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| Photo: Terry Tebbs |
by Paul D. Dail
A little over three years ago, Terry Tebbs started the Southern Utah Hoops basketball program. A small program with humble beginnings, Southern Utah Hoops has since outgrown its gym space, spurring a small group of investors in Cedar City and St. George to open Southern Utah Sports Academy, a brand new gym in Cedar City which will host a wide variety of activities, not just basketball. On Saturday, Feb. 28, Southern Utah Sports Academy will be hosting a grand opening celebration from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at their new location just off Highway 56 at 494 North 2150 West.
“I started with a group of kids who wanted to play basketball, about four or five of them,” Tebbs said. “It quickly grew into a full team of 3rd and 4th graders, now 6th and 7th graders.”
Tebbs said the program currently has approximately 200 kids, from kindergarten to 5th grade.
“We offer it year round,” Tebbs said. “We allow kids to come and go as they please … They’ll come in for three or four months and then go do baseball. Some disappear when it’s football season. I’m a big advocate that kids need to do multiple sports, not focus on just one when they’re young.”
In addition to basketball, Southern Utah Sports Academy will be offering several other activities as well, including club volleyball, a pickleball program for seniors and retired people, an exercise class, and a venue for local dance studios to prepare for competitions. Tebbs said that some nights they plan to open it up at 9 p.m. after the kids have left so adults can come in and play basketball.
Tebbs is hoping to show off not only the facility but also many of these activities to the general public at their grand opening celebration on Saturday. The open house will feature performances by “Dance Magic,” as well as pickleball demonstrations, dodgeball, volleyball, and a basketball shooting challenge, all free to the community.
At 8 p.m., the event will shift gears somewhat to a Family Movie Night Fundraiser, showing “Space Jam,” starring Michael Jordan. The cost is $10 per family, and everyone is encouraged to bring a pillow and slippers or stockings (no shoes, please).
In addition, starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and going through the entire day, Southern Utah Sports Academy will be accepting donations for Canyon Creek Women’s Crisis Center. They welcome donations of feminine hygiene products, cleaning supplies, baby food, and/or children’s and adult pain relievers such as Tylenol, Motrin, etc…
“We’re hoping to raise a lot of donations that the crisis center needs,” Tebbs said.
For more information about the Southern Utah Hoops basketball program or a full schedule of events for the Southern Utah Sports Academy grand opening celebration, visit www.cedarhoops.com or contact Terry Tebbs at (435) 590-8136 or by email at [email protected].
