On Wednesday afternoon, the team drove to the center on the outskirts of Olympia and worked with children from several local tribes to teach, engage, and have fun through basketball.
About 100 children ranging from ages four to 12 participated and honed their passing, shooting, and dribbling skills with the assistance of the Storm players and coaches. It was the second straight year the team has visited the center.
“It’s a really big deal for our kids,” Bill Kallappa, the center’s youth coordinator, said. “You’re talking about underprivileged kids who get to interact with professional athletes. It doesn’t get much better than that. It helps with their self esteem, with their positive self image, especially with our young women in the Native community.
“The Storm’s presence here today and last year just builds on itself. The kids look forward to it every year.”
The kids went through short training stations with the players and took part in a three-point contest and a bowling competition.
Along with a presentation to the entire team, the center honored guards Angel Goodrich, who is a member of the Cherokee tribe, and Sue Bird, for her commitment to the community over the years, with handcrafted necklaces with the players’ names and numbers on them.
The Storm will host its Muckleshoot Casino Native American Heritage Night on Saturday, July 18 when the team takes on the Atlanta Dream.