OMAHA (KMTV) — OMAHA (KMTV) – The Creighton men’s and women’s basketball teams took a quick break from summer workouts on Friday to host the 5th Annual Abilities Camp for kids with special needs.
Around 60 kids worked on their passing, dribbling and shooting alongside students in Creighton's physical therapy program.
“Most of (the kids) really have an interest in sports and are never given an opportunity to do something like this,” Steve Merfeld, men’s basketball’s Director of Player Development, said.
Senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner has a personal connection to the camp’s mission.
His aunt has Down syndrome, and he said running drills with the kids at the camp is a great way to stay involved with the special needs community.
“You’re supposed to do… shooting or passing, and most of the time it ends up being just throwing the ball out there and they have a blast with it,” Kalkbrenner said.
The joy the kids brought to the court was contagious to Creighton players.
“A kid would make a basket and would just get so excited,” redshirt freshman forward Isaac Traudt said. “They just start jumping around. I just thought that was really cool because they probably don’t get to shoot that often, so when they’re in a big gym like this it’s really fun.”
For senior guard Morgan Maly, helping with camps like this brings her basketball experience full circle.
“Just being in a different environment with some people you don’t know and with college players,” she said. “It’s just amazing as a kid, so to be on the other end of it is always awesome.”
The players have a clear impact on the kids, but what the kids may not realize is how much they impact the players.
“You play the game because you love the game and sometimes that gets lost in college because you’re always practicing, working hard every single day,” Kalkbrenner said. “It kind of reminds you… you love the game, you have fun.”
“When we have a bad day, Coach McDermott reminds them ‘You’re living a pretty good life,’” Merfeld said. “'Think back to those days when you had the opportunity to work with those young ladies and young men.'”
