Oakdale High School freshman Kyler Haidlen loves basketball.
Picking up a love for the sport at the young age of six, Kyler played for Oakdale Junior High, as well as the competitive travel team the Modesto Magic.
“It’s something I’ve always loved doing,” Kyler shared. “When I’m playing basketball I’m not really worried about too much.”
He further noted his love for the speed of the sport and the constant thought that goes into what’s next on the court.
Over the summer, Kyler applied his love for basketball through an act of service inspired by his older brother, OHS senior Reichen Haidlen.
Kyler shared the idea was first spawned over dinner while discussing acts of service as a family. The freshman came up with the idea to host a basketball clinic at his older brother’s summer camp Christian Berets hosted each summer in Mi-Wuk Village.
Christian Berets, first founded in 1970, hosts Special Needs Summer Camps, as well as a Group Retreat Center. Reichen is a recurring camper with the group.
“It was perfect because they just got a new basketball court there and they had new stuff,” Kyler said.
To put the plan in place, Kyler and his father met with the director two weeks prior and Kyler outlined details of his proposed basketball clinic. Kyler would bring along a group of fellow athletes who would teach two one-hour clinics to boys and girls covering the basics and fundamentals of basketball.
“The camp was amazing. It was really fun,” Kyler said. “It was nice to see everyone. Everyone was happy. It went really well.”
With camp sessions hosted throughout the summer, Kyler naturally presented the basketball clinic during older brother Reichen’s stay at Christian Beret Camp.
“I kind of wanted to intervene,” Reichen confessed of his younger brother’s clinic. “I really like the idea of him going to my camp for basketball. It means so much to the camp and people could be happy because he took the time for them with basketball.”
As Reichen speaks of his younger brother’s selfless act, his smile as well as arm draped over Kyler’s shoulders indicate his love and pride in his brother.
“It was really nice to go up there and have the experience with them,” Kyler stated.
“It changes a lot of the way people see stuff,” he continued. “Maybe they’ve never been introduced to basketball. Maybe it’s their first time learning how to do some of the stuff.”
While it was fun, it did require patience and understanding from the freshman and his volunteers.
“I just kept reminding myself it’s their first time,” he said. “It was my first time at some point, too. Everyone has to begin when they start something. It was really cool because you could see some of them start to learn something, start to pick things up, actually at a really fast pace.”
As the freshman speaks of the experience, he can hardly contain his excitement for next summer’s plans, sharing definite plans to return next year and take a larger group of helpers. He’d even like to extend it a bit longer. His reason: “It was so fun.”
As a student with special needs, Reichen is both well known and loved throughout the OHS campus. He is active in leadership and enjoying kick boxing when not at school.
“He’s honestly really smart,” Kyler shared, when asked what he would want others to know about his older brother. “He knows the most I’ve ever seen anyone know about movies or super heroes or anything like that. If you ask him one question about it, he’s going to know. If he cares about it, he’s going to know about it.”
As for the proud older brother, well, he speaks of Kyler as an older brother would.
“He is somewhat smart,” Reichen joked, with a broad smile. “He’s also one of the best brothers I have. I’m proud of him.”
For more information about Christian Berets and their services, visit www.christianberets.org.
