SPOKANE, Wash. — Memories formed throughout summer break are ones that can last a lifetime. The Spokane Eastside Reunion Association is helping create those memories for kids across Spokane. The group puts on a basketball camp for kids with the goal of inspiring kids in the community.
The lessons taught at the camp focus on discipline, hard work, friendship and respect. Jessra Johnson runs the classroom with 50 young students who are eager to learn.
For six weeks, Jessra and her coaching staff came up with new ideas to keep the kids engaged. Ideas like drills, games and challenges. Johnson said, “Real basketball skills. Learn what it takes to be on a team and it’s not really a handout, it’s a hand up.”
The knowledge Johnson is imparting is invaluable coming from someone who once shared similar dreams. Johnson committed to play division one basketball in middle school. She then went to the University of Missouri and then played professionally in Lima, Peru.
14-year-old Kamari Thurman is one of the campers who is learning the game of basketball. She said, “It’s been really fun working with her. Like the challenges we do each morning. The warmups and maybe even running once in a while. That’s a great wake up call.” Thurman continued, “I’ve gotten better at skills I didn’t know I had.”
Like any good teacher or coach, Johnson said there is always room to learn from the students, “It’s more about being friends and that’s how you get kid’s respect. Discipline goes so far, but friendship goes further.”
It’s that lesson of friendship the second-year camp head coach is hoping her players take with them as they move forward.
The six-week basketball camp is for kids from kindergarten through 8th grade.
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