Police Athletic League and church team up for basketball camp

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – The Tupelo Police Athletic League is teaming up with a local church to host a unique summer camp for youngsters.

Day one of basketball camp featured the fundamentals, and a series of drills, measuring speed, coordination and agility.

Basketball camp is held at the Police Athletic League, for children between 9 and 12 years old.

Coaches are pastors at West Jackson Street Baptist Church.

“We start with a key word for the day and today’s word has been focus, so we focus on the task and on the job, what we’re doing on the court, really helps us lock in for the day and be the best we can be on the court,” said Coach Grant Smallwood, recreation minister at West Jackson Street Baptist Church.

For the Police Athletic League and West Jackson Street Baptist Church, this partnership just made sense.

The church has adopted nearby Rankin Elementary and the Police Athletic League is always looking for more team members from the community to help shape the lives of young people.

“We all dealing with the same kids, we all want our kids to be productive citizens, to respect the police, respect adults, so we want to teach them those things through sports, through basketball, being coachable, disciplined, able to listen to adults,” said Jason Smith, of the Police Athletic League.

The young athletes are looking forward to learning lessons they can use on and off the court.

“So I can get better and compete better with people better than me and try and meet my goals,” said Kaden Satterwhite.

The basketball camp runs through Friday every morning at the Tupelo PAL building.

Summer camps at the Police Athletic League continue through the summer.