— Los Angeles Lakers & Pechanga Resort & Casino Partnership Offers Military & Families Participation in Lakers Basketball Clinics –
U.S. Military living and stationed in Southern California will be invited to participate in basketball skills clinics with the help of Los Angeles Lakers before three of this year’s preseason games. A special partnership between the Lakers and Pechanga Resort & Casino created the “Hoops for Troops” program in 2015. The program returns for another successful year, offering the chance for 50 U.S. Armed Forces servicemen and women to receive tips from former Lakers players Brian Cook and Robert Horry, and Barton Brothers Fitness on shooting, dribbling and other skills before the games at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sept. 30, at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, on Oct. 4 and at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 10. Brian Cook will be leading the clinics on Sept. 30 and Oct. 4, while Robert Horry will head up the final clinic on Oct. 10 at STAPLES Center. With their families able to watch the clinics from the stadium stands, military members in the one-hour clinics receive free t-shirts, tickets to that night’s game, and amazing memories to last a lifetime.
“Connecting with service members and their families that sacrifice so much is very important to the Lakers,” said Mathew Makovec, the Lakers Director of Community of Relations. “Our Hoops for Troops Clinics with Pechanga are a direct way to connect with this community by providing experiences both on and off the court. We want to let service members know we are here to support them, as they support us, serving both in Southern California and abroad.”
Military participants in the Lakers preseason “Hoops for Troops” basketball clinics will compete in a few on-court challenges for some extra-special opportunities. Two people in each clinic will win a chance to be the Honorary Team Captain and the Game Ball Delivery person.
“We have the greatest respect and appreciation for those who selflessly serve in our military,” said Edith Atwood, President of the Pechanga Development Corporation. “We are honored to support them and their families. These clinics are a small way of demonstrating that so many people care about them and value their service to protecting our nation.”
