\u201cSports can be expensive,\u201d Hassan says. \u201cNo kid who wants to play should be unable to.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than just a basketball camp, Dribble Dreams<\/a> offers kids between the ages of six and 18 mentorship, life skills and mental health support.<\/p>\n In its first year, Dribble Dreams put 50 kids, eager for opportunities they had previously not been afforded, on the basketball court. This year, the six-week summer camps registered more than 250 boys and girls.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about playing the sport,\u201d he says, \u201cbut using it as a vessel to create opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n A grassroots basketball non-profit goes global<\/p>\n The opportunities he speaks of are not just limited to the kids but have opened doors for Hassan and the team of volunteers who have contributed to the foundation\u2019s success.<\/p>\n The 6\u20195 guard, who enters his fourth year of study this fall in the Sport and Event Management<\/a> program at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics<\/a>, took on every role in the foundation\u2019s first year, from marketing to program operations to admin. One of the most important skills Hassan has learned as a leader is how to delegate and trust his team to help him with the growing workload.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m privileged and grateful for this experience where I\u2019m directly applying those skills, starting a non-profit and scaling it internationally,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat I\u2019m learning I am also applying in a real-world sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the volunteers are other varsity players and coaches who share their skills on the court and off, including some players from U of G\u2019s women\u2019s team. \u201cWe want to create equitable opportunities,\u201d Hassan says. \u201cKids need to see that kind of representation.\u201d<\/p>\n Dribble Dreams started in the basement of Hassan\u2019s parents, who immigrated to Canada from Kenya. In 2024, due to the success of its programming and fundraising efforts, the foundation expanded to offer basketball and educational clinics for youth in Nairobi. \u201cThat was such a full circle moment for me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n In Kenya, more girls registered for the camp than boys. Dribble Dreams brought T-shirts, jerseys, water bottles, hydration drinks, bags and basketballs to more than 50 budding players. This year, Dribble Dreams will do the same for youth in neighbouring Uganda. \u201cFor a lot of them, this is their first experience playing basketball,\u201d Hassan says.<\/p>\n The University pitched in too, donating school supplies, hygiene products and Gryphon basketballs, and funds from the annual Lang vs. Laz rivalry basketball game against Wilfred Laurier University were also donated to Dribble Dreams. \u201cThat was all possible because of the University of Guelph,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Scott McRoberts, director of athletics at U of G, remembers the early days when Hassan came to his office to talk about the concept of the foundation. \u201cI am so impressed by the passion, commitment and drive Ismail and his team have shown,\u201d McRoberts says.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what the U of G experience can bring and it provided space for Ismail to connect his passion for sport, with academic learning and giving back to the community,\u201d he adds. \u201cI am so proud of how this has grown and the drive Ismail had to make this a reality for so many youth in two different countries. It also gives me great pride as U of G staff to see the University get behind the initiative as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Supporting mental, physical health through basketball<\/p>\n In the early days, GoFundMe and community donations helped Dribble Dreams come to life. Today, the foundation is supported by local businesses and grants from the Town of Milton\u2019s community fund as well as Canadian Tire\u2019s Jumpstart program. \u201cWhen you have good intentions, you find a lot of support,\u201d Hassan says.<\/p>\n That support has made basketball accessible to more than 600 kids in the past three years. \u201cYouth who were just like me,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I hadn\u2019t played sports, I wouldn\u2019t be the person I am today,\u201d Hassan explains, pointing out that access to sports improves children\u2019s mental and physical health, their performance in school and builds a sense of community.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve developed so many skills just by being physically active,\u201d he says. \u201cSports keep you disciplined, and being a teammate keeps you responsible for your behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to Dribble Dreams, Hassan volunteers with the Junior Gryphons basketball program, served as a mentor to first-year varsity athletes through the Gryphons Student-Athlete Mentorship Program and has organized basketball clinics for children and families affected by cancer in collaboration with Campfire Circle. He has also used his platform to speak at high schools and events like Shoot4Change as an advocate for equity in access to sports, social change and youth leadership.<\/p>\n
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\nIsmail Hassan on the court as a Gryphon
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