AN EIGHT-year-old Ayr basketball star has shot 100 hoops in a bid to help children who are less fortunate this Christmas.
Charlie Watson took to the court on Saturday, November 7 to showcase his abilities and raise awareness for The Night Before Christmas campaign.
The selfless youngster, who goes to Alloway Primary, wanted to help out the charity as they gear up to deliver thousands of Christmas Eve boxes to kids across Ayrshire and he has managed to raise more than £1,400.
Proud mum Karen, 44, told the Advertiser: “Charlie loves basketball. He’s loved it since the age of five, he plays for Ayr Storm.
“He’s one of the youngster players in the Ayr under 10 section and he’s already played in a couple of under 10 competitions.
“He only turned eight in May.
“He has two basketball nets out the back, one in his room and one in the trampoline.
“Basketball is his favourite – he plays for Ayr rugby club as well but basketball is his dream.”
Charlie, who has won MVP two years in a row with Ayr Storm, is desperate to get to America to see his heroes in the NBA – the pinnacle of the sport.
His mum added: “He is always trying to practice, he would take anyone on, he’s fearless. We go to games at Glasgow Rocks and he says, ‘I would take him on mum’.”
Charlie took to an outdoor cage court in Ayr, shooting into a basket a whopping 9ft away and was cheered on by his dad Alan, 41, brother Jack, 13 and sister Rebecca, 21 as well as other volunteers of the charity as he completed the challenge in 45 minutes.
Aside from basketball Charlie volunteers at the NBCC with his mum Karen and was keen to set himself the challenge to support them.
Referring to himself as “Head Elf” the little helper loves helping out at the charity’s base and spending time at their new Narnia Winter Wonderland space in the hear of Ayr at Tsukure Hub.
Karen said: “He’s been helping me in the hub for a couple of months, we took him last year with his brother Jack and sister Rebecca.
“It really opened up their eyes to the fact that not everybody gets the same at Christmas.
You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/karen-watson47
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