 million facility would be supported by hotel tax revenue and would fill a regional need for hardwood courts for basketball and volleyball games, according to organizers.

The location would still need to be brought to the county commission at meeting later this month for final approval.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.

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MLB first-round pick talks fatherhood in youth sports, Pete Rose, possible lockout

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Jeff Francoeur, in his own words, “know[s] baseball backwards and forwards.” A former first-round pick once dubbed “The Natural,” Francoeur is now an analyst for his former Atlanta Braves while doubling up as a dad to athletes. An expert of the game, it would be easy for […]

Published

6 hours ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Jeff Francoeur, in his own words, “know[s] baseball backwards and forwards.”

A former first-round pick once dubbed “The Natural,” Francoeur is now an analyst for his former Atlanta Braves while doubling up as a dad to athletes.

An expert of the game, it would be easy for him to take charge of his children’s ball games. But he wants to let his kids be kids.

“Take the parents out of [youth sports] and the kids usually have a great time,” Francoeur told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “I coach a 12U travel softball team for my daughter – all the parents think their kid should be hitting third, playing here, being this. If you took all the parents out and asked those girls to make a batting order, I bet you they can do a pretty good job of making what the batting order should be.”

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Jeff Francoeur (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

Francoeur knows that there are a ton of parents out there who choose to live vicariously through their kids when it comes to athletics (he even admitted he can “get carried away”), and he’s not afraid to put those parents to the test.

“The first question I ask a lot of parents is, ‘What do you want out of sports for your kids?’ My mom and dad wanted me to learn to be a great teammate, how to have [a] work ethic, overcome adversity,” he added. “Parents now, there are still plenty that look at it like that, but so many look at it as a ‘win at all costs’ at such a young age. [Former Braves pitcher John Smoltz] said it best on the podcast. He said, ‘I wish there were more coaches that have the balls to worry about development over winning, especially at the younger ages.’ That gets lost, man. So many people care about the bottom line and winning. Have you ever thought ‘what’s best for my kid?’”

In fact, one of Francoeur’s kids “hates baseball” and plays lacrosse.

“Even though I know baseball backwards and forwards, and I’d love for my son to play, this is his passion, this is his dream. Who am I to sit here? I used to have to drag him to baseball practice. Lacrosse, he can have practice from 6 to 8, he’s got his stuff laid out, he’s pumped, man.”

Among his involvement in youth sports, he started the “Pure Athlete” podcast, which highlights youth sports, its parents and how it all can be pure once again. His brand recently partnered up with D1 Training to help those younger athletes be in sports for the right reasons.

“When we do this podcast stuff with young athletes, you’re trying to kind of navigate that journey. There’s so many avenues, right? There’s so many places that you can go to train, to do this, people that sell you. For me, [D1 founder] Will [Bartholomew] and those guys, though, they do it the right way, man, and they got the right people connected with them,” Francoeur said. “I love how they personalize everything; everything is specific to what you’re trying to do.

“If you’re looking at trying to get the next step in advance, that’s such a big part now. We talk to all these athletes, man, even for my career, if I look back, if there’s one thing I could have done better, it’s take care of your body, right? Train better, agility, nutrition, all that. I just think D1’s on the cutting edge of a lot of what they do.”

Former Atlanta Braves player Jeff Francoeur is shown with a Boys & Girls Club member prior to Game 3 of the 2021 World Series between the Braves and the Houston Astros. (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

‘MIXED FEELINGS’

Pete Rose is now eligible for the Hall of Fame.

If, and likely when, he makes it, he won’t see it. He died last September.

Rose was placed on baseball’s ineligible list in 1989 after it was rumored he bet on baseball while he was with the Cincinnati Reds. Fifteen years after the ban, he finally admitted to doing so as a manager.

It’s since been reported he gambled as a player, but he denied that.

It may be tough for some to give “Charlie Hustle” the benefit of the doubt, but Francoeur said he’s talked to more Hall of Famers that are on the side of letting him in than not letting him in.”

“I got so many mixed feelings about that. There’s no right answer to that. It’s kind of like, man, really? You’re going to wait until he died to do that?” Francoeur said. “It’s so funny, because you remember Pete Rose said before he died, ‘When I die, they’ll make me eligible.’ Sure enough, he called it. I mean, they did.”

Rose’s Cooperstown fate will likely be decided in 2027 by the Classic Baseball Era Committee, which considers players whose careers ended more than 15 years ago. He would need 12 of the 16 votes to get in.

Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose, right, in 1987 (Ricky Rogers/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

MLB IN DANGER?

The current collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026, and the threat of a lockout is certainly real.

Players and owners agreed to a deal after a lockout of a little more than three months, from late 2021 into early 2022.

After the lockout came numerous rule changes that baseball purists may hate, but the numbers don’t lie. Attendance has increased in each of the last two seasons and ratings have been adequate.

Francoeur said “the pitch clock was the greatest thing [MLB Commissioner Rob] Manfred ever did.” But he said the game cannot fumble the momentum it has gained in recent years.

“To be honest with you, the only thing I think can screw this up are two things. The TV deals, we’ve got [to] make it better for fans to watch baseball again. I still have 1,000 people in Atlanta [saying], ‘How do I watch the Braves?’” Francoeur said.

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But it looks like players and owners will be battling for even longer if a deal is not reached in the next year and a half.

“And the second, I hope the union and the owners can figure it out, but it doesn’t sound great after 2026. I know deadlines drive deals, but I wish there would be more dialogue now. Let’s start talking about this now. We have 18 months to figure out what we need to do to make sure there’s not a work stoppage. Attendance is up, stadiums have so much now, but trying to figure that out is important.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Overton ISD holds annual summer basketball camp | Etvarsity

OVERTON — The Overton High School gym hosted two days of fun-filled and productive basketball camp last Tuesday and Friday. The camp featured two divisions with 75 kids from grades 4-9. Due to its size, the annual camp is typically held across four days with two divisions but this year’s schedule had to change due to […]

Published

8 hours ago

June 3, 2025

Your Sports Nation

OVERTON — The Overton High School gym hosted two days of fun-filled and productive basketball camp last Tuesday and Friday.

The camp featured two divisions with 75 kids from grades 4-9. Due to its size, the annual camp is typically held across four days with two divisions but this year’s schedule had to change due to the high school baseball team’s state semifinal playoff game taking place in the middle of the week. Head Coach Kerry McConnell rescheduled the camp for longer sessions on just two days.

“I think it went wonderfully. We were blessed this week with the fact that our boys went to the state tournament. We had to change things up a little bit and go two days instead of four and twice as long. And put all our divisions from fourth to nine together so that was kind of a logistical nightmare. But I think all my help kind of made it work,” said McConnell, referring to his group of assistants for the camp made up of other Overton coaches and current and former players. “I would love for us to have that problem every year, because that meant the baseball team going to state championships. But overall, I’ve got wonderful helpers and wonderful kids.”

Amid all the lessons on basketball fundamentals and fun games on the court, McConnell made sure to impart life lessons about discipline, fairness and good sportsmanship to the little dribblers.

“I think that’s more important than basketball to me. I know we’re trying to coach basketball, but most of these kids are not going to college sports. We want to launch them into the world with some skills and some tools to live,” said McConnell.

Rising eighth grader Isaiah Tilley said he has done this camp about three times.

“Ball handling skills, how to keep the ball protected, how to shoot and free throws,” said Tilley about what he worked on that week.

Rising ninth grader Brooks Davis participated in last year’s camp and enjoyed it so much that it inspired him to want to move to Overton ISD from Henderson ISD.

“Just everybody getting better and how we can improve our game, on and off the court,” said Davis, commenting on what he felt was the most important things they learned.

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