Basketball players from three universities recently gave back to Maui students by visiting elementary schools across the island. Players from Oregon State University, UNLV and BYU–who were here to participate in the Maui Jim Maui Classic–visited four elementary school campuses where they talked to the students about reading, higher education and their love of basketball.
The players read to the students from Kenny Dobb’s comic book about how to persevere in life. Students were then able to ask questions and get autographs while some players showed off their basketball skills. The students showed great enthusiasm, asking about how the players got so tall and when they started playing basketball.
The players from three universities went to four schools on the first day of visits. Members of the Oregon State University team stopped at Kihei and Kamalii Elementary; UNLV reps visited Puu Kukui Elementary; and the BYU teammates went to Pomaikai Elementary. On Dec. 2, Dobbs spoke with students at Doris Todd Elementary School (players from Idaho University were unable to participate due to late flight schedule).
The four teams went head-to-head over the weekend in the first ever Maui Jim Maui Classic, hosted by Oregon State and organized by basketballMAUI. The event included food trucks, and entertainment by Kenny Dobbs, The Voice Finalist Biff Gore, and Maui’s own ukulele sensation Derick Sebastian.
The Maui Classic is operated by basketballMAUI, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the character and fundamentals development of Maui youth through the game of basketball. Every year, more than 8,000 youth participate in basketballMAUI’s camps, clinics, school assemblies and community events.
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