Youth between the ages of nine and 17 will have an opportunity this summer to get free basketball coaching from Calgary’s only professional basketball team, the Calgary Surge.

The weekly clinics are set to run from June 30 to Oct. 4, in the heart of West Downtown at Century Gardens.

Jason Ribeiro, Vice-Chairman and President of the Calgary Surge, said that hundreds of youth would have a chance to participate in the clinics.

“Not only do we have our affiliate coaches teaching everyone the fundamentals—no fanfare, just straight goods on making sure that the skills are developing—but also then the ability to have pro players come in not only provide them a little bit of jump shot or layup technique, but also talk to them about what’s made them pros, where they started from,” he said.

Ribeiro pointed to CEBL 2025 draftee for the team, Will Tong, as one of those players that would be a role model for youth attending the camps.

“Will played just down the road [at SAIT]. This is real. This is not theoretical. I know how much of a point of pride we had in drafting our youth sports players,” Ribeiro said.

“I can’t imagine the point of pride in saying that an institution just up the road from here produced a talent that is now embarking on his first professional career.”

Ribeiro said the clinics would not just be for youth already involved in the sport, but also for those who want to give it a try.

“I’m looking forward to people who sign up today and register for priority access to make sure they get enrolled in this program. I’m also looking forward to people just showing up, and maybe their exposure is seeing a peer that looks like them playing basketball for the first time, and maybe they haven’t picked up a basketball yet, and just seeing that visual,” he said.

The exact number of youth able to take part in the clinics would be a result of both interest, and capacity.

“We’ll see what the demand looks like. I’m nervously looking at my staff, because the last time we opened up free programming at Chinook Centre, where we laid a basketball court in the middle of CF Chinook Centre, I think registration was full about four hours less,” said Ribeiro.

“I’ll have to go back to my friends and see if we need to increase a little bit of our supply—but this will support hundreds and hundreds of youth and then hopefully hundreds of adults and their families as well as we think about our 3-on-3 tournament.”

Easy to access basketball clinics in downtown Calgary

Ribeiro said the Century Gardens for the clinics was intentional to make it easy to access.

“I can assure you all that it is merely a continuation of the incredibly intentional work we’ve been doing to be trusted partners in the project of downtown Calgary’s revitalization, and the proof of that is beneath our feet today,” he said.

The Calgary Surge was one of the partners in 2023 that helped fund the creation of the basketball courts at Century Gardens, alongside the Parks Foundation and the City of Calgary.

Thom Mahler, Director of Downtown Strategy with the City of Calgary, said that the location, being on one of the most highly connected transit locations in the city, was a great thing for the clinics.

“In true Calgary fashion, the basketball courts are active rain, shine, and even snow,” he said.

The 3-on-3 tournament, also to be held on a future announced date during the summer at Century Gardens, will also be open to adults.

“There’s so many things going on in downtown Calgary in the summer. I can’t wait to see it be a hotbed for 3-on-3 basketball, but also the diffuse sort of impact that that has after that.”

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said that the City of Calgary was supporting the programming with $75,000.

“If you’re wondering what that $75,000 in partnership funding for the City of Calgary can do, it can help deliver an entire summer of free programming for kids age nine to 17. It can create moments of confidence. It can create mentorship and a whole lot of fun, and it can breathe new life into our downtown,” she said.

“You’re getting off the train and you see a bunch of people shooting hoops and hanging out, and it makes you think, ‘oh, I guess I could do that, too.’ Then, to have this programming offered at no charge allows for greater accessibility.”

Sign up for the priority waitlist for the free Calgary Surge basketball clinics can be found at www.calgarysurge.ca/downtown-summer-youth-basketball-clinics.