Dickey’s basketball camp a slam-dunk

Head basketball coach James Dickey, his coaching staff and volunteers, hosted the first ever James Dickey Basketball Camp, teaching over 300 local boys the fundamentals of basketball.

The camp was split into three sessions, with the last session ending July 1. Dickey said that while providing a chance to give back to the community, it was also an opportunity for the campers to get acquainted with the University.

“I think there’s two things that are important. First, to provide an opportunity for young people to be here and learn the great game of basketball, but also get people here on our campus,” Dickey said.

“This is a wonderful university and great campus. The more people we can get on our campus, hopefully, the more students we’ll attract over a period of time as well as teaching basketball skills.”

Along with teaching the basics of the game like setting screens or perfecting a jumper, Dickey also wanted to stress to the campers how important each player’s role is to the team’s success. But most importantly, it was about providing a fun and friendly atmosphere for the kids.

“We have three goals. The most important thing is to keep them safe and healthy as best we can. Secondly, we’d like to be able to share some knowledge of the game. The third thing we want it to be fun. It’s summertime and it’s camp so we want it to be fun,” Dickey said.

After last season’s NCAA Tournament appearance, Dickey said that he hopes the basketball team will continue to win, which will lead to the camp’s growth.

“We’ll build on this camp and it will get bigger and better as we progress. We hope that it will grow as our program develops and our emphasis on camps improves,” Dickey said.

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John Brannen The Daily Cougar

Head basketball coach James Dickey stresses the importance of fundamentals and teamwork to campers at the first James Dickey Basketball Camp. Dickey said he hopes for a more

popular camp next year.