Hidaya Academy Athletics · 2026–27

Basketballstarts here.

Four clinics in August and September, then a season that runs October through January. Coached by Verdell Jones III, who grew up here, played at Indiana, and played pro overseas.

Boys & girls, grades 3–8 · $25 per clinic · Savoy Recreation Center

What we're building

Three ways to play this year.

This is Hidaya's first year of basketball. We're starting with clinics so kids can try it without signing up for a whole season, then two groups that meet weekly from October through January.

STARTS AUG 13

Preseason Clinics

Four two-hour Thursday sessions to learn the game, meet the coach, and see if it's for you. No season commitment.

Boys and girls, grades 3–8
Every skill level, including first-timers
$25 per child, per clinic
Open to the wider Champaign-Urbana Muslim community

OCTOBER

Middle School Team

A competitive boys team that practices weekly and plays games against other area private schools during the season.

Grades 7–8, with select 5th graders invited to play up
Roster of 7–10 players
Weekly Thursday practice, October through January
$200 for the season, team shirt included

OCTOBER

Grades 3–5 Skills Group

A coed group for younger kids. Drills, skill work and scrimmages, with no pressure to compete.

Boys and girls, grades 3–5
Weekly or every other week, based on interest
No formal games planned for year one
Cost confirmed before fall registration

Your coach

Verdell Jones III

Verdell grew up in Champaign and played at Champaign Central before spending four years as a guard at Indiana University.

After college he played professionally overseas in Greece, Japan and France, and in the NBA G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

He's back home now, and our kids get to learn the game from someone who played it at a level most of them will only ever see on TV.

Verdell is a volunteer. He and his family are part of the Muslim community here, and he wants our kids to have somewhere to play.

Champaign Central Indiana University Greece Japan France NBA G League

Mark your calendar

Four Thursdays to start.

Every clinic runs 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Savoy Recreation Center, 402 W. Graham Drive, Savoy, IL 61874. Come to one, or come to all four.

August

Thursday

4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

August

Thursday

4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

September

Thursday

4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

September

Thursday

4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Then the season begins

From October we move to weekly Thursday sessions, same time and place, through January. That's when the middle school team starts practicing and playing games, and when the grades 3–5 skills group gets going. Fall registration opens after the September clinics.

What it costs

Priced to cover costs, nothing more.

Hidaya isn't making money on this. Verdell coaches as a volunteer, and fees go to court rental, shirts and equipment. Anything beyond that comes from donations and sponsorships.

Preseason Clinic

$25

Per child, per clinic

Pay for one clinic or all four. Grades 3–8, boys and girls.

Middle School Season

$200

Per player, full season

Weekly practice October through January, games against area private schools, and a Hidaya team shirt.

Pricing for the grades 3–5 skills group will be confirmed before fall registration opens.
Financial assistance is available on request. Email Adam directly.

Questions parents ask

Everything else.

No. The clinics are built for mixed levels and beginners are welcome. Groups get split by ability so nobody is out of their depth or standing around bored.

No. The clinics are open to children from Hidaya and from the broader Champaign-Urbana Muslim community. The competitive middle school team is primarily for Hidaya students, though one or two players from the wider community may be invited if we need them to fill the roster.

Yes. All four preseason clinics are open to boys and girls in grades 3 through 8, as is the grades 3–5 skills group. The competitive middle school team in year one is a boys team.

Gym shoes with non-marking soles, clothes they can move in, and a water bottle. We'll have basketballs there, but if your child has their own, bring it along.

6:00 p.m. sharp. Please plan to arrive by 5:55. We rent the gym by the hour and running late costs the program real money, so we're strict about this one.

Verdell coaches the sessions, and at least two approved adults are there at all times. Everyone working with the kids clears Hidaya's approval and safety requirements first.

402 W. Graham Drive, Savoy, IL 61874, about ten minutes south of campus. There's a parking lot on site. If getting your child there is a problem, say so on the registration form and we'll try to help coordinate rides.

Limited financial assistance is available to Hidaya students. Email Adam directly and it will be handled privately.

Not at all. The clinics exist precisely so families can try basketball without committing. Fall registration is a separate decision you make in late September, after you've seen how your child likes it.

Please do. We need parent volunteers for supervision, check-in, communication, and eventually game-day logistics. There's a box on the registration form, or just email Adam. You don't need to know basketball.

Register for a clinic.

Takes about three minutes. You'll pick which dates you want, tell us about your child, and sign the waiver in the same step.

Hidaya families

Register on SchoolCues

The same place you fill in school forms. Your child's details and emergency contacts are already on file, so there's less to type.

Community families

Use the form below

Open to any child entering grades 3–8 from the wider Champaign-Urbana Muslim community.

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