Ro Wiggins Brings his 'gROw' Basketball Camp to Hays for Kids Grades 3-12

 

July 7, 2021

Ro Wiggins with some of his gROw Training camp students at Hays/Lodge Pole High School, July 3.

This past week, July 1-3 kids in the Hays and Lodge Pole communities and those nearby were fortunate enough to be able to take part in the 'gROw Basketball Training Camp' held at the Hays/Lodge Pole High School. The camp ran from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. daily and provided kids grade 3-12 an opportunity to learn about the game and themselves along the way.

To tell the story of the opportunity provided to these kids through this three day camp we must first step back in time to 2019. Former Thunderbird Head Basketball Coach Derrick Shambo has dedicated countless hours, driven tens of thousands of miles and spent an incredible amount of time in the gym in an effort to build a foundation that provided the most for the kids involved in his program.

When he resigned as Head Coach in the spring of 2020 he left an impression that will help continue to guide the program for years to come. In particular Shambo, working with Athletic Director Corey Morgan, responded to an inquiry from a start up Training company operated by Ro Wiggins. gROw Training was looking for the chance to hold a camp in the area to help build awareness about what it is. Shambo and Morgan jumped at the idea and as a result Wiggins has made them very happy they did.

gROw Training is ran by Ro Wiggins who currently calls Boise, Idaho home and has made it his mission to reach out to schools and help kids gROw as individuals. Ro is originally from Shreveport, LA and until the age of 21 had never been anywhere else.

"I grew up playing basketball all my life, I knew if a ball was bouncing I had hope and eventually I got a chance to play Junior College basketball in Central Wyoming," said Wiggins. While in Wyoming he had the opportunity to interact with the Wind River Indian Reservation, "I was amazed by the culture of the Reservation and I was blown away, because what I learned in school was not what I was seeing, and I became invested in the culture."

"My little brother was the first player I worked with, he came to me in fifth grade and said 'Hey, I know you play basketball but can you help me get better at football'," said Wiggins. Ro spent time helping his brother get better and fast forward through high school Wiggins couldn't be prouder, "He's Valedictorian of his High School and now is in his second year at Oklahoma State playing football for the Cowboys. I'm so proud because my brother is on a full Academic and Athletic Scholarship! The Academics are so important"

The success he had mentoring his brother further motivated Wiggins, "I wanted to see if this was more than a Brother thing and if I could take this to another kid and help them and three years later I've worked with thousands of kids and I know I'm doing God's work," said Wiggins.

In 2017 Ro started gROw Training and set forth with a motto of going anywhere and everywhere his camp was needed. "Reaching out to Derrick in 2019 put me on the map in this area and as a result I just did a camp in Dodson a couple weeks ago and I am doing a camp at Rocky Boy in August. I love my time in Montana and I am always appreciative of any opportunity to be here."

The Camp at Hays/Lodge Pole High School was intense and the kids worked hard throughout, "We did speed and agility, shooting, ball handling, 5 on 5, shooting competitions, defensive drills we did it all," said Ro. To highlight that, Wiggins posts videos at the conclusion of his camps on his Facebook page GROw Training and the Hays Training Camp video is available now.

"My biggest approach, for one, is that when I step into that gym with the kids and I gain their trust then everything else just falls in line, the discipline and the desire to work. My inner city background has taught me to be patient with their progress. Maybe they do something poorly, I wait for them and I am patient with them. We take a break and they come up to me and say 'hey Ro, sorry man, just having a bad day. Maybe they are caught off guard because I didn't just shut them out, I let them work through and they grow from it. I'm a nice guy, but don't get me wrong, I don't let them walk over me."

Ro sees his versatility and range help him connect, "I can go from training kids who can't even get the ball in the hoop and having them leave at the end of camp ready to grow and get better. Then I get the other end where a kid like (Former Harlem Standout) Brad Cichosz comes in and says 'I'm ready to die' and put him through the test. I think I have a gift in that regard because it's effortless for me to go from beginner to top of the class without missing a beat. To have that respect throughout the age range is the heart of my program, for kids come and learn and to create an environment where they feel comfortable doing that is what my program is and I'm all about. That's a gift to me, and I feel my whole life has prepared me for this," said Wiggins.

Ro doesn't sugarcoat reality for the kids either, "I'm real with them I tell them just because your busting your butt doesn't mean the world owes them anything, that they still have to go out and earn it. I put them through all the emotions: laughter, tears, heartache, success, pain and joy, at the end of the day they gROw from it."

 
 

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