Entering the world of basketball as a second grader, Owensboro native Reagan Durham and her dad Clay started arriving at her elementary school early with a goal of making 100 shots every day before class. Seeing the results start to pay off at practice and in games, Reagan took her daily routine a step further. Last summer, she strived and accomplished to make 10,000 shots, not counting made baskets during her regular practices and games with her youth team.
This summer, Reagan has pushed the goalposts even further back to 15,000 shots, but with a caveat – each made shot will raise one dollar to three different charities – Play Like A Girl, Saving Paws Animal Rescue of Owensboro (Sparky’s), and St. Jude’s.
“Her and her mom came up with the idea, ‘well, why don’t we do something and see if you can make a difference while you are challenging yourself’,” Clay said. “So that is where the thought kind of evolved and there are some local charities here. We formulated and put together the idea of how she can challenge herself and make a difference as well.”
Just a month in, Reagan has nearly reached 3,000 made shots and has raised almost $1,000 dollars each for the three different charities. To reach her shooting goal, she is aiming for 200-250 made shots per day, with her shots ranging from 10-15 feet.
Each chosen charity resonates with Reagan, especially Sparky’s. She splits time on the court with her passion for equestrianism, and her family owns three dogs, seven cats, and three horses.
“Sparky’s Animal Rescue is a local animal rescue, and I believe all animals deserve to have a good home,” Reagan said. “They also have a lot of rescued animals. I have always been a big fan of animals.”
The other two charities stood out to Reagan due to what they represent.
“For St. Jude’s, we don’t really know anyone who has gone there, but we know it is a really cool place, and no sick kids should have to worry about finances,” Reagan said. “For Play Like A Girl, I think it is really important to get girls into sports and support them. That is what the program does. I have had to plan on multiple boys’ teams because there weren’t enough girls.”
Clay and his wife have taken pride in Reagan’s passion to help her local community and acknowledged that it is great for kids to learn from a young age that not everything is about them and to find ways to help others.
“I am a school administrator, and I can speak for Reagan at school. She has always had a kind heart for people who have extra needs,” Clay said. “And it’s just finding ways for her to do that. Yes, we want to challenge her as a basketball player, but ultimately, at the end of the summer, she is going to feel better about the difference she made by helping people than the progress she makes as a player.”
For those interested in following along with Reagan’s progress can click here or follow her Instagram page.
