Hundreds of young basketball players had the opportunity to learn from a pro in Windsor at the annual NBA basketball camp put on by MPact Mentoring and Athletes R Us.
“Just teaching these kids life lessons on and off the court, be a part of a team, work for a company, how to struggle through some adversity and how you can grow from that adversity,” said basketball camp coach Ryan Aeschliman.
Basketball is certainly the focus, but the camp also prioritizes life lessons and mentoring so that the athletes will have success in all areas of life.
“The ability to see these kids grow, I think it’s a full circle moment for a lot of these kids,” said basketball camp coach Tyriek Belin. “We see them when they get older and they say hey coach, I remember a drill that you taught me. It carried over into regular life.”
“There are so many carryovers, everything we do, from basketball to life,” added 9-year NBA veteran Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. “Wherever you go, in your family, in your business, your relationships, your education, you name it.”
Abdul-Rauf worked with the campers on the court and also talked to them about his mindset that took him to the highest levels of the sport.
“You can be a great athlete but if you have poor character, nobody really wants to be around you,” said Abdul-Rauf. “Humility and character can get you to places that skill and arrogance could never get you.”
This year, the camp moved to the Day Hill Dome, complete with a court from the Toronto Raptors.
“Just seeing how camp developed over time, just getting bigger and bigger, more kids and a venue like this at the Day Hill Dome, it’s just been a surreal feeling for me,” said basketball camp coach and former camper Carlos Gonzalez. “Seeing the kids, I see a lot of me in them, a lot of hope, opportunity, a lot of dream chasing, it’s been fun to be able to come back and be able to help them get to where I wanted to go at one point.”