Dozens turn out for 31st annual Basketball in the Barrio

Day two of Basketball in the Barrio began Saturday at the Armijo Center as kids came to partake in music, snacks and basketball and only had to pay one dollar to participate in the camp.

The one-dollar price gets the young basketball players a basketball, t-shirt, Prices Ice Cream, a bi-lingual book, a Nolan Richardson poster and a harmonica.

This is the 25th year the camp is being conducted and this summer Russ Bradburd is running it. However, the camp doesn’t just focus on basketball.

“We mix in the basketball with education and the music,” Bradburd said. “We try to use basketball as a tool and a lure to get the kids to come to the camp.”

The basketball camp that was started as a way to honor Rocky Galarza is affiliated with the national non-profit organization, Athletes United for Peace.

“Rocky trained kids in boxing for 30 years in the barrio,” Bradburd said. “When (Galarza) died in 1997 we decided the camp to him.”

The camp doesn’t focus on competition for the young kids, but rather on just gaining more skills and confidence while having fun.

“The kids are having a great time it’s fun,” camp coach Jimmy Sander said. “The kids have smiles on their faces, they love basketball, art and music.”

While the camp continues to go strong through two and a half decades, they anticipate that it will continue for years to come.

“We love Segundo Barrio and we’ll keep coming back every year,” Bradburd said.

The final day of Basketball in the Barrio will be Sunday, June 18 and will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.