Auburndale Youth Basketball League: Tracy McGrady Events
Tracy McGrady Switches To Number 3 To Highlight Darfur Mission!
McGrady switching jersey numbers
Houston Rockets star Tracy McGrady will swap his No. 1 uniform number for No. 3.
McGrady's old number will go to new teammate Trevor Ariza, the Lakers forward who agreed to a multiyear deal with Houston on July 2.
McGrady wore No. 3 in high school. He is making the switch to promote his humanitarian efforts in the Darfur region of the Sudan and a documentary on his summer 2007 visits to refugee camps in the region. The documentary, "3 Points," is set for release this fall. The title refers to goals of peace, protection and punishment.
McGrady has donated $75,000 to a humanitarian project in Darfur. He had microfracture surgery on his left knee in late February. Doctors say he needs up to 12 months to recover.
Auburndale Youth Basketball and AHS Bloodhound Basketball has always been very proud of Tracy McGrady! Any young man that becomes an instant millionaire straight out of high school would go bezerk spending his money and would more than likely be selfish with it. McGrady's NBA career and Auburndale Youth Basketball League started the same year (1997). Tracy has sponsored teams in our league and helped the Bloodhounds tremendously each and every year since becoming a professional superstar! He has never turned down a request for sponsorship. NOT ONCE! In fact, Tracy has help many programs in Auburndale and Polk County flourish!
Back in the summer Tracy went to Darfur, Sudan to personally witness the situation there. He was touched so much that he has now made it his personal goal to help build schools, etc. there and to improve their everyday lives. He is the point man for an international endeavor to raise funds to accomplish improvement there! Tracy feels that God has led him to do this.
On Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 Tracy spoke to an assembly of students and faculty at his alma mater, Auburndale High School. The auditorium was packed, standing room only, as he told the students that his life had been forever changed by this trip to such an third world country as Darfur.
Tracy knows that he is blessed. After his rookie seasons with Toronto he negotiated a maximum contract and played for Orlando. He is now a league superstar with the Houston Rockets.
Now, Tracy is set to be a superstar in another arena. Many times superstar athletes are only remembered by their athletic abilities and acheivments. Tracy will set the stage to be remembered as truly a great man! His involvement in Darfur will show the world what this writer has know for years, TRACY IS A MAN OF HONOR!
Auburndale Youth Basketball and Bloodhound Basketball salute Tracy and his efforts! Go get 'em T-Mac!
News Chief Article: http://www.polkonline.com/stories/010408/sports_McGrady.shtml
Ledger Article: http://www.theledger.com/article/20080104/NEWS/801040432/1008/SPORTS01
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| 2009 T-Mac Men's Champions |
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What Does It Take To Be #1 Men's Indoor Street-ball Event Results Posted!
McGrady not hit by economy
AUBURNDALE - The economy has taken a turn for the worse, but Tracy McGrady's What Does It Take To Be #1 indoor street-ball event hasn't been hit too hard by it.
Johnnie Lawson, president and CEO of the Tracy McGrady Foundation, said there are about the same amount of teams playing and the payout is the same.
"I don't think Tracy has been effected by it too much," Lawson said. "He's still doing camps and people come out here to forget about everything else and see some people they haven't seen in a year."
Each team pays $750 to enter the tournament. There are 13 teams playing and the top prize is $10,000.
Lawson said McGrady covers the cost of everything that's not covered by the team's entrance fees.
Many of the teams come to play for the top prize, but there is also the chance that they could take the court with an NBA player.
There haven't been any NBA players in this year's tournament, but Lawson said there are several players who play professionally in Europe.
Even if they don't play, many celebrities make their way to Tracy McGrady Gymnasium.
This year, aside from McGrady, professional boxer and WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, of Winter Haven, and Atlanta Falcons' Chauncey Davis, of Auburndale, have attended this year's event.
In this its eighth year, Lawson said the McGrady Foundation has higher hopes for the tournament. At some point, he would like to see it go national.
chad.bullock@newschief.com
This story appeared in print on page B1
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE #1
T-Mac is Back
McGrady: 'I feel better now than I did last year ... I'm not far off'
AUBURNDALE - Tracy McGrady's annual street-ball tournament started Friday in the gym that bears his name, and the tournament's host made an appearance to watch the action.
"I just love the game of basketball and there's not much going on in my hometown. It's just a good event for some nice friendly wagers," McGrady said. "I always look forward to coming back home at watching."
The What Does It Take To Be #1 tournament is held every summer at Auburndale High School, and has featured several professional athletes, including the Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudmire, Drew Gooden of the San Antonio Spurs and Pro Bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper, as we as McGrady himself, though injuries have kept him from returning to the court at Auburndale.
"I don't want to take the chance now that I'm getting deeper into my career and a little older," McGrady said. "But I've told my friends that when I'm done in the NBA, I'll come back and play here."
After having arthroscopic surgery last year, McGrady was sidelined again this season with a knee injury and had microfracture surgery in February.
McGrady will likely miss the first half of next year, but he said the rehab is going well.
"I already feel better now than I did last year," McGrady said. "It's hard to tell (how far along the recovery is) until I get out and start playing, but I'm not too far off."
McGrady's team, the Houston Rockets also will be without center Yao Ming, whose season and career are considered threatened with an ailing foot.
"He's 7-foot-6 and those big guys always have foot problems," McGrady said. "I talked to him and he was pretty down. It's heartbreaking. Some of us have neighborhoods or cities on our back, and he's got the whole continent, so he's got a lot of pressure because he doesn't want to let his country down."
Despite the injuries, the Rockets advanced to the Western Conference finals, deeper than any other season since McGrady joined the team in 1997, before losing in seven games to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
McGrady would not talk about the additional loss of Ron Artest, who signed with the Lakers earlier this week, but said it was great to see the team perform at that level even if he couldn't participate.
"Our guys showed a lot of heart and a lot of character with me going out and showed how tough they were," McGrady said. "We took the Lakers to a crucial Game 7. I wanted to be out there playing, but I enjoyed watching them."
The tournament continues through Sunday with games being played all day today and Sunday until the championship at 4 p.m.
This story appeared in print on page B1
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Saturday, July 19
Tracy McGrady "The Approach" Youth Basketball Camp
DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND TRACY'S CONTROL HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO THE CAMP THIS SUMMER (2009). HE FULLY INTENDS TO DO IT NEXT YEAR.
Tracy McGrady continues to give back to the community that helped raise him! Each year since being drafted into the NBA, T-Mac has held a youth basketball camp in his hometown of Auburndale, Florida!
Johnnie Lawson, CEO Tracy McGrady Foundation, facilitates the camps and does a super job at teaching the basic fundamentals of basketball to over 100 kids each and every year at the Tracy McGrady Gymnasium at Auburndale High School!
Tracy is always on hand for nearly all of the camp and he even gets out there and participates with the kids!
He always brings lots of goodies for the kids, too!
Tracy is to be applauded for his efforts in the community!
The 2008 Tracy McGrady "The Approach" Youth Basketball Camp was held at Auburndale High School's Tracy McGrady Gymnasium July 14 - 16, 2008. This camp had 132 youth ages 7 - 14. Admission is a case of canned goods that will be donated to Meals on Wheels! Registration will begin at 9:00 AM Monday. Parent/Guardian MUST BE PRESENT to sign application/waiver forms.
