Shooting Stars has a rule for its basketball buddies.

Fun first.

Basketball second.

It is a useful order for a program built so players with disabilities can enjoy being part of a team.

At Corky Smith Gym in San Marcos, volunteer buddies help players practice skills and take part in games. Coaches lead the activities. Buddies work alongside the players.

No one is asking them to win the game.

They are being asked to help someone play it.

What a Buddy Really Does

Shooting Stars pairs a buddy with a player when possible. The buddy encourages that player, follows the coaches’ lead and learns what helps them stay involved.

That last part takes attention.

A player may need help with a skill. They may need encouragement to keep moving. The buddy’s job is to respond to the person in front of them, not run through a one-size-fits-all basketball script.

The program tries to keep buddies with the same players across the season where it can.

Its 2026 volunteer handout stresses being on time and giving advance notice when a volunteer cannot attend.

Reliability is part of the assignment.

The handout identifies a 1:00 p.m. group. It says buddies are responsible for players during a 75-minute session and asks them to stay another 15 minutes for wrap-up.

So this is more than showing up, tossing a few passes and disappearing when the clock stops.

How Eight Players Became a Program

Rick and Emmie Clark developed Shooting Stars after conventional youth basketball proved overwhelming for their son Jacob, according to the organization’s history.

They wanted him to enjoy the sport.

So they helped make room for a different kind of game.

The first season began in January 2007 with eight players, 10 high school volunteers and four coaches.

Buddies were not added later as a nice extra. They were there at the start.

The Clark family formed the broader Shooting Stars Special Needs Group in 2025. It added activities beyond basketball while continuing the original program.

Shooting Stars says its basketball program has grown from eight players to more than 200. That is the organization’s account of the program’s growth, not a count of the 1:00 group.

The scale has changed. The need for someone willing to take the court beside a player has not.

The Schedule and the Open Question

The fall season began September 13. Sunday, September 27, is listed as Game 3. Games are scheduled through November 8 at F.H. “Corky” Smith Gymnasium, 274 Pico Avenue in San Marcos.

Shooting Stars invites volunteers through its website. Its public materials do not confirm how many places remain in the 1:00 group or explain the next step for someone who missed the August orientation.

Program director Rick Clark can answer those questions at coachrick@shootingstarsgroup.org or (760) 504-7242.

A good buddy does not need the winning shot.

They need to help a player get theirs.

Questions About Shooting Stars Basketball:

Where does Shooting Stars play?

At Corky Smith Gymnasium, 274 Pico Avenue in San Marcos.

When is the next scheduled game?

Sunday, September 27, 2026. It is listed as Game 3.

What does a buddy do?

A buddy encourages a player and helps them participate under the coaches’ direction.

How can I ask about volunteering?

Contact Rick Clark at coachrick@shootingstarsgroup.org or (760) 504-7242.