Reggie Perkins isn’t from Harlem. He’s a native of Milwaukee, who played basketball for St. Cloud State before he was drafted by the Rochester Flyers. Fortunately for Reggie, the Harlem Globetrotters will overlook someone’s non-Harlem place of origin so long as they can do preternatural things with a basketball.
Reggie toured the world (or globe-trotted, if you will) with the Harlem Globetrotters from 1993 until 1997. During that four-year span, Reggie’s team never lost a single game – a feat no NBA team could ever dream of.
Reggie never planned on playing pro ball until he was old enough to collect Social Security. That’s why he founded Hi-Five Sports Zone in Eden Prairie. As an athlete, an entertainer and a father, it’s the perfect place where he can share his love of sports with the southwest metro’s kids.
“I’ve never claimed to be a star athlete,” said Reggie. “What I really am is fortunate. Fortunate to have spent so much time playing basketball as a boy. Fortunate to join great teams and go pro. Fortunate to still count my passion and my profession as one and the same – that’s creating great memories through the power of sports.”
Reggie and his team welcome kids of all ages to their wide range of programs. There is Mommy & Me for babies as young as 10 months. There is Little Ballers, a weekly basketball program for children aged 3 to 6. There are soccer and gymnastics classes, hoops and flag football clinics, basketball, soccer and T-ball leagues, and the after school club. Hi-Five also welcomes drop-ins, which is convenient for parents who would like to run errands without having to explain why Spider-Man couldn’t have saved the dinosaurs from extinction.
“Our coaches use a child-centered approach to create the safe and fun environment where students thrive best,” said Reggie. “The greatest sight in the world is a kid who’s beside themself because they just realized how far they’ve come. But no matter a child’s skill level or the sport they’re picking up, we’re also going to teach them our values: family, friendship, respect, leadership, loyalty and teamwork.
“By the 4th of July, we’ll be about halfway through our summer camp for 5 to 12 year-olds. It’s 9 to 3pm five days a week for eight weeks, with aftercare available to parents on stricter schedules. Each week has a different theme, like MLB, NBA, NFL or Olympics, and a bunch of my old friends from my college and pro days stop by so the kids can learn from the best. And thanks to our partnership with Nativity of Mary Catholic School, we’re able to bring everyone to big green fields whenever the weather is nice.
“My goal for next summer is to begin offering the coaches in training program. It’s designed to help 14 and 15 year-olds sharpen their leadership and communication skills. Those are becoming increasingly rare in this world of social media, which provides kids with zero opportunities to actually challenge each other, team up together, and overcome obstacles as a team. That’s called building character, and that’s ultimately what Hi-Five Sports Zone is all about.”
You can visit hifivesportsclubs.com to see Hi-Five Sports Zone’s upcoming programs, or visit their location at Eden Prairie Center to see them in action. If you prefer, you can reach Reggie’s team by calling (612) 405-6450. Tell them you were formerly a forward for the Washington Generals and you’re looking for a one-on-one grudge match.
"I'm fortunate to still count my passion and my profession as one and the same – that’s creating great memories through the power of sports."