Favorite pre- and post-game/practice snacks? 

Sam: My favorite pregame snack is Goldfish. I would eat at least two bags before each game, only the regular kind, although all flavors are great! My favorite post-game meal is some spicy rigatoni pasta. If it wasn’t too late after a game, I loved going to North Italia for their pasta. 

Dominique: My favorite pregame snack has always been sour gummy worms. It became part of my routine before games and helped me loosen up and have fun before competing. My favorite postgame meal is definitely a burger and fries, but when I was playing overseas, I loved getting gyros or döner kebabs after games. 

What is your biggest piece of advice for young athletes?  

Sam: My biggest piece of advice for young athletes is to try everything and not limit themselves. If you grow up unsure of what sport you want to get into, try them all! Especially at a younger age, you can learn so much coordination through all sports. There is no right or wrong path to take when wanting to accomplish your dreams. 

Dominique: My biggest piece of advice for young athletes is to find out who you are and what you enjoy outside of basketball. The game can become such a huge part of your identity, but it should never be the only thing that defines you. The more confident and grounded you are off the court, the more freedom and confidence you will play with on the court. Basketball can teach you discipline, resilience, and teamwork, but who you are as a person will always matter most when it is all said and done. 

How has basketball influenced your life off the court? 

Sam: Basketball has been and continues to be a huge influence in my life. The camp itself is a great example of allowing me to come back to Tucson, a place I love so much, and sharing the game of basketball with younger athletes and hopefully help them get one step closer to their dreams. It is more than basketball, it is about being a good teammate and meeting new people. Basketball has brought me some of my lifelong friends, including the one and only Dominique, going on almost ten years of friendship! 

Dominique: Basketball has influenced almost every part of my life off the court. It has taught me leadership, discipline, adaptability, and how to connect with people from all different backgrounds. The game has taken me all over the world and introduced me to lifelong friendships, including Sam. Basketball has also helped shape my perspective on life by teaching me how to handle adversity, embrace new experiences, and grow through challenges both on and off the court. 

What is your favorite drill or workout for improving gameplay? 

Sam: My favorite drill to help me prepare for gameplay is probably a drill we did called “Stop, Score, Stop”. It was a game of 5on5 but your goal was to get a defensive stop, score, and then get another stop. This helped simulate a real game because basketball is a game of runs. One team typically will go on a scoring streak, and that can be tough mentally to try and keep a positive mindset. You cannot think ahead or get upset; you have to focus on the next play to work on getting a defensive stop and turn the momentum with a score. 

Dominique: One of my favorite drills for improving gameplay is anything competitive and game-like, especially small-sided games that force quick decision-making and communication. I also love drills focused on pace and reacting in real time because those situations translate directly into games. Basketball is such a mental game, so I think the best workouts are the ones that challenge both your skill and your confidence at the same time. 

As the clinic celebrates its fifth year, what motivates you to return year after year? 

Sam: I cannot believe we are already at year 5! One of the things that keeps me coming back is the kids. I keep all the photos that I am sent from my time playing, and each year I usually see at least one camper that I met at a young age and they come to me years later, 4 feet taller and in their own personal sports journey. It is such a cool experience getting to be somewhat in their lives through that transition and knowing that they actually remembered what I would tell them at the camps or games. They are the reason I keep coming back and wanting to make it bigger and better each year! 

Dominique: It is really special seeing the clinic celebrate its 5th year. What motivates me to keep coming back is the opportunity to give back to the next generation and create a positive experience around the game. When I was younger, I always looked up to older players and loved learning from them, so being able to now provide that same encouragement and support means a lot to me. Seeing campers grow each year in both their confidence and love for basketball is something really rewarding, and it makes me excited to continue being part of it.