Coach hosts 4th year of basketball camp to honor father, enhance parent/child relations

Shannon Minor, who serves as head basketball coach for the North College Hill High School boys’ varsity team, is prepped and ready for another year of camp.
 
The fourth annual Pete Minor Father/Child Basketball Camp, which benefits Kicks for Kids and brings fathers and their children together for a day of activity and engagement, will take place June 18 — one day prior to Father’s Day, which has significant meaning for Minor. Shannon was always close to his father, Pete.
 
“Growing up, I was able to spend a lot of time with my dad, which allowed us to bond and develop a special relationship which turned into a friendship,” Minor says. “My dad tossed baseball, hit ground balls, rebounded shots, played goalie, tossed football, took bike rides and went to the park during my childhood. These are all positives memories that I will cherish during my lifetime and pass on to my children.”
 
In 2011, however, Minor was forced to say goodbye to his father, who was hit and killed by a drunk driver while changing a tire on the side of the road.
 
Rather than taking a tragedy and allowing it to manifest as such, Minor wanted to memorialize his father in a way that embodied his values and ideals — the ones that drew Shannon and his sister so close to their father in the first place.
 
“Fathers are important figures for any child's development,” Minor says. “Fathers guide their children by helping them make good decisions, answer questions and provide support for challenging situations.”
 
Rather than distancing themselves or even becoming consumed by the cell phone, for example, Minor wants fathers to put distractions away and for one day bond by working together through drills, pick-up games and teamwork.
 
Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball coach John Brannen, a father of twins, will join this year’s campers, which Minor says he’s excited about because he knows Brannen can relate.
 
“In the past, we have had step-dads, uncles, coaches and counselors,” Minor says. “My dad would always help children by coaching, driving them to practice or just providing a positive comment to make them smile. Since Kicks for Kids is all about leveling the playing field for all children to give them an opportunity to participate in camps, this serves as a platform to accomplish their vision and goals.”