Aspiring young athletes had the chance to learn from one of Canada’s top basketball players over the weekened as Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards returned to her hometown of Kingston to host her annual ‘You Got Knext’ basketball camp at Frontenac Secondary School.
Participants such as Monem Dongmo of Kingston were thrilled by the opportunity. “It’s a little weird at first seeing her in person because you’re so used to seeing someone on the TV,” she said.
The camp drew participants from across Ontario, with some travelling from as far as Sault Ste. Marie to attend. Edwards, who recently completed her first season in the WNBA, brought a hands-on approach to building confidence among the players.
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“A lot of energy. They came in confident and they left confident,” Edwards said. “And that’s really what I wanted for my campers to experience.”
Players learned not only from Edwards but also from coaches who’ve been part of her journey.
Caleb West, one of her coaches with the Mystics, noted the campers’ excitement. “They’re all here just to play basketball and work on different skills. But when we’re at the skills, they’re like, ‘So when do we get to go to Aaliyah’s Station?’”
Participants said they gained valuable insights into basketball fundamentals.
“I’ve learned a lot about boxing now and how defence communications is really important,” Dongmo said.
Noah Heisterkamp, also from Kingston, said Edwards’ presence reminded him that his basketball dreams are achievable. “Even in a place like this, you can still reach, like, go somewhere like the WNBA or the NBA if you want.”
Edwards hopes the camp inspires more young women to pursue basketball in Canada.
“For the young girls who came out yesterday and who signed up for today, I think that just growing the women’s game here in Canada is really the biggest impact that I can leave,” she said.
Before the camp ended, Edwards presented signed Mystics jerseys to two participants who hit half-court shots, wrapping up a day that left lasting impressions on all who attended.