July 28, 2017 at 12:17 p.m.
Lemmens sought competition in Hodag Hoops Camp
Lemmens sought competition in Hodag Hoops Camp
According to RHS boys' basketball coach Derek Lemmens, who runs the camp with his high school coaching staff, 55 players in grades 7-9 and 35 players in grades 3-6 took part in the camp, which focused on skill development.
But, instead of a number of drills, the majority of the time during the four-day camp was spent playing individual and team games.
"We're doing a lot more competing," Lemmens said. "We're letting the kids play. A lot of these kids have put in a ton of time doing drills and working with us. Now this is their time to put it all together and compete."
That includes individual games, such as lightning and horse, as well as 3-on-3, 4-on-4 and 5-on-5 competitions that simulate a mini season. Players are grouped into teams based on notable college or NBA programs and take part in a mini round-robin schedule before settling things Thursday in a single-elimination tournament.
Winners of daily competitions and awards had their pictures taken and posted on the RHS boys' basketball team's Twitter account.
Players on the winning teams get their names on a plaque and have their picture taken next to the camp's five-foot tournament trophy.
"We're really trying to hype up these games and get these guys to compete and compete the right way," Lemmens said. "We want to be able to watch them play and tweak them in the games and try to establish some good habits on the court."
Lemmens said he was pleased with the turnout, which was higher than most years. He credits the uptick to an influx of 27 players who came up from Port Edwards, near Wisconsin Rapids, where Lemmens once served as an assistant high school coach.
"I'd still like to see, as we continue, our younger grades (become more involved)," he said. "We need to find a way to get third- and fourth-grade kids involved in this camp that haven't been involved in traveling team yet. Hopefully we can work it out with Pelican and Crescent and start getting the word out a little better so that these kids know this is a fun opportunity for them at the end of the summer."
The camp spells the end of a summer chock-full of basketball opportunities put on by Lemmens for middle and elementary school-aged players. Lemmens, and his younger brother Nate, held two-day camps for players earlier this month in Rhinelander and last month in Wausau. Additionally, Lemmens ran a Hodag Elite camp for players entering grades 6-9. The camp ran three days a week from late June to mid-July.
"I like to end on a positive note. I like to leave them hungry for basketball," Lemmens said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
** NOTE:See pictures of the camp tournament winners in today's edition of the River News
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