Hoops On The Rez

Our first annual "Hoops On The Rez" basketball camp was held in July of 2004. These basketball camps, put on by former college level players and current coaches, have enjoyed working with hundreds of Apache youth throughout the years.

This camp mixes fun with basketball skills and enjoys the instruction of Coach Jake Deer, Coach Jon Everingham (of Indiana), Coach Brian Bechtel (of Indiana), and others from around the country. Go to www.rezdog.org to find out more about Hoops on the Rez. Check out the quotes below from a few of our student athletes that helped with the "Hoops On The Rez" basketball camp this year.

"It was great to go back and see all the people that I had met last year and continue to build my relationships with them. I also enjoyed seeing the great numbers we had turn out this year, truly it was a blessing from God. It's amazing to see what just a big round orange ball can do to break the ice, so to speak, and really provide opportunities to really get to know the kids and build relationships with them in the short time that we were there. I cant wait to go back next year and see the work that God will do again." - John Book.

"Attending Hoops on the Rez, was such an amazing experience. Being my first mission trip, I was very pleased with the work God led me to do. Not only did I get a chance to lead a basketball camp for the first time, I was also able to build relationships with the kids. I was able to lead devotion's and the feeling inside of spreading God's word is indescribable. Seeing the kid's face light up from something that I was saying was great. I never imagined being able to help people, would help me in changing my life. God really blessed me by allowing me this opportunity. " - Sheena Rivera.

	“Hoops on the Rez has provided the Apache youth with an annual basketball camp that gives them exposure to some of the best Christian players and coaches in the country. But perhaps more importantly the camp provides us as coaches and players an opportunity to do God’s work using basketball as common ground." - Shane Smarr, Asst. Coach (former player)
"Third time around and I am still awed by what God can do. Each time I go on this trip I am more and more amazed by how God is working in these people. My experience this year (2010) was as amazing as the first. From the first day when we thought we would end up having a small camp and we ended up packing the gym every day, up until the final day when we had such a huge turnout for our final tournament day of camp. I always want to go out and serve on this trip but I feel like I am also getting so much back from it. These kids that we are working with teach us so much and it is truly a blessing to be a part of what Hoops on the Rez is doing in AZ." - Nik Winkleman
	“Hoops on the Rez has been a wonderful experience for me. Building relationships with the kids and seeing them grow year after year, not only on the court but off the court as well, has been very rewarding. And what’s amazing, though the kids certainly change and grow because of our presence on the Rez, I have personally grown and matured because of their influence and presence in my life!” - Bryce Bow, FCC Athletic Director
“Over the past 7 years “Hoops on the Rez” has provided the Florida Christian Men’s Basketball program the opportunity to learn how the talents that have been entrusted to each one of us as players and coaches, can be used for God ultimate glory. We look forward, each summer, to sharing Christ with those we come into contact with on the reservation. This has been an eye opening experience for many of our players. It is my desire that each young man that comes through our basketball program, begins to understand the importance of knowing how to use their abilities to serve others.” - Jake Deer, Head Coach