Helping with hoops: Philadelphia City Councilmember runs annual end of summer basketball clinic

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- At a time when most summer camps have ended, and school hasn't yet started, a City Council member is providing Philadelphia kids with a safe space for a game of hoops.

For over a decade, Councilmember, At-Large Isaiah Thomas and the Chris Woods hoops camp has come at no cost to campers, and is strategically scheduled during the slower summer months.

This year, the two week basketball camp starts Monday at Finley Recreation Center in West Oak Lane, and will be safe haven for city kids, as violence continues to grip the streets.

It's become so popular that over 200 young people register. And for the first time since 2012, organizers had to close the registration early.

"The message that it sends is that we're doing something right in how we're servicing young people and the amount of fun they have," said CouncilmemberThomas. "It also says that we, as a city, don't provide enough free summer programming for young people."

Thomas says they try not to turn anyone away because organizers recognize that young people need something to do at the end of the summer.

This year, it will be more than just a basketball clinic.

Students will learn how play chess and there will be guest speakers, mentorship, and specialty classes, like coding.

The camp aims at providing not only a safe space, but also showing other avenues to success outside of sports.