Fellowship of Christian Athletes Camp at Powell Middle School built on fundamentals and faith has been a slam dunk success.
Even though the players are young, some of these kids can flat-out play, like Gunner Smith. He immediately impressed coaches as a fourth grader at last year's camp.
“This is the first time that I've that I've had a kid his age want to stay and play with the middle schoolers in the afternoon,” says Darin Courtney, head coach of the Powell Middle School boys team and FCA advocate.
But several weeks after last year’s camp ended, Gunner would try to rebound against something far greater than any opponent on the court.
“One day he's just a normal kid playing with his friends and then a week later we were being air vac’d to Vanderbilt,” says Gunner’s father, Brandon.
Gunner had a malignant brain tumor, and just before the doctors rolled him back for surgery his father would realize just how strong his son really was.
“I'm telling Gunnar I wish this could be daddy in the bed instead of you and he just says with so much confidence Dad it's alright God chose me for this I got this,” Brandon said.
The road to recovery has been long. Gunner had to learn how to walk again but, incredibly, he is back for this year’s camp, all while undergoing chemotherapy.
“I just love being out here and listening to that ball bounce makes me happy,” Gunner said.
Fittingly enough the theme of this year's camp is strong.
“That comes from a Bible verse that talks about fighting to the finish, being strong in your faith, and Gunner is an absolutely perfect example of that,” said Dean Craig, FCA Director in Knoxville.
This year he's not just impressing people with his basketball skills... he's inspiring through spiritual maturity.
“What's so special about Gunner is just that strength that he has that amazing faith, and it's something that his story... it's just really making a difference in a lot of different people's lives,” says his dad.
Gunner is now cancer-free, and he hopes someday soon he will be back to playing the game he loves.