Net gain: Manitoba teen holds basketball camp to inspire girls to get into sports

A weekend basketball camp designed by — and for — teenaged girls was more than just a way to hone their dribbling skills. It was a way to inspire them to stay in the game, the camp's organizer says.

Shoot to Inspire, a camp for girls in Grades 7 to 10 held at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School in mid-January, was the brainchild  of 17-year-old Peyton Kehler, a longtime athlete.

"I notice that [females] drop out of sport super young, and they lose out on opportunities that often guys are able to keep," Kehler said.

The Grade 12 student says when her global issues class challenged her to find a local solution to the dropout rate, she took the opportunity to pursue her lifelong mission of running this camp.

According to the federally funded Canadian Women & Sport, nearly 62 per cent of teen girls in Canada don't participate in sports, and of those who do, one in three drop out before they hit their late teens. 

So Kehler gathered "incredibly generous" community leaders, friends and her parents to bring the two-day camp to life. 

"Like, a lot of the community formed around me to help me pull this whole thing off," Kehler said.

The camp focused on building confidence in the players as well as teaching the fundamentals of basketball, including shooting, passing and defence. 

There's something different about seeing somebody that you can relate to.- Peyton Kehler

Kehler, who is from Mitchell, Man. says her life changed because of sports, so she wants to provide young girls with the same experiences.

"Little Peyton," she said, referring to her younger self, "would love to be here and love to put up as many shots as I hope these girls have the opportunity to," as well as the chance to meet more influential women in sports leadership roles.

Being from a small town means a lack of opportunity, especially with mentors, Kehler says.

"There's not enough female coaches out there that can lead by example for them," she said. "Male coaches often do a great job, but there's something different about seeing somebody that you can relate to in that level … in sport."

Britain Gruninger, who attended the camp, says she's noticed that it's mostly boys who play sports. When she found out about the Shoot To Inspire camp on Instagram, she and her friends signed up. 

"It's also nice to have … a thing where lots of girls can just kind of get to know each other," Gruninger said.

They're like family to me.- Lacey Schroeder

Even with all the drills and notes from coaches, Kehler's main goal for the campers was to make new friends.

Lacey Schroeder, who took part in the camp, says Kehler's hope has come true. 

"The people here ... they're like family to me, and they're just super supportive," Schroeder said.

Kehler says the skills the girls learn at camp will translate into their day-to-day lives. 

"If your confidence is high on the court, your confidence is high in life," she said.