From this Friday to Sunday, I’ve been invited to be the guest performer/coach at the 15th annual Basketball En El Barrio out in El Paso, Texas. The camp hosts six to ten year olds, mostly Mexican immigrants, in what is known as the second poorest neighborhood in our country. The weekend event emphasizes pride in border culture, so local musicians, storytellers, dancers and artists all present their wonderful skills in between dribbling instruction.
Basketball En El Barrio is run by former UTEP player Steve Yellen and former UTEP and NMSU assistant Rus Bradburd, the man responsible for recruiting a young Tim Hardaway to UTEP off the playgrounds of Chicago and also author of Paddy On The Hardwood. Past BEEB guests have included NBA player Greg Foster and former NCAA champion U of Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson. The Basketball in the Barrio documentary premiered at the 2008 US Sports Film Festival in Philadelphia, and was awarded the “Most Inspirational” movie.
Each kid pays $1 to join, and they receive a free basketball, peace poster, billingual children’s book, t-shirt, and lunch. We gotta bring this to New York!
For more info, conact Rus Bradburd:
June 18th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Randy Millard says:
I stayed in El Paso when I was younger.My father was good friends with Kenny Thomas (University of New Mexico standout).El Paso was in love with him.His high school games was nuts
June 19th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Jeremy Ripley a.k.a. Cheesecake says:
^Yo, Randy – Did you ever make the trip to New Mexico yourself and play in Roswell?
I’m interested to see and hear what your experiences are, Bob…
On a completely unrelated note-
Much like the indentured servants of the antebellum South, I think the (more or less) indentured migrant workers and “alleged” illegals near the border get a reputation that’s simply erroneous. This country was founded by religious introverts, escapees, and later, immigrants. Let them people be!
June 19th, 2009 at 9:35 am
bobbito garcia says:
randy–is that the kenny thomas from staten island who led his HS squad to the psal finals, the only time ever a time from shaolin made it that far?
June 21st, 2009 at 12:01 am
Seldom Seen says:
This sounds like a great cause to support and should certainly be duplicated elsewhere…imagine the positive impact events like this have on our youth…to see the excitement and joy in a young persons face must certainly be a gratifying and rewarding feeling…safe travels
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Angelica a.k.a the girl wit great form. says:
Hey bobbito. I am one of the parents of the kids, that went to basketball in the barrio. (the girl with the great shooting form ha ha). I just wanted to say thank u from the bottom of my heart. Since camp ended, my kids have been practicing morning and night…to be like u. I couldnt get them off the wii for anything. Ur truly a blessing! Its not where u come, its about the choices u make in ur life that determines ur outcome. U can either be a victim of society, or u can be the example. Thanks to positive role models like u…my children are well on their way, to being the example. Again, a million thank s.
June 27th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Sam Spalding says:
hey bobbito it was fun having you at camp i like basketball it is a fun sport i wish you could come back so i can shoot hoops with you.