A Baton Rouge youth basketball team is headed to a national competition and needs your help.
After capturing its multistate regional title in Texas in May, Sports Academy's UAA Under Armour Youth Basketball Team has earned a spot in the National Future Circuit Basketball Competition from June 22-25 in Cincinnati.
Team organizers say the win marks the first time a team of fifth-graders has captured this honor.
Funds are needed for the team to travel to Ohio, so organizers are seeking donations to the Sports Academy, a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the UAA basketball league. Donations can be made at gofundme.com, through Sports Academy — Team Garrett Temple, https://www.brec.org/facility/sportsacademy and by mail to House of Refuge Ministries, 4029 Plank Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70805. Their goal is $20,000.
The team is also hosting a plate lunch sale Saturday, selling boiled shrimp and crab, in an effort to raise money to fund the trip.
"It's important to me because this is giving these kids an opportunity to go outside Baton Rouge. The kids on the team are required to make good grades to continue playing — no D's or F's on their report cards," said Angela deGravelles. "They deserve it. They're hardworking and well-mannered kids."
Longtime coach David Fergurson, with more than 27 years of experience, has guided the new team of fifth-graders. The team practices at 6 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday at BREC Sports Academy, a BREC facility at 1002 Laurel St.
"He treats the kids as his own, and he doesn't have a kid playing on the team," deGravelles said.
"Under Armour’s grassroots basketball circuits offer boys and girls the opportunity to not only improve, but also showcase skills and talents in route to their dreams of playing in college," according to a news release.