Community engagement a pillar of the Fraser Valley Bandits' mandate

For basketball and sports fans in the Fraser Valley, the sight of Dylan Kular patrolling the sidelines or greeting guests at a local basketball tournament or community event is a familiar occurrence.

Kular has been director of community development for the Abbotsford Basketball Association since January 2017 and prides himself on building long-lasting relationships with various organizations across the Fraser Valley’s communities.

Through his commitment to community growth and enriching the lives of youth through the sport of basketball, Kular emerged as the ideal candidate for the Fraser Valley Bandits’ director of business operations when the position became available this past July. Hiring Kular was what many fans have called a “no-brainer.”

Kular has wasted no time introducing the Bandits to the Fraser Valley community since taking on a position with the team.

“As a sports organization, we not only have a responsibility to provide a good experience for spectators, we have a responsibility to the community, which we are now a part of, to make a positive impact,” said Kular.

On the weekend of August 4-5, Kular joined forces with other local leaders to bring smiles to the youth, teenagers and adults that made up the 138 teams in attendance at the 3-on-3 Summer Slam in the Fraser Valley. Kular represented the Bandits at the event and brought the Canadian Elite Basketball League black and gold backdrop with him, as well as plenty of Bandits t-shirts and jerseys for winners of the various events.

The event was hosted by the Abbotsford Basketball Association and was the largest 3-on-3 basketball event in the province so far this year, with proceeds going to local charities and philanthropic initiatives.

“The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for people to play. This year, we benefited local schools’ athletic programs, the BC Children’s Hospital and KidSport BC, and created scholarships for youth in Abbotsford,” Kular said.

For Kular, it was yet another chance to build ties with the community he calls home and to convey the grassroots values that the Bandits were founded upon.

Over the course of the weekend, kids, players and parents alike reached out with questions of how they could help welcome and support the Bandits. In turn, Kular asked how he could better support the fans. Overall, it was a fulfilling start to a strong relationship between the Bandits and the Fraser Valley.

“You could really feel the excitement for the team in the community”, said Kular.

Two weeks following the 3x3 Summer slam, CentreCourt hosted its 14th annual HoopfestBC basketball tournament. Known as one of the most competitive tournaments for top-level talent in the province, the X-Falcons took home their second straight title, joining only two other teams in HoopfestBC history to accomplish such a feat. The X-Falcons were all smiles for their photo-op at half-court as they were congratulated with Bandits t-shirts and the glory of being champions.

“Building relationships in the basketball community in B.C. plays a huge importance in the continued success of the ongoing growth of the game, said Steve Lee, director of HoopfestBC.

“Whether it be corporate sponsors, or among spectators, or teams and players, awareness of all of the great opportunities to support local products are hugely important to keeping events and leagues ongoing.”

Kular emphasized how proud the Bandits are to have supported the event, and looks forward to collaborating with HoopfestBC in the future.

Next up on the Bandits’ agenda is Carnival Day, which takes place this Sunday, August 26, at Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford. The event is hosted by the United Outreach Federation, with all proceeds being donated to Khalsa Aid Canada.

“This is a very unique opportunity because it’s not really related to basketball. This organization is actually run by youth and this shows that we have a stake in the community, we care about what’s going on, and this is about more than basketball,” Kular said.

August 24, 2018