July 24, 2015 at 1:41 p.m.
Nearly 80 take part in Hodag Hoops Camp
Nearly 80 take part in Hodag Hoops Camp
Rhinelander High School varsity boys' basketball coach Derek Lemmens said the camp was open to young elementary school-level players as well as those about to enter high school.
"We had third through fifth grade in the first session and then sixth through ninth in the second session," he explained.
The camp was geared toward teaching and improving individual skills and the fundamentals of the game.
After working on fundamentals the participants were split into multiple teams where they then played tournament style matches, 5-on-5, 3-on-3 and 2-on-2.
Lemmens said core fundamentals were the focus of the camp.
"Well, we work on just different skills, passing, shooting, dribbling, and then we also play, compete, have contests, try to apply what we are learning," he said. "The little kids were focusing on the basic fundamentals. They're just learning to dribble basketballs. They're just learning to shoot layups and things like that. In the second session we're doing more advanced finishing and more advanced moves, period."
Aside from learning and perfecting the fundaments of basketball, the camp helps participants work on agility and endurance through different training exercises.
Thursday, during the final day of camp, tournament winners were announced and players posed for pictures next to a Hodags Hoops Camp trophy that stood just as tall, if not taller, than some of the winning players.
The camp is held every summer and Lemmens said there is always a good turnout. This year the number of participants was a little lower than in years past, but Lemmens expects future camps to be larger.
"It's been pretty consistent. I think we're down a little bit (in attendance) this year," he said. "We have a few classes where we just don't have a lot of kids participating, and that's hurt, but in our young grades we have, from this point on pretty steady, so the numbers should continue to climb."
This year's camp brought in nearly 80 participants from around the area and even featured the help of a few coaches from Port Edwards.
"Between the two sessions, a little over, I think we had 78 (participants) ... 45 in the older and 33 in the (younger)," Lemmens said.
The goal of camps like this week's, that teach skills to younger generations, is to build a solid foundation and inspire future high school players in Rhinelander. Helping area kids to improve their skills at a young age works in favor of the RHS basketball program, as it establishes a solid core of highly-skilled players to continue to cycle through RHS in the years to come.
A few players from the Rhinelander High School team were on hand to help out with the camp and Lemmens said camp participants look up to the school's players.
"It's good for them to see the high school players and be around them. Especially the little kids. They love that," he said. "I mean these guys are important to them."
The RHS boys are headed to a basketball tournament in Merrill over the weekend and Lemmens said it will be a good way for the players to tie together everything they have been working on over the course of the summer.
"It's just an opportunity to play some games in Merrill and get better," he said. "You know, it's the last thing we will do this summer, so I'm hoping that we can kind of put together what we've been working on all summer long and have a good showing."
Note: See Page 11B of the Saturday, July 25 edition of the River News for pictures of the camp's 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 winners.
Lindsey Nylund may be reached at [email protected]
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