Girls’ Basketball Camp Thirty seconds left on the shot clock and there are five confident and athletic girls who have no time to take a breather. The game of basketball is not easy. To run a basketball camp, there are many qualities needed such as enthusiasm, knowledge, teaching ability, and the willingness to interact. Locating a site to hold a camp, determining the right dates, finding the participants, and finding volunteers are the many steps involved to running a successful camp. That is why running a basketball camp for middle school girls is a hard job to do because of all the people and equipment that is involved.
The very first step to running a basketball camp is to have the appropriate facilities. If the participants are going to enjoy the camp, having a clean and nice facility will increase the chances of it. In order to practice somewhere, permission is needed first. The location of the camp is important. If most of the girls are participants from the same school, holding the camp at the school gym is a great idea. In order to reserve the gym for the camp, dates and times must be set. The players are unable to participate in the camp if they do not have permission from their parents. These permission forms should ask the parent(s) permission if their child is allowed to be active in the camp. These permission forms should be turned in at least a couple of weeks before the actual date of the camp to know exactly how many girls are attending. Showers and bathrooms also should be accessible during the camp. In order for the girls to use the bathrooms and showers during and after camp, the facilities must be kept clean after being used. If not, then there will be consequences.
Without having the right amount of participants, running a basketball will not be successful. Middle school athletes are the perfect age group to participate in a basketball camp. This gets them ready for high school and shows them what should be expected when trying out for a sport. Being committed to play is the most important concept when playing any sport. All participants should be committed to play and to learn new things at the camp. Coming to the camp on time and being prepared is another big role. Showing up at the camp prepared means being in the proper attire. Proper attire would be the right athletic footwear and comfortable clothing. If students are participating in a camp that has participants from the same school, their PE uniforms are the right clothing to wear during the camp.
Not only are the participants the main key to running a basketball camp, but also the many volunteers who are involved. Volunteers are important because they have the knowledge to teach the players the correct way of playing the sport. Coaches and ex-players are able to help the girls improve their basketball skills. Not only are they important to running a camp because of their high basketball IQ, but also because of their love for the game. Coach David Nesmith says, “I love being a basketball coach. My first year coaching Kamehameha School Girls Varsity team was a fun year. Although it was hard at times, I am learning about my players and they are learning my system.” Teachers and parents are other adults who have the potential to help organize and run a basketball camp. Although their knowledge in basketball is not high, they still should be able to help the girls in any possible way to become better athletes. Not only do volunteers have the job to teach the girls, but also to show up every day to camp and on time. This will show how much of their time they are taking off to help the girls improve their skills. To run a basketball camp, equipment is by far the most important thing to have. In order for participants to show up to the camp, flyers are needed to be put up around the campus. These flyers must include the time, date, and place of the camp. In case of any type of emergency, a healthcare worker or trainer from school must be present at the camp for however many days the camp is held. They also must be ready to help any student who gets injured. A first aid kit should be handy at all times. For the girls to improve their basketball skills, basketballs must be available at the camp. The balls should already be pumped with air and can be used throughout the camp. A stopwatch is another piece of equipment that should be present at the camp. Stopwatches are useful to tell when practices start and when they should finish. It also keeps the participants and coaches on time with each basketball drill so they don’t run out of time. Basketball should be a part of everyone’s everyday lives. In this case, before any person is able play the game of basketball, they must understand all of the basics such as shooting, dribbling, and passing. By knowing the basics of the sport, it will allow them to have a better understanding of the sport and to play at an acceptable level. Shooting the basket is the most important skill for a player to master. Most players day dream about being the top scorer or hitting the final jump shot to win the championship trophy for their team. Becoming great at basketball shooting, whether it is simple as making a free throw, an easy layup, or a three pointer, means putting in hours of practice. Just like any other skill, whether or not a player becomes better or worse, it all depends on how much time was taken to practice the correct shooting techniques and fundamentals.
The next important fundamental in basketball is dribbling. Many inexperienced and even some experienced players waste their movements by dribbling right after catching a pass. Most players also tend to over-dribble and not gain any advantage over the defender. Besides learning the basic basketball dribbling fundamentals, it is also important to learn to dribble with a purpose. The four main reasons to dribble with a purpose are to advance the ball up the court, penetrate to the hoop, find good passing lanes, and to get out of trouble. Without learning the correct way to dribble, the next fundamental, passing, will not be successful. Just like shooting and ball handling, passing requires the use of correct techniques and a few basic fundamentals such as: timing, quickness, and accuracy. Passers must always be on the lookout for their open teammate.
Not only are fundamentals important to playing basketball, but also team work. One of the most important things in team basketball is to be an unselfish team player, and to put individual goals aside. Successful teams work together in harmony. Basketball is a team sport. Without the help and support of the entire team, it will be difficult to achieve the common goal of winning. Each individual must focus and work hard to fulfill the team’s need. Most NBA stars, such as Michael Jordan, worked hard to become a great player. Without his teammates, Michael would not be known as one of the greatest basketball players alive. There are three words that sum up teamwork in life: cooperation, contribution, and sharing. As simple as these words are, they can make a difference between successful relationships and bad ones. Magic Johnson once said, "Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates."
Most will say the only reason they play basketball is to stay in shape. Although this is true, it is also a fun activity that will keep people wanting to play again. Some may say they do not like the sport because of how much running is involved or how there is no purpose to running back and forth and shooting a ball into a hoop. Basketball is good for fitness; it builds relationships, and allows people to be competitive and therefore push themselves. According to Jacob Malewitz, a former college player, “I found myself always in the best shape while playing basketball. The sport usually requires a lot of running especially if you are on a team. Even half court basketball-where only half court is used-requires a great deal of energy. Sports like football and baseball have more downtime for the athletes. Basketball requires more of them, and, in doing so, makes us fit. Jogging can be boring sometimes, but in my experience a good game of basketball a few times a week can take off a couple of those unwanted pounds, or just makes us stronger.”
There are many important steps to running a basketball camp, steps that must be followed correctly for the camp to be successful. These steps may seem easy at first but can take a lot of time. Being patient and having time management skills are the main keys to running a camp. According to Jacob Malewitz, “We build the strength of our legs, gain relationships, and learn how to be competitive with basketball. It can teach us things about life that our parents cannot. The sport is serious, but fun.” Running a basketball camp is a hard job but the benefits it gives back to both the players and the coaches are ones that can last a lifetime.

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