Free Community Basketball Clinics

Vancouver Youth Basketball is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing kids in Vancouver, Washington with the opportunity to learn, grow, and play basketball in a supportive community environment.  We are committed to supporting the youth of Southwest Washington by providing quality basketball programs that develop both athletic skills and character.  

1,200 Vancouver youth have participated in our programs, but our goal is to increase the availability and accessibility of more programs and facilities in our community that promote the physical, mental, and emotional development of Vancouver's youth.  

We are asking for support in our mission to provide more Free basketball opportunities for our local youth this fall, regardless of their financial circumstance or previous ability.  

Last April, we hosted and self funded 2 days of Free basketball clinics (6hrs per). Though we were able to serve more than 160 kids in these free clinics last spring, there are still 157 kids currently on the waitlist for the next one. Many of our kids are first time players, some have special needs, and many are competitive players.  

Our coaches are able to identify ability levels quickly, and move kids into stations, drills, and courts that are best suited for their growth and enjoyment of the game.  Most of these coaches are former collegiate or semi professional basketball players looking to give back to their community.  We hire coaches intentionally to ensure that the highest quality, consistency, and opportunity for growth is available for all participants.  

Feedback from one our our participants' parent last spring:  

"Brad,

Thank you for your response. I want to emphasize that basketball is really crucial for KAO. He has some disabilities, and these clinics give him a vital outlet to work on his social skills, since he tends to isolate and struggles to make friends.

I’d really appreciate it if you could keep him in mind for more future clinics and let me know if there’s any follow-up I need to do to keep him engaged.

Thanks so much again!

Best regards,

Andrea Olinger