Jul. 14—People who come from humble beginnings and succeed in their careers often go out of their way to serve young people who might need a boost.
For two-time NCAA basketball champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Carla McGhee, she gives back to today’s youth through free basketball clinics, which she hosts several times a year through an organization called Rise Above that aims to mentor and empower Native American youth.
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McGhee said her two biggest passions are basketball and youth, so these camps are the perfect format for her to share knowledge and experience.
“Anytime I have an opportunity to pour into our youth and share some of my basketball experience, I’m raising my hand. I want in,” McGhee said. “I want other people to have that opportunity to experience change and understand that that’s possible.”
McGhee said her participation in Rise Above youth clinics has helped her learn more about Native American culture. Prior to hosting these camps, she did not realize how much appreciation the Native American community has for the game of basketball.
The one-day camps are split into two sessions and often have guest speakers. The morning session, which typically lasts about three to four hours, consists of a lot of drills and fundamentals. After lunch is when the kids have a chance to translate what they learned in the morning session into a game setting. Every kid goes home with a basketball and a T-shirt.
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Aside from basketball instruction, McGhee places her focus on mental health due to the prevalence of self-harm in today’s world. She said she encourages the campers to reach out if they ever have a difficult day and are feeling hopeless.
Former Seattle SuperSonics guard Dale Ellis was a special guest attendee at Monday’s camp, maintaining a longtime habit of community service. During his career, Ellis created a foundation in Seattle to give back to the homeless.
“I love teaching. They inspire me. They give me energy. Being able to give these kids something I didn’t get when I was a kid makes me excited,” Ellis said. “Some of these kids, I understand the environment they are growing up in, and some of the challenges they face. It is important for someone like me who came from that same environment to give back and give these kids the understanding that you can rise above.”
Ellis had high praise for the Rise Above organization. He noted that while these camps are focused on Native Americans, it is a “beautiful thing” that everyone from kindergarten through high school is welcome to attend.
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“What we’re doing is mentoring kids through the game of basketball. You grab their attention because of what you have been able to achieve. Then you are able to teach them more about life and teach them simple life skills,” Ellis said. “Rise Above is doing an excellent job. They have touched a lot of people’s minds and hearts. I don’t believe they understand how much they lift people up. It feels so fulfilling just to be involved.”
Creating opportunities can have a lasting effect on kids. The blueprint for one’s future is formed during their youth, and the influences they have could be a significant factor in their lives, he said.
“It means everything to me because without sports, I don’t know where I would be. I come from very humble beginnings, and I tell people all the time that piece of leather changed my life,” McGhee said. “It changed everything about me.”
Reflecting on her career, McGhee described that she had an attitude problem in her early years, citing an issue with being “lazy and entitled.” She said that her college coach, the legendary University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt, taught her various important lessons about how to be accountable and respectful.
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“You have to be respectful to the game before the game gives back to you. There is no ‘I’ in team,” McGhee said. “For me, when I bought into all that, the game became so much better, and I had more fun.”
McGhee hopes to have a similar impact on the camp participants as Summitt had on her. She tries to teach them how to give maximum effort and how to become better listeners.
Nine-year-old Marianna Haugen said her favorite part of the camp was the aspect of being a teammate. She did not previously know any of the other kids, but says she made a lot of good friends throughout the day.
As someone who strives to play basketball professionally, Haugen said the camp helped her stay in shape and become tougher.
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Aryah Tofsrud, 12, says this was her first basketball camp that was specifically created for Native American kids. She hopes to be a professional basketball player, noting her favorite part of the camp was connecting with other kids and creating relationships.
“It is going to help me get stronger and grow a community around me that will help me grow those dreams,” Tofsrud said.
McGhee said she hopes kids at the camp will take away that nothing comes without practice. One of her favorite moments of each clinic is seeing the desire to improve and the progress that kids make throughout the day.
Liam Bradford’s ‘s reporting was funded by Comma’s First Amendment Club.
