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Hawks Host ‘Lady Ballers Summer Hoop Fest Presented by Gatorade’

Executives and athletes stopped by week-long camp to speak about lessons learned from basketball.

Pat Benson

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This past week, the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy welcomed more than 75 female athletes at its inaugural Lady Ballers Summer Hoop Fest presented by Gatorade. This four-day program is a part of the 2022 Jr. Hawks Summer Camps presented by adidas and was exclusive to young female basketball players, ages eight to 15.

As part of each day of camp, the Hawks and Gatorade hosted different sessions that featured guest speakers with backgrounds and careers in sports. Former Atlanta Dream guard Matee Ajavon, former Hawks guard Salim Stoudamire, and Atlanta Dream Assistant General Manager Darius Taylor kicked off the first two days of camp as special guests and spoke about their specific experiences in sports. 

Atlanta Dream Events Activations Manager Jada Coggins (far left), Dream Director of Human Resources Dominique Wallace (near left), Laureus Sport for Good USA Director of Marketing and Partnerships Rachelle Patel (near right), and Hawks Senior Manager Brand Experience and Activation KK Salmonsen (far right) / Hawks

On Wednesday, the Hawks hosted a panel that featured Laureus Sport for Good USA Director of Marketing and Partnerships Rachelle Patel, Hawks Senior Manager Brand Experience and Activation KK Salmonsen and Dream Director of Human Resources Dominique Wallace. These sessions were designed to empower and inspire the participants by illustrating the various avenues and life lessons sports can provide.

“We were thrilled to partner with Gatorade for our first Lady Ballers Summer Hoop Fest on an impactful week of development, competition, empowerment and, of course, fun,” said Hawks’ Vice President of Basketball Development Jon Babul. “It was inspiring to hear from talented leaders in the industry who discussed the values of the game and educated the girls on numerous opportunities that sports can provide.”

On the final day of the Summer Hoop Fest presented by Gatorade, the Hawks Basketball Academy hosted a pep rally, which featured a special giveaway from Hawks’ partner and personal injury attorney Ken Nugent provided the Lady Ballers with refreshments. Additionally, Papa Johns, the official pizza partner of the Hawks provided the Lady Ballers with lunch. Later in the day, players from the Dream, including forward Naz Hillmon, 2022 All-Star guard Rhyne Howard and guard Aari McDonald, surprised the girls and spoke about their journey in sports as female athletes.

In addition, girls took part in training for overall development as well as competitive play under the direction of Hawks Basketball Development coaches. Those who attended also received a Hawks’ swag bag that included a full adidas uniform, the opportunity to participate in competitions for prizes and to interact with current and former Hawks stars.

Together, the Hawks Foundation and Gatorade provided scholarship opportunities for campers in attendance as part of Gatorade’s Fuel Tomorrow initiative, a multi-year commitment to help millions of kids get in the game by helping break down barriers young athletes face. One of the Fuel Tomorrow pillars is collaborating with leading social impact organizations like Laureus USA to co-develop measures that advance equity in sport through programs, access and training. Additionally, Gatorade provided hydration and nutrition products for all campers and coaches throughout the week.

Through their local initiative, Sport for Good Atlanta, Laureus USA works with over 20 organizations that provide free sport and educational programming to 20,000 young people throughout the city. The Hawks have been a supporter and worked with Sport for Good Atlanta for many years.

“One of Laureus USA’s core objectives is to increase participation and leadership of women and girls in sport,” said Patel. “This camp is perfectly aligned with that goal, and we are grateful to the Hawks Basketball Academy and Gatorade for creating an amazing opportunity like this for girls in the Atlanta community.”

The Summer Hoop Fest is a continuation of the Hawks’ Lady Ballers Program, which aims to support youth basketball participation and improve the overall youth basketball experience for girls. The Hawks began its Lady Ballers Program in 2017, which aims to help young girls develop a lifelong passion for the game through positive engagements with female role models and coaches in a safe learning environment. For more information on the Lady Ballers Program, visit Hawks.com/LadyBallers. To learn more about camp opportunities and other youth basketball programs with the Hawks, visit HawksBasketballAcademy.com. 

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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