The Value of Sport

by Brandon Parrott
Executive Director, Slam Dunk for Life

Ask me what my favorite memory from childhood is and if you asked me again tomorrow I would give you a completely different answer.  The one thing that is guaranteed  to be consistent is that no matter what day of the week you ask me, my favorite memory will involve sports.  Whether it was winning the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Illinois, playing in the 1995 Aloha Bowl or waking up at sunrise in Estes Park, Colorado to stretch before a day at FCA camp, my life has been shaped, molded, changed, enhanced, impacted, devastated, influenced, and blessed by the opportunities and experiences sport provided me.  Not only did I gain great memories but I learned important life lessons that have helped me outside of athletics.  Roles and positions that I was put in helped prepare me to be a better student, a better husband and now a better father.

Here are some interesting documents on the Value of Sport:
Sport England & the Value of Sport

I’m glad their are researchers out there gathering scientific data to support what my heart, eyes and ears have witnessed first hand. It is my strong conviction that through sport lives can be changed. It changes communities and is one of the single greatest things that influences social change in the world.

That is why I believe in Slam Dunk for Life.  That is what excites me about 2,000 kids signing up for SDFL camps this July.  If just one child can develop their self confidence, change their pattern of poor behavior or be inspired by the lessons we will teach, then it is worth every penny that goes into  putting on these camps.

Faith and Family Night

So many organizations in the San Antonio area pull together to support the Slam Dunk for Life programs all year. One of these great teams is the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Every participant that completes an SDFL camp this summer will receive tickets to a Silver Stars WNBA game. The Silver Stars are proving their commitment to our community by providing each participant with a voucher for 4 tickets to the July 17 game against Connecticut.

This will be an awesome opportunity for our students to take part in a Silver Stars game and get to hear a player speak after the game on the importance of faith and family in their success.

Go Stars Go!

You can purchase tickets to the Silver Stars Faith & Family night by following this link:

BUY SILVER STARS FAITH & FAMILY NIGHT TICKETS
Use promotional Code: SDFL

SDFL around town

Slam Dunk for Life camps would not be possible without area high schools opening their gyms for our kids to come in.

We are extremely excited and thankful for this year’s hosts. While the gyms at most area high schools sit empty this summer the following are being used to change lives:

• Edison High School
• Highlands High School
• McCollum High School
• Roosevelt High School
• Wagner High School
• Vale Middle School