EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Basketball in the Barrio hosted its 32nd annual youth camp this past weekend at the Armjio Recreation Center.
The camp was created in 1992, with the goal of serving the youth community within El Paso at an affordable cost with a focus on under privileged areas.
For just a dollar, kids can join the three day camp and gain leadership skills, basketball knowledge and learn about El Paso’s heritage.
Each camper leaves with a goodie bag of items that the children learned about over the course of the three days in hopes that they’ll continue to invest their time and energy into sports, music or hobbies.
“Everything we’re giving them, we think it’s educational,” said director Rus Bradburd. “The chess set, the harmonica, the bilingual children’s book, all of it is aimed towards education. And we want them to feel like they’re getting something other than just basketball. We do far more than basketball. They [El Paso] has tremendous cultural heritage and great traditions here. We’re just trying to give the kids we want them to be proud of where they come from.”
Encouraging kids to engage in an activity they enjoy is vital for children between the ages of 6-10 prior to preteen years.
Volunteers see this as an opportunity to be positive influences and role models for them, hoping to leave an impression that lasts a life time.
“Our kids have so many distractions around them with social media and stuff with pulling them in so many different ways,” said former Aggie basketball player and current volunteer, Shawn Harrington. “So, that’s what I talk to parents about getting them in this many sports that they can – basketball, volleyball, baseball, track soccer – put them in all of them. Playing basketball is the reason why I was able to attend college. That’s why I like working with this age we kind of get to before they get to teenagers. Give them some confidence, teach them to be leaders instead of followers. Hopefully, those are the things that make a difference in them.”
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