-
(ALEX HAVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) A Lady Blues camper practices dribbling on an obstacle course during Lady Blues basketball camp Tuesday, June 3. Teammates were also encouraged to cheer their Lady Blues teammates on. -
(ALEX HAVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Lady Blues coaches teach campers how to shoot free throws Tuesday, June 3. This was one of several activities to teach the fundamentals of basketball at Lady Blues basketball camp. -
(ALEX HAVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Lady Blues coaches play around the world with campers Tuesday, June 3. Games like these were meant to help campers fall in love with the game of basketball. -
(ALEX HAVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Lady Blues campers participate in morning warm ups for basketball camp Tuesday, June 3. Lady Blues basketball camp was held from Monday to Wednesday, June 2-4.
On top of summer leagues going on for high school athletes in Graham, the community also likes to work with the up and coming youth with their summer camp programs.
That trend continued this week with a basketball camp from the Lady Blues.
The Lady Blues have already run several camps over the past month for a variety of sports. Mainly, the team held the first summer camp of the season with volleyball camp in mid-May and continued their summer camp schedule to end the month with softball camp.
Now, the Lady Blues moved into their next sport to inspire the youth during basketball camp.
The camp, which took place from Monday, June 2 to Wednesday, June 4, hosted kids ranging from first grade all the way up through ninth grade in separate sessions depending on age and skill level.
Overall each of the three camp days held two sessions. The incoming first through fifth graders took the morning session from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
The older children, being the incoming 6th through 9th graders, took the afternoon session.
For coach Baylee Thompson, the organizer of the event, each session has a different meaning for the kids being taught.
“With the younger kids, we’re just trying to get them to fall in love with basketball,” Thompson said. “We make it fun and enjoyable for the kids to want to come back and play.”
Many of the activities the first through 5th graders participated in are basic drills to learn the fundamentals of the game like scoring, shooting, dribbling and passing through obstacle courses and game challenges where their teammates were cheering them on.
The older kids on the other hand have a different approach applied to them, according to Thompson.
“The older kids, most of them have already developed a love,” Thompson said. “We are going to help improve their skills and all aspects of the game.”
The next camp Lady Blues athletes will be participating in is tennis camp which will be held at the Graham High School tennis courts June 9-11 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. for incoming 1st through 5th graders and 10 a.m. to noon for incoming 6th through 9th graders.
