Sports Abound for City Youth
The hardwood at Emerald Youth’s gym and the turf at Sansom Sports Complex got plenty of use this winter and spring as young athletes across the city played sports.
Rec league basketball had six middle school and four high school teams, allowing the boys to play five-on-five. In all, over 200 boys played between the rec league and AAU program.
Basketball continues in July as Austin-East and Ole Miss legend Elston Turner will host his annual Pro Help Basketball Camp, presented by Emerald Youth, FCA and Project GRAD.
Turner, head assistant coach of the Sacramento Kings, enjoys returning to his hometown each summer to give back to Knoxville’s youth. Through 30 years of hosting the camp, the mission remains to provide professional basketball skill instruction to city youth, while encouraging them and providing life lessons and guidance to help them grow to be successful young men and women.
More than 230 youth played academy soccer, growing in their skill of the sport and learning to be tough competitors.
In volleyball, five Emerald Force club players who recently graduated high school signed to play in college: three at Cleveland State, one at Belmont University and another at Walters State. Congratulations!
On the diamond, middle school baseball recently concluded for boys on Emerald Youth-sponsored teams from Whittle Springs, Northwest, Emerald Academy and Vine.