Nearly 200 campers participated in Cascade's basketball camp last week.
Cascade Basketball Camp Features Faith, Fun
PORTLAND, Ore. - This past week, nearly 200 young boys and girls could be found running around and making themselves at home in a local gymnasium.
Monday through Thursday, kids between the ages of 5 to 14 had the opportunity to attend the Cascade Basketball Camp. A total of 15 coaches and 10 staff members supervised the 191 campers. The coaches, who taught campers the fundamentals of basketball and shared their Christian faith, included Cascade College players, coaches, and volunteers, as well as high school players from around Portland.
The camp schedule was created to provide opportunities for players at all levels to enjoy the game of basketball and to hear the good news of Jesus Christ; the daily activities lasted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Campers participated in station drills, contests, hot-shot competitions, one-on-one games, three-on-three tournaments, and division games during the week.
"It was great to be able to put on a free camp that combined basketball and faith," Cascade assistant coach Adam Decker said. "The lessons the kids learned this week hopefully will stay with them for a lifetime."
Several local organizations and companies assisted the men's basketball program with the camp. Portland Christian Schools provided the outstanding facilities. Rivercrest Community church and Gateway Baptist church teamed up to provide the campers with snacks and lunches each day.
"We are so pleased to see our men's basketball program team up with other local Christian organizations to serve the youth of Portland," Cascade athletic director and women's basketball coach Matt Murphy said. "We hope to continue to cultivate a servant's spirit with these kinds of opportunities."
"We were so blessed by the help and assistance of the local churches and companies in our area," Cascade head coach Anthony Baugher stated. "I know it means a great deal to the families to see all of us giving back to the community."
Hydrate2o donated (the much needed) water to get everyone through these hot days and Go USA provided discounts on camp T-shirts and basketballs for the campers. Without the help from these above mentioned groups, the camp would not have had such a high number of participants and been so successful.
At the end of the week, during devotions, over 90 campers made the decision to accept Christ into their hearts and lives. "We really feel that this is our responsibility, to give back to the local community and provide them an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ," stated Baugher. "I am truly humbled by the results; what a team effort!"