For three days, youths ages 10-18 are helping Wanda Bodden live out her vision of bringing back the glory of basketball inside a little gymnasium commonly known as “The Bee Hive.”

“The kids were out here at 9 a.m. this morning, and the game didn’t start until 10, so they’re excited,” Bodden said.

The Bringing Back the Glory tournament made its debut Thursday morning in the Lincoln Middle School gymnasium with 10 boys and girls teams ranging from ages 10-18. The school is the former campus of Lincoln High, which produced eight state championship boys’ teams from 1956-1995 known as the Bumblebees.

“The purple and gold run deep around here,” said Bodden, whose son Ahmaal played at Lincoln and is coaching a team in Bringing Back the Glory. “I don’t care what color they paint this gym, the Bee Hive.”

Bodden, along with others, organized the tournament as a way to showcase the basketball skills of youngsters, many of which don’t get an opportunity to play on a high school team.

“I get to take part in it and invest in the kids’ future,” said Bodden, who leads Ministry in Motion of Port Arthur. “We invest our money in a lot of things that we don’t have a return on, and I’m excited because I can see there’s going to be a great return on what we’re doing today.”

Teams from Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange and Lake Charles registered for the tournament, which concludes Saturday. The tourney begins each day at 10 a.m. with the final game to tip off at approximately 2 p.m.

Therrin Juneau, who played football at Lincoln and Prairie View A&M in the 1990s, has always had a passion for basketball and has mentored many of the tournament participants.

“It was something we came up with Ms. Wanda,” said Juneau, a teacher at Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies STEM School in Port Arthur. “We met about it. It’s a time when kids, unfortunately, won’t be taking a lot of trips and going places, so they’re here. Basketball’s an outlet for lot of kids. It’s not just basketball, the competitive nature to it. It’s inheriting self-esteem.”

While the kids are showing their stuff, at least one coach is gaining some invaluable experience for the future herself.

“I’m just trying to work my way for now,” said Aurielle Mosley, a senior at McNeese State who’s coaching the Bound for Greatness (BFG) Lady Hoopers. “I’m just working on the side. It’s been a pleasure.”

Mosley graduated from Kelly Catholic High School and expects to receive her degree from McNeese State in August. She’s hoping to land a coaching job at a school soon afterward, but right now, she’s imparting as much as she can with the team she has.

“I believe my girls can compete,” she said. “That’s what I tell them, to never be afraid, and we’re going to take on any challenge before us.”