Finding and Selecting Training Camps
I put our kids in sports camps as soon as they reached the age to qualify, around seven. They are now fifteen and thirteen and have attended many different sport camps from tennis, gymnastics, baseball and basketball. Basketball camps have always been the training staple each year.
We have lived in Seattle, Washington and presently live in Austin, Texas and both areas have basketball training programs that run year round. Year round basketball programs are set locations with defined training programs laid out. It wasn't always easy to find these programs; it took research, phone calls, and asking people for recommendations to locate them and even more importantly, to find the good ones. I imagine each State provides some sort of development program year round.
Check with your local high school coach for referrals. If you live within a few hours of a university, call the athletics department to find out what they offer.
Another option for year round training is hiring a personal basketball trainer. Most instructors will provide group instruction, as well as individual instruction. Having one-on-one instruction for a passionate player can push him or her past sticking points. In the Austin area, I know of at least five personal basketball trainers. The experience of the trainers in our area varies from college basketball intern assistants, college players, college graduate players and retired NBA players. Most trainers do not advertise; they fill their slots by word of mouth. One of the best ways to locate these trainers is by contacting local high school and AAU team coaches in the area and asking them for referrals.
Note: If you are a basketball trainer, please contact me and I'll list you on this site.
Summer vacation is a great time to improve a player's overall game and skills as most coaches will attest. Of course there are a multitude of basketball camps during the summer months – the question is which one to choose. The younger-aged players, up to the age of twelve, generally attend camps locally. A lot of camps do not have overnight or week long stays for ages under twelve. Our kids attended local camps for years. Local camps are advertised in city or town newspapers, health clubs and fliers. Occasionally, camps from different states will come through -- do your research to make sure these are legit. I've found that local camps -- the good ones, with sound fundamental training -- fill up quickly. But be aware that the good day camps quickly become mediocre when they don't limit enrollment. When the almighty buck wins out, players get lost in the masses and never get corrected for proper technique on the drills being demonstrated. It's frustrating to see this happening. Camps that offer limited and reasonable enrollment can offer the most effective training. This is a key point to look for when selecting the right camp. I personally would not enroll my kid in a camp with a ratio higher than 8:1, with 4:1 being my preference.
Be on guard for camps that try to cover all aspects of the game. When too much information is provided, it becomes overwhelming for the kids. Specialty camps focusing on one or two aspects of the game are better than general coverage of the entire game. A camp that provides week long coverage of dribbling, shooting, guard play, big man moves or rebounding can really instill lessons taught.
Camps for kids 12+ are often held at colleges and universities and can provide a beneficial growth experience for most kids. These camps generally provide a day camp and dorm option at college facilities. We've had great luck and the kids have really enjoyed the "college" experience of staying in the dorms and eating in the University cafeteria. They've been well-supervised and really enjoyed the experience.
For a lot of kids this will be their first extended stay away from home. A lot of the counselors are college players and coaches and are generally good role models. You still need to do research to ensure you are enrolling in a good program, but now you can begin looking on a national level. This past summer our twelve year old daughter attended the University of Texas basketball camp.
A lot of these camps allow you to visit throughout the week and watch some of the drills. I observed two hours of this camp and I agreed with the reports from our daughter that it was an excellent camp. She continued to display enthusiasm and practiced the drills she learned at camp. Always a sign of a great camp.
Check out our Reviews section for camp reviews.