To pursue a passion, you have to find it first. Well, University of Evansville women's basketball forward Jossie Hudson realized her passion well before she ever donned the white and purple for the Aces.

Growing up in Evansville, Hudson had opportunities to participate in camps and the chance to develop her skills to possibly play college basketball. But Hudson soon became aware that the advantages she had weren't always available for other children in the community. 

Visiting Cedar Hall Community School where her dad was a teacher, Hudson began to see other kids who did not have the same opportunities to develop their basketball skills as she did.

"I would see kids shooting around after school and I asked a few of them if they were going to any camps at their feeder high school," said Hudson. "With their answers, I noticed that travel and money were their main challenges or they just didn't have the opportunity."

With a caring heart and a spirit of volunteerism, Hudson set out to provide an opportunity for children who did not have the opportunities she had to learn the game of basketball.

"With a few phone calls, I received permission to host an after school camp at Cedar Hall," mentioned Hudson. "I then emailed Youth Resources and they were generous enough to give out a grant to supply the kids with water bottles, snacks, and their very own basketball to take home at the end of camp."

Securing the resources needed to host the camp, Hudson's next task was to recruit a few friends to help.

"I asked five of my friends to assist me with "coaching" and I designed a schedule for each day of the camp to work on specific skills," remarked Hudson on organizing the week-long camp.  "As the days approached, I knew that just a few drills from camps that I had previously been to weren't necessarily going to work. We had to adjust drills to accommodate for the variety of skill sets, age groups, and even attention spans. This gave a fun, light, very hands-on and interactive setting for the camp for kids to enjoy, as well as giving us the opportunity to teach. It pretty much took off from there."

Hudson saw great success with her camp as about 50 kids from first grade to sixth grade from the area participated in the camp hosted at Cedar Hall. 

"I first saw the impact that the camp had on the kids through their smiles and the excitement that they showed about coming back to participate," said Hudson. "Teachers and parents had voiced their support as their kids had started playing pick up games or doing some of the drills we ran at recess. Trust me, it wasn't easy some of the days, but the drive some of the kids had to improve and how their love of the game developed impacted me the most."

Hudson had taken her passion and skills she had developed over her childhood and used it for the good of the Evansville community.

"I loved the fact that something that had influenced my life so heavily was having such a huge impact on those who just never had the opportunity," exclaimed Hudson. "I mainly wanted the camp to be a chance to improve their skills and using those skills to give them hope and determination to achieve their goals at going to the next level whether that was high school, college, or professional ball."

Hudson's passion of helping others hasn't waned any in the five years since hosting the camp. The Evansville freshman continues to volunteer at organizations on her own and as part of the Aces' women's basketball team.

"Some other organizations that I have taken part in since the camp include; working at Germania Maennerchor and the Salvation Army as a server and cleaning up the buildings as well as volunteering as a Youth Group Leader Assistant at Resurrection Parish when I have the chance," said Hudson on her volunteer efforts. "With the women's basketball team, we have read at a number of grade schools in the area and have volunteered at Solarbron Independent Living Facility, the Boys and Girls Club, worked with Challenger League Baseball, and several of Evansville's food banks."

Volunteering is not just something that Hudson treats as a service opportunity or something to do in her free time; it has become a path for her post-graduate career.

"My volunteerism has influenced my future career plan by focusing my attention on a career that helps those in need," mentioned Hudson. "Since holding the camp, I have noticed that I love to help coach or instruct others on how to improve and to encourage those to push through challenges that are presented to them. I am currently studying to become a Physical Therapist and have added a Sports Psychology minor this past semester, so you can see how this camp has pushed me to pursue my future goals as I hope that it helped those kids strive for theirs as well."

Hudson has shown that selflessness on the floor where she wears the number 22 for the Aces. In her freshman season, Hudson played in all 29 contests for Evansville, making 15 starts,  averaging three points and three rebounds per game. Hudson also made an impact defensively, finishing the year in third on the team in blocks.

Whether it be on the court or off the court working in the community, Hudson has a bright future and you can be sure she will be helping those in her community and team every step of the way.
 

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