It's so good to see all the excitement on social media of the impending return of Olympia Sports Camp in the summer of 2022. A lot has been happening and in typical Olympia fashion the energy and leadership to make things happen will make the journey of 2022 a success. Congrats to Dave Grace, Greg Rogers, all the full time staff and the plethora of new hires for the summer....The commercial featuring Leo Rautins seems to be on every time I'm listening to the radio... Awesome !!

One of the most unique aspects of life at Olympia is the ability to meet world-class leaders and world class people. Olympia has always brought NBA pros up to encourage young people that they too can go after their dreams. It's cool to see these professional athletes doing everyday things in between sessions with campers, coaches, and counsellors. Playing shuffleboard, hopping on a kayak, sharing a meal, or playing hoops late at night are just a few of the things that Olympians can relate to doing with some of the best and brightest NBA stars.

A memory I have is sitting in our cabin with Kayla Pangos and Bill Pangos and the three of us were teaching ( trying) Adreian Payne from Michigan State how to play euchre. AP and Kayla were partners and she couldn't stop laughing! It was hilarious as this quiet, shy young man just could not get it in his head about the left and right bowers and that sometimes the jack of hearts is a diamond. It was so much fun because Adreian stuck to it and made fun of himself as he tried to play a game that he just couldn't get.


This 6 foot 10 inch non-euchre player had a work ethic that made him a first round NBA draft pick who played 107 games for three NBA teams as well as playing in several teams in Europe over his career. Adreian showed his true humanity while playing at Michigan State and he befriended 8-year-old cancer patient Lacey Holsworth. The relationship between this mountain of a man and this little girl became national news as she was at many Spartan games while undergoing treatment. Adreian was crushed when Lacey died on April 8, 2014. 


It sickened me yesterday to hear that Adreian has passed away at the age of 31. To hear this morning that it was by gunshot hurts me deeply. That bullet took away a great person far too soon, but not before he impacted many along his journey. This makes that memory of the euchre game all the more poignant. RIP

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