GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nearly 100 local kids got an awesome opportunity Saturday to learn lessons both on and off the basketball court.
Christopher Pearl, or “Coach Chris,” held his first-ever Coach Chris Christmas Camp at Grand Rapids Catholic Central.
He brought in some of the best high school basketball players from around West Michigan to work with boys and girls from fourth-to-eighth grade.
“It’s led by all the top players in the area— high schoolers— freshmen through seniors. And so, they put them in stations, from basketball stuff to off the court stuff, as well, talking about goals and everything. And then so it’s really just being not only better basketball players, but better people as well,” Coach Chris explained.
The effort to teach children off-the-court life lessons included giving back to those less fortunate, especially during the holiday season.
“Someone of my background, like, I didn’t have a lot growing up. And then to be able to be in a position where I can put smiles on faces and be able to give out means a lot coming from where I came from,” he said. “It’s really about just giving back. It’s Christmas time, so really, just being able to see the smiles on people’s faces and kids like this, but just being able to give the prizes that we have and the support that we have.”
Prizes at the basketball camp ranged from Culver’s custard to gift cards and Nike gear—including a pair of the iconic Kobe Reverse Grinch sneakers.
“It’s, like, a basketball shoe. It’s like, so there’s, like, regular Grinches, which are like just green, and, like, they’re Kobes, and then, and then, the Reverse Grinch is, like, so and then they’re red,” London, who attended the camp, explained to FOX 17.
Because when the final buzzer goes off, it’s not always about whether you win or lose, but rather, it’s the heart of the player that really stands out.
“This really means a lot to me because some people that play basketball might not have, like, these such cool shoes, and they might not have, like, the money to get them, so I feel like that’s really cool,” Asher, another camp attendee, said.
Coach Chris says his camp sold out in the first 90 minutes of being posted.
All the proceeds went toward adopting a family this holiday season.
