Kentucky players posed with the Dawson Springs girls basketball team after practice Monday. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is paying attention to what John Calipari is doing — and it has nothing to do with how Kentucky is playing. Calipari invited the Dawson Springs High School girls and boys basketball teams to practice Monday. Dawson Springs was one of the areas hardest hit in western Kentucky by the recent tornadoes.
“Thank you @UkCoachCalipari for giving these kids such an incredible experience. I appreciate all you are doing for the people of Western Kentucky,” Beshear posted on Twitter Tuesday.
Calipari helped coordinate a UK Athletics telethon that raised almost $5 million in tornado relief and also went to western Kentucky to help deliver 10,000 pairs of shoes to tornado victims.
Kentucky junior Jacob Toppin did not know who the special visitors were at Monday’s practice until Calipari told the team after practice ended.
“It was great (to have the teams). It was devastating to see people go through what they did (because of the tornadoes),” Toppin said. “Coach emphasizes by the grace of God it did not hit where we are.
“Some of them (players) had minor damage to their homes. It was great to see them and put a smile on their face after all they have been through.”
Today UK Athletics also sent a bus to western Kentucky to bring a group of fans who lost their homes in the tornadoes to attend tonight’s game against Missouri.
