Inspiring Change Through Basketball at Starr Commonwealth’s Racial Equity Camp

From June 11-13, 2024, Starr Commonwealth, in collaboration with the Kentucky Coaches Advancing Racial Equity (K-CARE), Play Right Sports Academy, and ExcelU, hosted a one-of-a-kind three-day camp. This unique experience brought together diverse basketball teams, fostering a sense of unity and shared learning.

The roots of this camp can be traced back to 2022, when a group of Kentucky coaches united with a common goal—to create a camp that would fearlessly utilize basketball as a tool for addressing racism, fostering community relations, promoting mental health, building resilience, and instilling accountability. This camp was a testament to the power of sport in transcending barriers and fostering understanding among individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Teams came together on Starr Commonwealth’s historic Albion campus from Atherton (Louisville), Kentucky, as well as Wayne Memorial (Detroit), Traverse City, Bellaire, Jackson and Battle Creek, Michigan. Players, coaches and teams alternated between practices, games, meals and counseling with Starr’s team of Resilience Coaches, who engaged participants in team building and personal relationship activities. Retired NBA player and founder of ExcelU, Willie Burton attended the camp and shared his journey with players. Coaches also had time to explore their vision for the camp and how they and others can grow the experience in the future.

As one camp attendee shared, “There was sweat, blood, and tears….it was awesome!”