Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | Twitter 

Aspiring young female basketball players crowded into the Minnetonka High School gym yesterday afternoon in hopes of improving their on-court skills. They received instruction from some of the best high-school and college players and coaches in Minnesota.

Oh and Lynx guard, and five-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion, Seimone Augustus was there to instruct as well. One could say she’s fairly knowledgeable about basketball.

Augustus took some time to answer any and all questions the girls had before putting them through multiple ball-handling drills, which included showing them how to do her classic cross-over.

Augustus was impressed with how quickly the girls picked it up.

“I was very impressed. This is age-range 6-14 and I started at like five and I wasn’t very good at that age. To see their ball-handling skills and to be able to keep their head up and stay focused on the task at-hand and to be coachable at this age, it’s amazing to see how far the game has come and how experienced these players are becoming at an early age.”

Augustus was impressed with the girl’s abilities, but the girls were seemingly too star-struck to notice, as huge smiles lit up their faces upon Augustus’s arrival. Things like that are what fuel Augustus to hold this camp year-after-year.

“We always do a great job of just trying to get out into the community, especially for the youth,” said Augustus. “Being here today with these young women, just coming in and to have the excitement to have them here and then for them to see me; I didn’t have that experience as a child. To have a professional athlete come in and put me through drills and help inspire my dreams and my goals and keep me believing in what I can do to accomplish my goals in life. It’s great to be able to reach back and give back to the community.”

The girls certainly appreciated Augustus giving her time to the community as one young girl ran up to her mother after receiving an autograph from Augustus and was overheard saying, “Mom she [Augustus] actually did it, she signed it right there,”  pointing to the spot on her basketball where Augustus’s signature now resided.

Amidst the excitement and hard work, Augustus wanted to leave the camp attendees with an important message before she left.

“Just keep believing,” said Augustus. “Everybody’s journey is different. Your journey may be different from mine and mine was different from someone else’s but I kept believing in my goal, my desire to be one of the best in women’s basketball, WNBA, Olympics; whatever your goal is or desire is, just keep pushing forward.”