AUBURN, Alabama – Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl will host the inaugural Hoops for Hope AU camp on Friday, July 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Neville Arena.

Hoops for Hope AU’s mission is three-fold – to provide a fun, supportive and positive activity for people with special needs and their families, while interacting with the men’s basketball team and staff.

More than 35 athletes, people with Down syndrome, ages 12 and older, have enrolled in the clinic through a partnership with Down Syndrome Alabama.

“This camp was started by my daughter, Jacqui,” Pearl said. “She is the executive director of the Koinonia Foundation – our family’s main philanthropy when I coached at UT. Some of her Koinonia campers were children and young adults with Down syndrome. , loving and enthusiastic than anyone. We had a “play day” for them, which resulted in a partnership with “Hoops for Hope”. It has always been a wonderful experience for our players and participants in the over the years.”

Participants will be divided into teams based on their age and will be coached by Auburn players. Each team will have the opportunity to compete on the ground floor of the Neville Arena. While the teams are not playing, there will be stations for participants to perform basketball drills with their respective coaches.

“Hoops for Hope is a wonderful opportunity for the community to connect with our friends with Down syndrome and share the joy that comes from service, friendship and sport,” said David Sexton, Founder of Hoops for Hope. “We are grateful for the support of Coach Pearl and the Auburn basketball team as this great event comes to Auburn for the first time. This is an opportunity to reach out and love each other. We know everyone who attends. will be uplifted. They will have a heart-warming experience.

Parents, family members and the general public are also welcome to attend free of charge. Attendees will have the opportunity to get autographs at the culmination of the event.

Hoops for Hope began in 2008 in conjunction with the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee.