Tomorrow marks a momentous occasion for children who live in and around Trae Young’s hometown of Norman, OK: The groundbreaking for the Young Family Athletic Center.

The ceremony, which will be held at 10 the morning in Norman’s University North Park, is open to the public. It represents the first step toward providing Norman and the surrounding community with a state-of-the-art athletic center that will include eight basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, a 25-meter swimming pool and a warm-up pool, and a 25,000 square foot space for athletic training and physical therapy.

Trae’s parents, Rayford and Candice, spoke this past weekend with the Norman Transcript about what they hope the center will mean to families in the community.

“There was nothing in this part of Oklahoma City and Norman for anybody to enjoy like this,” Rayford told the Transcript. “I just remember my daughters (Caitlyn and Camryn) and Trae would have to travel so much for their club teams. Parents who have kids like us, who maybe have to work from 9 to 5, now they won’t have to leave at 5 or 5:30 to head up to Edmond to go to volleyball or basketball practice. They can stay here. Maybe some of those kids and some of those teams from [surrounding areas] can come to this facility and play in tournaments and practice.”

For Rayford, the presence of the training facility was an important component for the Center, particularly when it came to young athletes.

“It’s going to give kids the opportunity to learn more about taking care of their body, learning more about rest, proper nutrition, and some of the things that people don’t get to see outside of the competition side of things,” he said. “I think this is a huge part and I’m just so glad they’re teaming up with the City of Norman and our family to bring what they have to this facility.”

Candice talked about what it was like watching the project start to become a reality.

“We are just super excited to be a part of this with Norman,” she said. “Since we started talking about this over the last year and a half as we’ve been partnering with Norman, we’re just ready to start that process of moving so people can see it, and it’s not just a thought and it’s not just a plan. We’re actually starting to see it come to fruition.”

You can learn more about the Young Family Athletic Center in a special section here on the foundation web site.