ATLANTA — The Hawks are taking their youth academy to community courts for the summer, conducting a seven-week, 15-stop tour around Atlanta.
The team said Wednesday that the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Academy will be holding free basketball and fitness activities at existing day camps. The Community Court Summer Tour, which is presented by Adidas, began last week at Lucky Shoals Park in Norcross.
The team said 50 youth players participated in the initial camp. They're expecting more than 750 participants in total for the half-day sessions.
The tour will also make stops at Ron Anderson Recreation Center, Lynwood Park, Welcome All Park & Multipurpose Facility, Creel Park, Cliftondale Park, Gresham Park, William Walker Rec Center, Bessie Branham Park, Central Park, the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and Aquatic Center and Coan Park Recreation Center.
The campers will also get a gift bag with a "Hawks-branded Adidas jersey, a basketball, Hawks-branded face mask, drawstring bag, Ken Nugent-branded ball pump, and Hawks at Home Workout and Fitness collateral to support access to free year-round virtual basketball and fitness programs." Attorney Ken Nugent's Score for Scholarships program is sponsoring the bags.
After the pandemic prevented these kinds of camps last year, team Vice President of Basketball Development Jon Babul said the Hawks were "excited to be back on the courts teaching the game and bringing smiles to the faces of hundreds of youth across the city."
"To see a child’s face light up when they receive their first Hawks jersey and basketball is a special moment. The summer is the perfect time to grow the city’s excitement around Atlanta Hawks basketball with a new generation of fans," Babul said.