No Plane Ticket Needed: Coach Cooper and She Hoops Bring Pro Energy to the V.I.

The Elridge Blake Sports & Fitness Center on the University of the Virgin Islands’ Orville E. Kean Campus pulsed with energy this past weekend as girls from across the territory gathered for the She Hoops Island Showcase.

The camp, founded and led by Dallas-based coach Justin Turner, brought pro-level training and intention to St. Thomas, proving once again that high-caliber basketball experiences don’t always require a plane ticket.

For local mother Etoya Brown, watching her daughter Lia Brown lace up for Sunday’s games was a proud moment. “We heard about the camp through a friend from The Process,” Brown said, referencing the respected local basketball program known for building players with both grit and good character. “The recommendation made it a no-brainer —and She Hoops didn’t disappoint.”

Brown, a rising junior, came into camp with big dreams, eyeing programs like the University of Central Florida and the University of Connecticut. She left feeling reassured about her path, “Now I have drills I can work on by myself,” she said. “This definitely gave me more hope and self-confidence.”