August 26, 2024 | Articles Homepage News The Pistons
Tom Gores-sponsored basketball camps: ‘They’re learning how to work with others’
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Great Lakes (Mich.) Christian College freshman Corey Charleston happily conducted drills and dribbled basketballs with a group of young children at the Van Buren Community Center on a sunny day in mid-July.
He was excited to teach the game as he recalled how older kids instructed him only a few years prior.
“It’s kind of a full circle moment because I remember being in their exact position when they’re hyped to see the Pistons mascot Hooper and learning the drills,” said Charleston, who played at Warren (Mich.) Woods Tower and plans to continue playing in college.
“It’s funny to see because I remember doing this all myself.”
Head coach Dante Sarmiento said Charleston’s confidence has grown since he was a camper in 2021 at the camp sponsored by Platinum Equity CEO and Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores.
“Corey was a typical teenage kid who just loved basketball, but he was a very reserved and quiet guy,” Sarmiento said. “Last year when he came on as a coach, he was a little introverted, but he was very engaged with the kids and as the camp progressed, you can see him just grow out of his shell and he really just embraced that leadership role.”
In a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, the summer camp was one of four that Gores sponsored in the southeast Michigan area with the others being held in Detroit, Eastpointe and Farmington Hills. For the first time, Gores also sponsored a camp in Los Angeles. Sarmiento’s camps focus on skill development, and speakers and community leaders add an emphasis on life skills and health. An awards ceremony and pizza party cap off the camps.
More than 100 children, with basketballs in hand, gathered around Sarmiento in the large gym as he shared affirmations and advice.
“(We teach them) that you have to believe in yourself more than everybody,” Sarmiento said. “That’s how you achieve everything that you want to do.”
Gores, who grew up in nearby Flint, started the camps years ago with the primary focus being to provide recreational opportunities to kids in the Detroit area.
“Tom believes in the community so everything he does is structured for everyone, contributing for one common goal and that is to achieve whatever we can,” Sarmiento said. “It trickles down to these camps; they’re learning how to work with others and build skills in a safe environment.”
A growing program
BGCSM vice president of sports Chris Kyles said the camp has positively impacted the metro Detroit community.
“This camp averaged about 120 kids a day, which is one of our bigger camps and it’s really impactful,” Kyles said. “We’re continuing to build and spread through communities. As the camps grow, we’ll continue to have a bigger impact on youth and coaches.”
The camps are seeing more girls as well. Alexandria “GiGi” Jones, 10, said she is happy to have fellow girls to compete with.
“It feels great because I’m not the only girl there and I have like a lot more friends,” Jones said. “We don’t have a lot of girls teams and I feel like girls should be able to play whatever sport they would like to play.”
Kyles said providing free recreational activities for children is very important during the summer months.
“This gives the youth an outlet and a safe place to play, learn and fall in love with the game,” Kyles said. “We’ve seen kids who come back year after year and their skills keep getting better – including my own daughter.”
Sarmiento added: “Tom believes in giving back to the community, and this is one way he can do that,” Sarmiento said. “They’re allowed to be safe and when you can provide that type of environment it shows these kids the love they have from their community.”