'So much happiness': Tennessee Lady Vols spend the day with biggest fans at youth basketball camp
Fourteen of the Tennessee women's basketball players spread out across the Webb School gym on Saturday, each surrounded by a group of elementary-aged players staring up at them, mesmerized by the Lady Vols.
The admiration the young players had for the college players was palpable and it's a feeling that never gets old, senior guard Jordan Horston said.
"I love being around kids," Horston said. "They’re young and they just want to learn and grow and I just love being around that. If you want to get better and you want to learn and have an open mindset, I’m all for it. That’s the people I want to be around, no matter your age. It's very therapeutic, I mean, at times it can be stressful because the kids, they’re little, but the environment just brings so much happiness and joy to me."
Horston remembers being on the other side as a camper, a time that feels like not that long ago.
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"Looking up to college players and seeing them interact with me at camps, it made me want to play harder," Horston said. "Having somebody to look up to, to show me a way and show me that anything is possible if you work hard ... I just want to give back and find a greater purpose with the game of basketball."
The camp was run through the players' name, image and likeness deal with Orange Mountain Designs, which partnered with Knox Youth Sports to run the camp.
Many of the campers showed up in the players' shirts, but there was a pop-up shop for those who wanted to buy a shirzee or signature shirt.
One of the popular shirts of the day was Rickea Jackson's new T-shirt, which has her photo with the phrase "Rickea Top" across the front.
"It definitely means a lot to see what we've been doing pay off," Jackson said. "College athletes work hard day in and day out, and I feel like we're finally being rewarded with that. So I feel like it's definitely something that we've been waiting for, for a long time. We're just grateful."
Seeing the line of young fans that stretched across the gym to get a picture with the Tennessee players was a first for freshman Justine Pissott, but it certainly won't be the last time she sees it.
"I've never really experienced something like this," Pissott said. "Just seeing all the little girls and how happy they are that we're here and how much it makes their day, it's very inspiring to me just to keep doing what I love. And this is part of the reason why I love the game of basketball."
The camp was one of many community events the Lady Vols have participated in this summer. A week ago, the players finished their week of service, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic and became an annual event for the team. Jillian Hollingshead, a sophomore transfer from Georgia, was at every one of the volunteer events.
"I just really felt led to do it," Hollingshead said. "I grew up serving as far as long as I can remember, and I feel like my mom and my aunt and all my family members have instilled that in me. You just never know what someone could be going through, so I try to help anyone that I can anytime. "
Cora Hall: Covering UT women's athletics
Twitter | cora.hall@knoxnews.com
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why the Tennessee Lady Vols put on youth camp through NIL deal
