Kelly Craft, UK Players Had Fun Day At UK Camp

Kelly Craft, right, with Lee Anne Pope and UK assistant coach Mark Fox at the Father-Daughter Camp Sunday. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Cutline 2: Brandon Garrison likes the energy campers have. (Vicky Graff Photo)

By LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky coach Mark Pope, his staff, and his players made Sunday’s Father-Daughter Camp memorable for a lot of families.

Kentucky boosters Kelly and Joe Craft attended the camp not only to spend time with Pope and his family but to see what it was like for the families attending.

“It was such a fun day. The players are wholesome and such good kids,” said Kelly Craft. “I spoke at the camp in 2018 (when John Calipari was the coach), but I had never really been at the camp other than just speaking.

“The camp was massive. I don’t know what they will do next year because the Father-Son Camp was way over capacity. The players were all so humble and great to the families there. It was such a wholesome atmosphere all the way around for everyone.”

Senior Otega Oweh recently announced he was taking his name out of the NBA draft to return to the UK for a final season. He was perhaps the most popular camper. He appreciated the “love that they (campers) showed” him all weekend.

“It was great, and then just being able to support them (campers). A lot of people save so much for this camp and they’re waiting for it and excited,” Oweh said. “So just being able to make that come true and  have good energy and positivity was great.”

Junior center Brandon Garrison said nothing compares to working with the young campers.

“Working with the kids is always fun because they have a lot of energy,” Garrison said. “Just playing with them, seeing them smile,  their reactions when they finally meet us face to face … It was just good times out there. I think we had fun.”

Garrison admitted the Father-Son Camp was a little different for him this year because he has a young son.

“Just wishing he was that age. I feel like it did feel a little different just because I got a little one,” he said. “He’ll probably come up here (for Father’s Day just because we got workouts starting up. It’s time to lock in and stuff, but I’m sure he’ll come up this weekend.”

Craft agrees that nothing is “more important than family” and felt that was obvious at the camp.

“I enjoy watching families interact,” she said. Being fathers and daughters together, having fun was great.

She met one father who came with his son on Saturday, drove back to Nashville after the camp, and then brought his four daughters back for Sunday’s camp.

“There were so many great people there,” Craft said. “It’s so important to see family together. It warmed my heart and just gave me hope. Mark Pope is just a wholesome individual who makes everyone feel good.”