Fans took advantage of the Family Day long weekend to take in a Sudbury Five match Monday afternoon.
The organization hosted a basketball camp for all family members, which included training on the home court as well as tickets to the game afterward.
“Basketball can break down all the barriers,” said Five player Duane Notice.
“It doesn’t matter how tall, short, what race you are, what language you speak, the game just brings everybody together. So to have the Five have these camps where we get to interact with the kids and the community, and the parents ... is so good.”
“I remember when I was little, some people don’t have a lot of people to look up to but it’s good to come to Sudbury and (see) how that basketball is really a thing,” added another player, Dexter Williams Jr.
Families took to centre court to take part in drills. Many of the young people in attendance said it was awesome to have some one-on-one time with the Five.
“We just get time with family and we get to try out some new sports and it’s just some fun,”’ said nine-year-old Maddison.
“The teamwork and just doing all sorts of stuff together rather than just on your own,” added 14-year-old Christina.
March Duperas, Christina’s dad, said taking advantage of the family day long weekend brings them closer together.
“I find it’s important to keep kids active and to support the Sudbury Five basketball, and to expose them to sports,” he said.
Coach Logan Stutz said it’s great to see the community show their skills and that you never know what hidden talent might present itself.
“There’s some kid out there in his driveway, dribbling a basketball, that maybe wants to be a part of the Five or maybe he has bigger ambitions,” Stutz said.
“If he can come out here and we can teach him at camp and he can watch our players, and maybe be a part of the Five one day and then go on to bigger and better things.”
The organization said it plans to host more events like this in the future.
