HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation hosted the city’s first Buddy Ball basketball camp at the Planters Band-Jennie Stuart Health Sportsplex. The free camp featured basic instructions on the foundations of basketball, allowing each participant to walk through the lessons at their own pace with a dedicated volunteer.
“Our goal is to provide free and low-cost recreational activities for the entire community, and that includes the disabled and special needs community as well,” said Rachel Sanders with Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation.
This was the departments first time venturing into programming focused on kids with special needs, so they partnered with the Pennyroyal Center and Trace Industries to help guide them.
Monday morning, kids began with basketball basics and ended up exploring more fun activities offered at the Sportplex throughout the day. They dabbled in soccer on the indoor turf, played Simon says, and hit the courts for fun, adaptive play. The day remained flexible, allowing kids to come and go and change activities as needed.
“The kids are having a blast!” Sanders told Christian County Now during the Buddy Ball lunch break. She is hoping they can continue to grow Buddy Ball in Hopkinsville to help create more options for kids with disabilities and special needs in the area.
RELATED STORY: Pennyroyal Center offers support to community with therapy and mental health services