Photos provided by Corey Wilford
Corey Wilford’s introduction to Owensboro was the one and only Dustbowl. Wilford came to town as a youngster both to watch and play in the well-known summer basketball tournament. A native of Hopkinsville, who played for Christian County High School and then SEMO (Southeast Missouri), Wilford originally moved to Owensboro to play for the Kentucky Mavericks. The Mavericks, a semi-pro basketball team, were based in Owensboro for three years. When the team dissolved, Wilford stayed and made Owensboro his home. These days, he spends his days working at Burns Middle School, and pretty much every other waking hour doing something basketball related. He runs leagues, trains individuals, and develops tournaments all year long.
Wilford says his philosophy on basketball is “The work you put in is the work that will show.” He says many young players don’t understand just how much time one has to consistently work at basketball to truly be good. This is a concept he stresses to all his players and clients. “When I was coming up, there were no trainers or year-round youth leagues,” he says. Despite the fact that Wilford succeeded and went on to play Division 1 basketball without as much structured play as is available today, he is committed to developing the players in this area.
For the upcoming school year, Wilford’s first offering will be a “Back to School” youth league begins on September 8th. Though he operates at Cliff Hagan Boys and Girls Club at Buckland Square, his leagues are separate from the Boys and Girls Club league. The league is for boys and girls 1st grade-10th grade. Games are on Sunday afternoons, which makes it possible for football players to participate, Wilford says on his Facebook page. The cost for the league is $105. (Registration will be closed by the time this hits the stands, but the league is in its third year and Wilford foresees it continuing for the same time next year.)
In November, he will offer a Development League, which he says is for anyone, but is particularly a great opportunity for those who fail to make their school team and want to improve. He also offers private and small group instruction and coaches travel ball teams for the middle school and high school levels. Wilford runs his business on a regularly updated, public Facebook page under his name. He also provides his private number and is quick to respond.
One of his newer projects is a 3 v 3 tournament for men, which will be held on Labor Day weekend at the Owensboro Convention Center. The cost is $500 per team, and the winning team gets $5000.
Wilford is making an impact on Owensboro and getting involved in the community in ways that reach beyond the basketball court. In August he took part in Dancing with the Stars to benefit the Boulware Center. Look for him to continue to be a force in Owensboro, on the court and off, for the foreseeable future. OL
