SAVE THE DATE! 🏀✨
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🙏🏾We are beyond excited to announce that 5x NBA All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist, Tim Hardaway Sr., will be our keynote speaker for the HC Night of Gratitude Ball!
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🤩 A true basketball legend, Hardaway is a voice for the next generation—rooted in grit, resilience, and faith. Join us for an evening dedicated to empowering our community and creating new pathways for the future.
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📍 Where: United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum
🗓️ When: Saturday, October 10, 2026
🎟️ Sponsorships: Don’t wait! Reach out now to sponsor the event!
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🎟️ Individual Tickets will be available for purchase at a later date this summer.
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❓Contact us via email at:
[email protected]
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Let’s continue to build together! See you there! 🙌🔥
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#HillsideConnection #TimHardawaySr #NBA #SaveTheDate #CommunityFirst BasketballLegend
📸 DERRICK WHITE HILLSIDE CONNECTION YOUTH CAMP RECAP!
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🔥Over 100 kids. 3+ hours of hoops, life lessons, and unforgettable memories.
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🏀NBA Champion Derrick White returned to Colorado Springs to host a one-of-a-kind Basketball Camp with Hillside Connection — sharing the court and his journey with the next generation.
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💯From drills to empowerment panel, autographs to photos, Derrick emphasized what matters most: hard work, consistency, and believing in yourself.
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🙌Huge thanks to Derrick and Coach Mason, the amazing group of event volunteers and coaches and to all our supporters at Dicks Sporting Goods, Raising Caines, City of Colorado Springs, and Harrison School District Two.
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📍This is what community looks like. 💪🏽
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#HillsideConnection #DerrickWhite #YouthCamp #ColoradoSprings #GiveBack #NBAinTheCommunity
📸 @austheshooter
🚀 Hillside Connection Business Immersion RECAP! 🚀
What happens when you combine entrepreneurial minds, real-world challenges, and unmatched energy? 🔥 THIS.
From pitching ideas to solving problems, our students took on the business world—and CRUSHED it. 💼✨ Big shoutout to our mentors, partners, and the next gen of leaders who made this experience unforgettable.
📽️ Watch the magic unfold → Shoutout to @whealthyunlimited in the video showing us what empowering young minds to learn essential skills like budgeting, retail management, and more is all about!
✅ Hands-on experiences with business leaders
✅ Exposure to entrepreneurship & career pathways
✅ Leadership opportunities for our youth
From sports management to banking, our youth explored industries that shape their future. This is more than a program—it’s a game plan for success! Participants pitched real business ideas!
🎥 Thank you Mr. Kevin at @guerrillamediaco for the recap video. We also appreciate Mrs. Kristina (The Glory Hole), Mrs. Barnes (Arch Group) @usopmuseum , @worktime_athletic ’s for collaborating with us as well. 🤝 #communitybuilding
🫡 💐 Ms. Liz McMearn salute for the hard work behind the scenes and intentionality in taking a deeper dive with the youth! @mslizmac
#HillsideConnection #FutureCEOs #BusinessImmersion
💬 Drop a 🚀 in the comments if you see a future business mogul!
8 YEARS OF SUMMER HOOPS HISTORY. 🏀🔥
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Registration is officially LIVE for the 8th Annual Hillside Connection 3v3 Summer Tournament!
We’re back at Memorial Park this June to see who really rules the court. If you think your squad has what it takes, now is the time to prove it.
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Here is everything you need to know:
🏅 The Legacy: This is a Rocky Mountain State Games Endorsed event (@thesportscorp )⚡
🗓️ When: June 13th & 14th 📍 Where: Memorial Park (Hillside Community Center) ⏳ Deadline to Register: May 27th, 2026
💰 Cost: Only $25 per player! (Scholarships are available. We make sure every single kid gets the chance to compete and build their own squad like back in the day! 🫱🏻🫲🏽)
🚨 Mandatory Skill Development & Team Sessions: Get better before tournament weekend! Sessions run at Hillside Community Center starting at 6:00 PM (Group schedules TBA) on:
Tuesdays: June 2nd & June 9thThursdays: June 4th & June 11th.
🌟 Age Groups (Based on ’25-’26 School Year):
Hoopsters: 4th & 5th Grade BoysMiddleStars: 6th & 7th Grade BoysSpots for our 8th year are going to fill up faster than ever. Lock your team in today!
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🔗 Tap the link to register now: /260685993849177
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#HillsideConnection #SummerJam2026 #3v3Basketball #ColoradoSprings #YouthSports
🏁 Big shoutout to the officials and the crew at Hoopster League!
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⚖️ Games don’t run without the people in stripes, and the energy they brought kept the focus right where it belongs: on the kids and the competition.
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🙌 It is more than just whistles and calls—it is about the positive environment being built on and off the court. We appreciate the professionalism and the effort to keep the game safe, fair, and fun for every player.
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🔥 The atmosphere has been unmatched, and we are grateful for everyone who shows up to support the next generation with the right attitude.
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📸@austheshooter #HillsideConnection #HoopsterLeague #YouthSports #CommunityFirst #PositiveVibes
Happy Birthday Coach Nate. 💛🖤
If you know, you know. The history of what we do far exceeds what people see today with all the flash, interviews, and resources. “Back in the day”, there were leaders pouring into kids with no incentives, all out of love for the game and the hope of a better life. Real tough love. Real accountability. Real impact.
Coach Nate helped build that foundation.
Check out what HC alumni - pros, business owners, and leaders — have to say here: /alumni
“Playing for Coach Nate at Hillside was my first experience with true constructive criticism. Learning to play the game of basketball through Hillside taught me how to grind for the things you want — not just as an individual, but as a team player as well. Whether it was on the field or the hardwood, I never feared adversity or competition, learning how to take advantage of my opportunities.” Former NFL Pro & Business Owner, JaCorey Shepherd
“My time at the Hillside Center and with Coach Nate taught me a sort of toughness and grit that I did not experience anywhere else. Nate always had the best for me in mind and pushed me to become not only the best basketball player I could be, but also the best person I could be.” Davis Tutt Senior Director Sports and Tourism at Sports Corp.
Happy Birthday Coach!
🚀 Where Tech Meets Turf: HC EmpowerZone is Heading to Atlas Prep!
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🛸 We are taking the summer camp experience to new heights—literally. On Thursday, May 28th, Hillside Connection is teaming up with Atlas Prep for a high-energy day of innovation, movement, and professional mentorship.
🚨 Please note the activation is only for Atlas Prep Students enrolled in their summer programs.
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⚽️ From the pilot’s seat to the pitch, our students are in for an unforgettable rotation of activities:
✨ High-Tech Learning: A Drone Workshop powered by @dflightproductions , where students will explore the future of flight.
🧘 Mindfulness in Motion: Finding focus with yoga led by the amazing Ms. Dominique (@whealthyunlimited ).
🔥 Pro Clinic: Stepping onto the field with professional talent from the Colorado Springs @switchbacksfc , featuring Talen Maples, Aidan Rocha, Adrien Perez, and Brennan Creek!
🍎 Charge Up: A dedicated session on the power of health and nutrition to keep our young athletes fueled and ready.
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💪🏽 We are proud to continue bridging the gap between sports and STEM for our community. Let’s get to work!
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#HillsideConnection #EmpowerZone #SwitchbacksFC #STEMandSports #CommunityStrong
🎓 #ThrowbackThursday 📸 We are throwing it back to last year’s incredible graduating class. Seeing the growth and the paths our alumni have taken continues to inspire everything we do at Hillside Connection.
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🌟 To our current Class of 2026: we see the hard work, the leadership, and the impact you have made. You have set the bar high, and we are so proud of the legacy you are leaving behind.
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🚨 Parents and families, it is time to get ready for the send-off they deserve! Please check your emails today to Save the Date for our Senior Recognition Dinner on Sunday, June 14th at the Hillside Community Center.
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🍗 Get ready for an evening filled with food, laughter, and a celebration of the impact these seniors have made. We will also be handing out this year’s commemorative Hillside jackets as we prepare to send our seniors off the right way!
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📩 Please head over to your inbox for the full details and RSVP information. Let’s make this a day they’ll never forget!
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#HillsideConnection #ClassOf2026 #SeniorRecognition #HillsideFamily
Basketball is the hook, but the impact is holistic. 🏀✨
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🤩From sports clinics to career enrichment and community service, we’re providing the pathway for every kid to thrive. Want to get involved?
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Join us in building a brighter future. CALLING ALL PARENTS 🚨 same energy you use for sports sign-ups, lets engage in life skills too.
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Summer Business Immersion (June 22–24) with DICK’S Sporting Goods and other partners we will be taking a dive into—marketing, business, and real-world skills beyond the game for grades 6–8th (including ambassador and mentor roles for high school youth). Register here. https://bit.ly/4nhbrCO 🌟
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#BiggerThanBasketball #YouthSports #CommunityImpact #HillsideConnection
🏀 From the 719 to NCAA D1: Why Not Be Great?
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We are incredibly proud to spotlight the journey of Colorado Springs’ own Ramiyah Byrd! 🌟 From dominating the courts at James Irwin and The Vanguard School to becoming a pioneer at SPIRE Academy, Ramiyah has consistently proven that “Greatness” isn’t just a goal it’s a mindset.
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🙌🏾 After a impactful start at the University of Cincinnati, Ramiyah is taking her talents to Wake Forest University next season! Her story is a testament to the power of hard work, a leap of faith, and staying true to your roots.
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Now, she’s coming home to pour that same passion back into the next generation.
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📣 JOIN US: Youth Girls Basketball Camp
Hillside Connection is teaming up with Ramiyah for an exclusive camp designed to empower and inspire.
📅 DATE: Sunday, June 7th
📍 LOCATION: Hillside Community Center
⏰ TIMES: * Girls 1st – 5th Grade: 12:30–2:00 PM | Girls 6th – 8th Grade: 2:00–4:00 PM
✨ INCLUDES: Basketball clinic, Empowerment panel, and Nutrition to go!
💸 DONATION: $15 (Scholarships Available)
🔗 Register now ⬇️
https://bit.ly/4tKla6M
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Let’s show the next generation what’s possible when you refuse to settle for anything less than great. See you on the court! 🎒🔥
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#HillsideConnection #RamiyahByrd #WhyNotBeGreat #719Basketball #GirlsInSports
Big things happening in Southeast Colorado Springs! 🏀 @hillsideconnection is proud to bring the Spring Hoopster League to over 100 students across 8 D11 elementary schools. They're officially in their second year partnering with D11 and heading into year 5 with Harrison District 2 for the Fall league. Creating competitive opportunities and building community, one court at a time.
🌟 Celebrating the Success of the 2026 Spring Hoopster League!
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🏀 Another year, another incredible milestone for the Hillside Connection Spring Hoopster League! This past weekend, we officially wrapped up our second annual year in partnership with @cssd11 . Seeing the growth of this program has been nothing short of inspiring. What started as a vision for community impact has evolved into a powerhouse of youth development and athletic opportunity!
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📊 The 2026 CSD11 Impact at a Glance:
8 Schools represented 🏫
100+ Student-Athletes on the court 👟
Thousands of lives impacted across the community ✨
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🙌🏾 A massive thank you to our partners, coaches, and the families who show up every week to support these kids. We aren’t just teaching basketball; we’re building character, discipline, and a stronger future for our youth.
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🔥 The energy this season was unmatched, and we are already looking forward to what’s next! Let’s keep this momentum going! 🚀
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📸 @austheshooter #HillsideConnection #YouthSports #CommunityFirst #D11 #BasketballLife
