ATLANTA — The Jr. Hawks Summer Camp is back.
Hundreds of kids from all over metro Atlanta will get to be on the camp courts after a two-year hiatus.
Organizers said the program isn't just about getting better at basketball — it's about building leadership in young people and giving more scholarships than ever to do it.
The team gave 11Alive's Cheryl Preheim a sneak peek at their return plan.
"It's been two summers since we've been in the gym with the kids," Atlanta Hawks Vice President of Basketball Development Jon Babul said. "Kids are hungry to be in the gym, parents want their kids out and active, so we are excited to be back for five full weeks of summer camp."
There are 750 slots open for kids to be campers this year. Full scholarships to the program are available for about 30 percent of children enrolled.
Babul said the scholarships are available so more families have the opportunity to participate.
"It's super important to level the playing field and provide access to play for anyone that really wants to get in the gym and enjoy the sport," Babul said. "Just awesome to see kids from all over the City of Atlanta and Georgia to enjoy the game of basketball."
With admission to the camp, each child will get one ticket to a select Atlanta Hawks game during the regular season, and there are expected to be special appearances from Hawks players throughout the duration of the program.
For Babul, the camp is bigger than a game.
"We're teaching life lessons, leadership skills, all of these life skills that translate to make you a better student, better athlete, and you can really just carry on in life and be successful. That's really the core of what we're trying to do," he said.
Kids can participate in the summer camp at five different locations for five weeks straight. There's also a Hawks at Home program, where people can learn from online videos. You can find more information about the camp online here and how to apply.