Last week, more than 60 special needs athletes, ranging in age and ability, gathered to collaborate and connect through basketball at Discovery Middle School in Vancouver.
Hoop.Camp, a volunteer nonprofit, visited the school on Saturday, Sept. 23, offering a day of basketball activities. Participants of all ages and abilities engaged in practice drills and competed in basketball games designed to foster teamwork and camaraderie.
Steve Garrity, a Beaverton resident, founded the Hoop.Camp nonprofit in 1996 to provide opportunities for individuals with special needs, including those with mental and cognitive impairments. During the event, 25 local volunteers supported the athletes by guiding them through drills and basketball games.
“We disguise it as a sports event, but it’s a lot more about equal access and inclusion,” Garrity said. “It’s about giving our athletes with special needs the same opportunity to learn from sports as the rest of us, meaning learning about accountability, responsibility, and teamwork.”
One participant, Dylan Corbitt of Washougal, earned the MVP trophy for his outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship. As team captain, he made several key plays and passes and encouraged his teammates throughout the game. Dylan told The Reflector he values teamwork the most from sports games.
His mother, Shelley Corbitt, expressed her appreciation for Hoop.Camp as a place where her son, whom she adopted, could connect with others and enjoy sports. Dylan, a survivor of shaken baby syndrome, has overcome significant challenges and is always eager to play despite his impairments. Shelley shared her pride in his and the other participants’ resilience and accomplishments.
“It gives them access to things that other kids take for granted. They feel like they're doing the same thing that all the other kids are able to do,” Shelley said.
Battle Ground resident Dan Huegel was one of the volunteers who coached athletes during the event. This year, he worked closely with Dylan’s team, building on a tradition that began last year when his son encouraged him to get involved. Huegel shared that his grandson, who has special needs, thrives in the supportive and inclusive environment Hoop.Camp provides. He noted how meaningful it is for children like his grandson to be included in sports.
“He eats it up big time, and he needs that. So often when you have a special child like that, they get pushed to the side, especially in sports like this,” Huegel said. “When is a kid like Aidan going to be able to play basketball? So this is a chance for him to bounce a ball and get out there with other kids, and you feel like he’s a part of something he’s normally on the sidelines for.”
Yacolt resident Jeff Bake also volunteered at Hoop.Camp for the first time last week. Inspired by growing up with an older brother who has a disability, Bake said he’s always been drawn to events that promote inclusivity. Having participated in local recreational sports leagues, he was eager to contribute and found the experience deeply rewarding.
“I’m happy to see them smile and doing things … there are a lot of times they don't get opportunities to do [activities] and so that's what to me [is] special — that they can get in here and just be normal kids and play and have fun,” Bake said.
Hoop.Camp hosts similar events throughout the year and collaborates with schools to showcase the abilities of special needs athletes during local school games. To learn more, visit its website at hoop.camp.
