STURGIS, S.D. — The Sturgis Scooper boys basketball squad has dealt with weather postponements and cancellations and is still waiting for their first game of the 2022-23 season. The boys are using their unexpected free time wisely over the holidays, giving back to the Sturgis community by serving Christmas dinner to the residents of Heritage Acres Apartments.
Fourteen members of the Scooper basketball squad, along with head coach Derris Buus and assistants Steve Hilton and Taylor Buus, spent a few hours on Friday, Dec. 23 serving lunch to seniors, many of whom are alone over the holidays.
“Tis the season of giving and I’m super proud of these boys for volunteering their time to give back to the community of Sturgis by serving food to the residents of Heritage Acres,” said Scooper head coach Derris Buus. “It’s really easy to forget the important things in life and these boys did not lose sight of those things.”
The boys served roast beef, potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls and grinch pudding for dessert, with apple cider. The service to community is important to Coach Buus, who wants to impress upon his team how good it feels to give back to those that support them on the basketball court.
“Our program is based on what I call the Scooper 5,” Buus said. “We try to develop our student-athletes to become quality young men of character who are role models for the kids in the Sturgis. We want our boys to develop academically through their time in our program. We work on their on-court skills to help them develop into the best possible basketball player they can become in their time in the Scooper program. We also provide our student athletes with an opportunity to be part of a program with high standards and pass along a set of solid core values that will serve them long after they graduate. Finally, we want to give our Sturgis community the best product possible when they come to see us at West Gym or on the road.”
The Scooper boys and girls are scheduled to kick off their season a little late, with games at Douglas High School in Box Elder on Dec. 30.
