KHALID EL-AMIN, BRODERICK POWELL, KAMMRON TAYLOR and MICHAEL CONTRERAS provided metro-area youth with opportunities to learn about leadership and teamwork last week through basketball.
El-Amin, who led Minneapolis North to a three-peat of state championships 1995-97 before leading the University of Connecticut to the NCAA title in 1999, held his annual co-ed basketball camp for grades 4-8 at his alma mater.
Powell, the coach who led the Park Center boys’ basketball team to a runner-up Class 4A boys’ finish last March, facilitated his fourth annual camp for grades K-8. The Flint, Michigan native starred at Northwestern High School before completing his collegiate career at the University of North Dakota.
Taylor and Contreras teamed up to hold a co-ed basketball camp for grades 4-11 at Brooklyn Center. Taylor led North to the 2003 Class 4A title before starring at the University of Wisconsin until 2007. Contreras played at Brooklyn Center, graduating in 1987 and continuing on at Concordia University-St. Paul.
El-Amin, who played briefly in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls, currently plays overseas. Taylor also plays overseas professionally. Powell and Contreras, who returned to his alma mater last winter to coach the girls’ basketball team, are two of the state’s most respected coaches.
Last week was an opportunity for four young men to give and an opportunity for the youth to receive.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
