Top, 3Di Athletics Co-Founder and CEO Omar Abbasi lines up young hoopsters for some drills. Middle, teaching defense to the campers. Bottom, Senior Trainer Raouf Osman gets the young ballers in a huffle to discuss the next steps in their basketball training. Photo courtesy of 3DiAthletics.
The Gary Arthur Community Center in Cooksville, MD was filled with enthusiastic campers as 3Di Athletics held its first ever basketball camp on the weekend of August 24-25, 2013.
Campers from all over Maryland and Virginia came out to the camp including 12-year-old Omar Ali, from Howard County.
“The best weekend ever! It was also the best camp I ever went to!” relayed Omar Ali.
Ali and 24 other young athletes aging from age 10 to 17 were at the gym participating in a weekend long basketball camp, hosted by 3Di Athletics.
A new organization founded in Maryland, 3Di is based upon three principles under one umbrella: Deen, Determination, Discipline and Identity, which explains its name. This initiative intends to hold professional basketball camps and tournaments for young Muslims and children of other faiths who strive to become better basketball players, and most importantly better people on and off the court.
The cost for the camp was $95 to $175 per camper.
“As a father of young Muslim basketball players, I had been looking and waiting for the opportunity for my sons to participate in a basketball camp where they could tighten their skills on the court and be in an environment conducive to their Islam. This 3Di camp provided that and more...” said Jeyone Muhammad, father of four camp participants. “The experienced trainers provided equal, if not better training than that of other well-known camps my sons have attended,” he said.
Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Omar Abbasi and Abdirashid Ahmed, basketball trainers and 3Di Athletics co-founders, along with several other trainers including Raouf Osman and Ridwan Osman taught game knowledge, fundamentals, teamwork, individual skills, and ethics to familiarize the campers with the game of basketball.
Unlike your regular basketball camp, 3Di Athletics’ Basketball Camp brought a unique approach to teach the game of basketball. Not only did the trainers help the young athletes develop and refine their basketball skills, but they also made it a priority to instill character and confidence for the campers on and off the court. “The camp taught me to how to be a leader and how I can use Islam to help me in basketball.” said 7th grader Hassan Malik from Mt. View Middle School.
“My favorite part was the 5 vs. 5 games. It brought out the competitive side of the kids, and the shy or quiet players became natural leaders. People we didn't think could shoot started making three [pointers], kids playing extremely hard on defense,” Coach Raouf Osman, former Montgomery College basketball player and track champion, described his favorite part of the camp, ”they took initiative to learn each other's names and made it a competitive atmosphere…I loved it and I am ready to do it again!”
Saturday’s part of the camp consisted of intense conditioning, team drills, ball handling, and stations. The stations comprised of different equipment that focused on specific skills, such as agility, defense, rebounding, passing, shooting and more. “The camp taught me the basics of the game of basketball. I learned what I needed know to work on and how I can develop as a basketball player,” said 10th grader Hamzah Ansari from Springbrook High School.
“We’re trying to make 3Di a movement,” said Abbasi, who has mentored middle and high schoolers for the past 6 years in the local community. He is currently in the process of getting his coaching and training certifications. “We want to use basketball as platform for these young athletes. Today’s Muslim kids are going through difficulties and troubles and we want to use Basketball and Islam as a way to better themselves and keep their mind off other distractions that may get them into trouble. Our coaches aren’t only trainers, but also mentors. We selectively chose our trainers because we want people who are role models for these kids.”
3Di Athletics looks forward to holding camps and tournaments year around as they move into 2014. They have aspirations to hold tryouts for an all Muslim AAU team in 2014 as well. For information about 3Di Athletics, you can visit their website at www.3diathletics.com or contact them at info@3diathletics.com. They are also on
Facebook and Twitter.
The writers are affiliated with 3Di Athletics.
Comments powered by CComment