By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Now in its fifth year, the Big Kev Give Back Camp, a dual basketball/football camp on the campus of Washburn University, has grown by leaps and bounds.
And Topeka Shawnee County Hall of Famers Kyle Weems and Michael Wilhoite, who launched the camp in 2021, feel like they're still just getting started.
Topeka sports legends Michael Wilhoite and Kyle Weems will co-host the fifth annual Big Kev Give Back Camp June 25-26 at Washburn University. [Photo courtesy of BKgiveback.com]
"Each year we've gotten more volunteers, we've gotten a few more signups,'' Weems said. "And it definitely has room to grow. I'm a firm believer that there's always room to improve, so I'm just excited for yet another year of the Big Kev Give Back.''
"I agree wholeheartedly,'' Wilhoite said. "I just think that more and more people and organizations and entities are going to continue to get involved as they see that this is legit and they see that this isn't a one-hit wonder. I think we continue to move forward and continue to show that this is something that we want to do for the rest of our lifetimes and give back to our hometown and our city.''
Weems and Wilhoite are both Highland Park graduates, who went on to highly successful college and professional careers.
Weems earned All-America and Missouri Valley Player of the Year basketball honors for Missouri State before embarking on a pro career overseas that spanned more than a decade.
Wilhoite put together a seven-year NFL career as a linebacker with San Francisco and Seattle, including a Super Bowl appearance, before coaching in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
The camp was inspired by the wishes of Kyle's father, the late Kevin Weems, a former Drury and Washburn University player who envisioned the two local stars returning to the community that helped raise them to help inspire the youth of Topeka about the potential path sports can provide for them.
The 2026 camp, held in conjunction with Washburn University, will kick off on Thursday, June 25, with a brand new event from 6 to 8:30 p.m., followed by the traditional basketball/football camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, June 26.
The first Mental Performance And Wellness Night, open to student-athletes 12 and over, parents, coaches and athletic staff, will be held in Washburn's Petro Allied Health Center (above Lee Arena) and will focus on confidence, resilience, stress management and life beyond sports.
"Over my past year being out of work and being out of sport I spent a lot of time on myself and therapy and on mental performance and just growing and learning and gaining new tools for myself to help me stay confident in those times of lapses, those times of insecurity, those times of questioning,'' Wilhoite said.
"I've been able to find different tools to help me to continue to move forward in a positive manner and I'm just excited to share that with this city because I think something that gets overlooked so much in sport is the mind and the heart and where our soul set is.''
Admission to the Mental Performance And Wellness Night is $20 (food provided), with proceeds benefitting the Community Unite Foundation. To register, go to www.communityunitefoundation.com/wellness-night.
Topeka sports legends Michael Wilhoite (left) and Kyle Weems are set to host the Big Kev Give Back Camp July 25 and 26 at Washburn University. [File photo/TSN]
Friday's basketball camp will be held in the Washburn Student Recreation Center while the football camp will be held in Washburn's Indoor Athletic Facility.
The camps are open to athletes third through eighth grade. The cost of the camp is $10 (separate admission from the Mental Performance And Wellness Night). Lunch will be provided. To register, go to www.bkgiveback.com.
