Shoot Baskets Not Bullets a huge success
April 12, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Birmingham Magicians News Release
Birmingham, AL. Remember these names, Kaitlyn Rodgers, Joshua Dangerfield, Kyla Rooks, RaeShamiese Moorer, Jarvis Rooks and Nico Phillips. Any of them could be future NBA, WNBA or ABA basketball stars and Saturday, April 8th at the Lakeshore Foundation, they practiced honing their skills while being educated to the dangers of violence. These young future stars were selected Most Outstanding Players as part of the youth anti-violence basketball camp called Shoot Baskets Not Bullets. The all day camp was sponsored by the ABA Birmingham Magicians, U.S. Department of Justice, Weed and Seed, Inc., and Birmingham's Division of Youth Services (DYS). The camp, conducted by Magician's players and coaches, featured over 130 kids, ages 7-16 from the City of Birmingham. Magician assistant coach, Albert Owens, who conducted the camp, said this is the type of activity that makes an impact on the lives of young people. "We need these types of activities to educate kids to the dangers of street violence and drugs. At this camp, the kids are a captive audience because they are having fun running and jumping around on the basketball court which establishes a positive rapport with the camp personnel, so when we sit them down, they listen," Owens said following the camp.
Birmingham Magician owner, Reggie McDaniel added, "Plus it's great seeing so many parents bring their kids to something they know will benefit and educate them to be better students and citizens down the road. Our goal is to educate and lead these kids in the right direction," McDaniel said. "While this is the first youth camp the team has done it Birmingham, it will not be the last. There is a great need to fulfill and we plan to have more of these kinds of events where we can let our kids have fun and educate them at the same time. It's amazing to see how the kids respond to being in a safe environment where they are allowed to just be kids."
Magicians Community Relations Director, Don Baylor, who along with Allison Blackwell and Lyndon Laster from the U.S. Dept. of Justice and DYS Director, Cedric Sparks, planned the camp and were all pleased with the effort and turnout. "We were a little concerned with the weather situation, but having over 130 kids in camp, makes this our most successful Shoot Baskets, Not Bullets camp in the four year history of the program," said Blackwell. The anti-violence presentation by Agent Andy Hunter with the Calhoun County Drug Task Force really got the attention of the younger kids which is where we need to start educating. I believe making an impact with this age group, benefits the kids, which in turn benefits the community at large to curb gun and street violence," Blackwell said during the camp. For more information, visit www.birminghammagic.net or www.abalive.com.
(Note from the ABA: The ABA applauds the creators and organizers of Shoot Baskets, Not Bullets. An outstanding program. And we are extremely proud and pleased that the Birmingham Magicians contributed to its success. This is what the ABA is all about - helping. Great job all).
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from April 12, 2006
- Ask the CEO - ABA
- Shoot Baskets Not Bullets a huge success - Birmingham Magicians
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