We anticipate hosting our second Opportunity Hoops Camp during the summer of 2013 with the goal of sponsoring another non-profit that supports underpriviledged children from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Our coaches will again volunteer their services and expertise to children who are less fortunate and who would love to learn a little more about basketball. We will have motivational speakers who will visit with the elementary, junior high, and high school players about OPPORTUNITY and what it means in their world. We hope to inspire our area youth to have hope, faith, and to seize the moment of opportunity every day of their lives.
Instead of hosting an Opportunity Hoops Camp the summer of 2012, we chose to sponsor about twenty young aspiring select basketball players to have the opportunity to attend Ganon Baker's 2-Day Skills Camp at the Fieldhouse USA in Frisco, Texas. Ganon Baker is a National/International Professional Clinician and Nike Skill Development Trainer/Director. Ganon Baker Basketball has worked in close relationship with NIKE, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Vince Carter, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Deron Williams at each of their Skill Academies and has trained multiple NBA stars such as Chris Paul, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Durant and Amare Stoudemire. Each player who attended this camp was also given the opportunity to undergo B.A.M. testing to assess his/her Basic Athletic Measurement. Each player who participated has his/her own B.A.M. account and can retest to see if he/she has made progress. We hope that this camp opportunity with Ganon Baker stretched each basketball player to reach above and beyond both on and off the court.
In the fall of 2011, we sponsored a some high school aged basketball enthusiasts from ACH Child and Family Services to attend one of our Texas Express Basketball Boot Camps. In December of 2011, we sponsored approximately 20 children from both the Fort Worth Boys and Girls Club and ACH Child and Family Services. The children were able to attend our Texas Express Holiday Hoops Camps at no charge. We look forward to the opportunity to sponsor some basketball enthusiasts again in 2012.
On Friday, July 6th, 2011 several of our wonderful Texas Express coaches, parents, basketball players, and one of our former players, Ebony Shaw-Gilliam (Director of TCU Women's basketball), volunteered in offering a free basketball camp to the residential and foster children of the ACH Child and Family Services of Fort Worth. Our coaches uplifted, encouraged, and taught the kids some solid basketball fundamentals while also having a little fun.
Coach David Jones, director of our elite girls program, and one of his basketball players, Khoria Newman, spoke to the children about "BEING POSITIVE." Coach Jones is paralyzed from the neck down due to a car accident he was in over four and half years ago. Coach Jones made sure that we understood that he is very thankful that he is alive. He is thankful that he can still be a husband, a father, and coach. Coach Jones has a voice and a message to share with everyone. He said that every day he chooses to count his blessings and live positively. He chooses to counteract any negatives with positives. Coach Jones definitely made a huge imprint on each of our hearts. Thank you Coach Jones for allowing God to move you and use you to touch others lives!
Our coaching staff and players were uplifted by working with the children. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with the valuable, precious children of ACH. We like ACH, believe that each and every child deserves love, safety, and the OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE." To learn more about ACH Child and Family Services, visit their website at http://www.achservices.org/. ACH has been in operation since 1915 with the goal of protecting children and preserving families. Volunteering opportunities are available throughout the year.