Abilene Wylie Little Dribblers (AWLD) is bringing youth basketball to the Key City in a big way as they host the National Little Dribblers Tournament on April 2-5. More than 50 teams from around Texas, with many from the Houston/Beaumont areas, will arrive tomorrow for the opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.
Sarah Dowell, president of the AWLD, says she is excited to bring together two things she believes in whole-heartedly – the Little Dribblers program and her community of Abilene.
“It is a huge honor to bring this type of event to Abilene. We are so proud to showcase our city, and our hospitality is second to none. We know we will represent our Wylie community, our city and highlight our local businesses that make all this possible.”
Dowell said volunteer opportunities for the tournament are still needed, especially at the Abilene Youth Sports Authority (AYSA) location. Other locations include Wylie High School and Hardin-Simmons University.
To volunteer, contact Dowell at dowellsarah21@gmail.com. Opportunities available include activities like taking tickets and selling merchandise that anyone can do to keeping books or scoreboards, which Dowell said does require some knowledge of basketball.
The AWLD opened its doors in Abilene three years ago and has experienced a high volume of participants from day one. Dowell said each 6-week long season averages almost 600 participants (girls and boys) ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade who live in the Wylie area. Despite the program being only three years old, they put in a bid to host the national tournament locally after its inaugural year.
Dowell says it was the early success and booming interest in the program their first year along with the desire to showcase Wylie ISD and Abilene that led to entering their bid so quickly.
Her own experiences participating in Little Dribblers as a child drive Dowell to be passionate about the program today.
“I played as a kid growing up and think it is a big part of what made me who I am today. It [Little Dribblers] is founded on fundamentals of basketball, being a good teammate, good sportsmanship and growing the community as a whole, which I think is unfortunately a lost art in today’s world,” said Dowell. “I am passionate about this program because, in my opinion and now, more than ever, it is important for kids to learn how to adapt and thrive in a competitive environment — no participation trophies. The number of kids we have participate indicates that it is a much-needed program in our community.”
By Kristen Johnson
Photos Courtesy of AWLD