The Mitchel “JJ” Anderson and Dana Davis All-Star Basketball camp kicked off Monday. This is the 18th annual free event for youth ages eight to 14. The four-day camp teaches kids the basics of playing basketball and also includes free health screenings and special guests. This year’s guest speaker is Peoria native and former WNBA player Carla McGhee. She says the basketball camp teaches youth about overcoming challenges to reach goals:
“What’s for you is for you. But for you to get it, you got to do the hard work, you have to align yourself with great people. You have to be resourceful and passionate about it, and you have to be realistic to know that every day is not going to be a good day, but anything worth having is worth fighting and worth working for,” McGhee says.
McGhee says the camp can teach kids how to be successful off the court in school and getting a job. Registration runs through Tuesday at the Peoria Civic Center. Organizers aim to have more than 500 kids participate in the annual program.