The History or Story Behind The Perseverance Basketball Camp

Master Sgt. Ron Rucker and 2nd Lt. Harriet Williams of the 33rd Fighter Wing came up with the idea Of the Perseverance Basketball Camp, and then just kind of held on during sometimes hectic efforts to organize the sessions at the base's Fitness Center. They never doubted the camp would be held, but were surprised when last-minute details just seemed to fall into place. "There was never a question," Williams said. "We (just) didn't know how." After all was said and done, the camp turned out to be such a success that Williams and Rucker are already planning to hold another one next summer. "The logistics will be a lot easier," said Williams, who plays on the base's Lady Eagles basketball team.

"We know a lot more now," added Rucker, the Lady Eagles' interim coach. The idea was hatched early in June when Williams began giving a girl shooting tips at Chester Pruitt. She and Rucker, who was also there with his two sons, then began talking about holding a camp.

"She said she wanted to do a camp and I always wanted to do a camp. So bang, it was just like that," said Rucker, a security forces liaison for the 33rd.

Rucker has taken his boys to famous DeMatha High School coach Morgan Wootten's basketball camp in Maryland for several years. But at a pop, he realized camps like that are out of many children's reach. "A lot of kids really can't afford to go to a basketball camp," agreed Williams, a section commander for the 33rd's Logistics Support Squadron.

Rucker and Williams began brainstorming and came up with plans for the camp's format, T-shirts, awards and the like. "Everything just came together automatically," said Williams. "The ball just kept rolling. We were so amazed how quickly ideas came out." They visited Col. Douglas Dildy, former vice commander of the 33rd, who let them run with their plans. They were able to secure a base bus to pick up and drop off children at Chester Pruitt and the Free Zone. They had T-shirts made at American Athletic Uniforms in Valparaiso, then sold them to get more money to buy shirts for the children. They rounded up volunteers, many of them from the women's basketball team.

The base's Health and Wellness Center came through at the last minute by putting up enough money to make sure all the children got shirts. "This was two days before the camp was going to start," Williams noted. Children who attended drilled on fundamentals, had free-throw shooting contests and played 3-on-3 games. They also recited pledges saying they will not touch guns or use guns to settle disputes.

Rucker's wife, Suzanne, got credit for that idea. "She said, 'This is right up your alley,' " Rucker said. The camp seemed to be right up so many people's alley that Williams and Rucker are getting a head start on next year. "There's no doubt we're going to have it again," said Rucker. "I wouldn't doubt if we have 200 people."