AUBURN, Ala. – On Friday afternoon in Neville Arena, Jacob or "JT" waked in his team's huddle and took charge.
"I'm going to be the leader," he said. "I'm going to tell y'all what we're going to do. We're going to use teamwork, and we're going to win all our games."
Jacob was one of the roughly 40 athletes who participated in Friday's inaugural Hoops for Hope Auburn camp, a camp created for individuals with Down syndrome. Like many of the campers in attendance, he earned a medal for his shooting performance. But it was that pep talk in the beginning that made Zep Jasper smile.
"That just stood out to me and showed that no matter what you're going through, no matter what you got, we're all the same," the Auburn guard said.
"It felt heart-warming just to have these kids out here with a big smile on their faces, to be able to run around the court and have their parents smile at them," Jasper added. "It meant a lot to me because I see a lot of kids with Down syndrome. It's just so special to me. No matter how tired I am or how sad I am, stuff like this always keeps me going."
This is what it's all about ☺️#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/lRcRual4hg
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) July 29, 2022
The idea for the camp started back in Knoxville when Bruce Pearl was the head coach at Tennessee. Seeing it take off there and continue to do well year in and year out, it only made sense to bring it to Auburn.
With the help of Pearl's daughter, Jacqui, who first started the camp at Tennessee, and a partnership with Down Syndrome Alabama, the vision became a reality Friday.
"Our family has always supported the disability community," Jacqui Pearl said. "We've had friends with children with disabilities and loved ones. Doing something special for them has always meant a lot to us. Unfortunately, we were supposed to do this two years ago here in Auburn and of course COVID had other plans. I'm just glad we stuck with it, and we're finally getting to do it. I think everybody had a really good time."
After Bruce Pearl first spoke to the campers and their families, it was time to get to work. The lights went down, the music turned up, and Director of Sports Performance Damon Davis took the athletes through a pre-game warmup with stretching and calisthenics on the court.
Then, they broke off into teams and rotated through stations – shooting, layups and a full game on the main court. Players from both the Auburn men's and women's basketball teams worked with the athletes at each stop, running up and down the court alongside them and celebrating with them every time they made a shot.
Had a blast today at the first annual Hoops for Hope 😊#AuburnFamily #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/uFqvwNUqwq
— Auburn Women's Basketball (@AuburnWBB) July 29, 2022
"One of the kids that made a shot, he jumped up and down and did a twirl, and I was just as happy when he made it," said Audia Young, a freshman on the women's team. "That was one of the best moments from today. But all of them – when they made shots, they were high energy, high-fiving. It's nice to know that kids enjoy basketball just as much as we do."
"These young athletes are on the same floor that K.D. Johnson plays on," Bruce Pearl said. "It's going to be something that they won't forget, and they'll look forward to it next year."
The hope is to make Hoops for Hope an annual event in Auburn, and if there were 40 athletes who attended this year's camp, the goal will be to have 60 or more next year.
"Our intent is to do it every year and keep bringing an awesome event like this to Auburn," Jacqui Pearl said. "Bringing it here and extending our arms to a greater Auburn family, it just means everything."
"We've been blessed beyond what we deserve, so we're just grateful to give back and just have some fun with these kids and these families," added Bruce Pearl.
Gallery: (7-29-2022) Hoops for Hope: Auburn