The past and the future of women’s basketball in Michigan was on hand during the inaugural MJ Girls Basketball Camp at the Freeland SportsZone in April.
Miss Basketball 2013, Tori Jankoska of Freeland, and 1992 winner and Saginaw High School graduate Erinn Reed embraced the opportunity to host the nearly 140 youth girls’ basketball players who took part in the first ever girls’ hoop camp in the area.
The youngsters were educated on the game not only by two of Saginaw County’s top two players, but also by some of Jankoska’s close friends. Miss Basketball runner-up and Goodrich standout Taylor Gleason; Nouvel Catholic’s Kris Hengesbach, Taylor Hengesbach, and Rachel McInerney; Valley Lutheran’s Becca Scherting; and numerous Freeland High School players and coaches helped in making this endeavor a positive experience for all and a way to promote the sport of girls’ basketball.
Jankoska, who will attend Michigan State University in the fall, was elated by the tremendous turnout.
“To have this many kids turn out for this camp is pretty incredible,” she said. “Hopefully we can continue to build on the success for many years to come.”
Gleason agreed. “To come here and take part in this camp was an honor,” she said.
Reed, a three-time prep All-American before playing collegiately at Iowa and Kansas, said the Saginaw area has needed a camp of this nature for some time.
Now a coach at Ecorse High School near Detroit, Reed was proud to see a basketball clinic gather 140 young girls looking for instruction in the sport.
“It’s a wonderful turnout. Kids need something to do, something constructive to do. I’d like to see one of these move to the city. A lot of these girls don’t see the possibilities that are out there. It’s nice to come back and show what is out there.”