From tea time to macaroni and cheese, British culture is colliding with Pendleton.
Every year, Coach Steve Pearl brings a group of basketball players from the Midlands of England to Pendleton to teach basketball skills to Pendleton youth and introduce British teenagers to American culture. This year, six members of the Daventry Swifts Basketball team are visiting Oregon.
For the first week of the visit, the English teenagers experience life in the United States. They try American food, visit American stores and experience the natural world through hiking and camping in Oregon. On Thursday, the English group hosted a high tea for the students in Pendleton Parks and Recreation’s Summer Adventure Camp. The Pendleton youth learned about different types of tea and biscuits and engaged with the English group.
“It’s a great opportunity to introduce something that the young ones haven’t done before,” Pearl said. “I’m impressed with the behavior and the engagement.”
After cultural experiences this week, Pearl and the Daventry Swifts will pass on their knowledge next week in Parks and Recreation’s Summer Basketball Camps. In addition to annual camps for 6-9 year-olds and 10-13 year-olds, the 2025 camp offerings include a “Lil’ Bucks” camp for those 3-5 years old. In the past, Pearl has had younger siblings join in with the children in the camp, so they decided to expand this year as an experiment.
“I can’t promise they’ll be any NBA players or WNBA players, but who cares. We’re going to give the kids a chance,” he said with a laugh.
A coach with almost 50 years of experience, Pearl visits Pendleton each year through his connection with Pendleton Parks and Recreation Director Liam Hughes, a former student of Pearl’s.
“He’s got an incredible coaching resume, but the key is he helps people become better than they thought they could be,” Hughes said. “It’s not that Steve teaches a jump shot fundamentally different, it’s that he inspires the kids. The kids feel inspired to practice on their own. The kids want to get better at basketball.”
During the basketball camps, campers will learn the fundamentals of basketball through high repetition drills, along with British humor and inspirational messaging.
Limited space is available in the basketball camps. Find more information at https://www.pendletonor.gov/parksrec/page/summer-basketball-camp
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The City of Pendleton is a vibrant and active community with a rich heritage and a lively history. Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Eastern Oregon, Pendleton is well known for its world-class Pendleton Round-Up rodeo, a thriving arts culture and many historic attractions. To learn more, visit www.pendleton.or.us .
