Basketballs are once again bouncing at Georgia Southern’s Hanner Fieldhouse, as GSU’s basketball camp for ages 6-16 kicked off Monday.
The camp consists of 41 kids broken down into two groups: 6-10-year-olds and 11-16-year-olds.
The campers are learning a basketball skill set that includes fundamental drills such as passing and dribbling, ball handling drills, shooting drills and basic defense techniques such as proper stances.
Running the camp is first-year GSU men’s coach Charlton Young, the former Eagles star guard who was hired two months ago, assistant coach Chris Kreider and several student-athletes.
“This camp gives the young kids that love the game an opportunity,” said Young. “For any kid to come in and work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., they really have to love it. We like doing it. We plan on winning games and getting excitement going and hopefully the camp will grow.”
Hanner has a different feel to it this year, as Young inherits a program currently coming off a disappointing 2008-09 season. The feeling is a positive one, however.
Rashad Collins, a GSU sports management major, chose the camp to complete his internship. Collins sees an immediate impact that coach Young and his staff have brought to the basketball program.
“He (coach Young) is pretty positive. He is energetic and all the kids like him. I’m sure he will have a positive impact,” Collins said.
Kreider said that after they were hired the coaches set the tone early for their new squad. They wanted to send the message that change was coming.
“The first thing we did when we came in here was check classes and we saw their (the players’) GPAs were suffering,” he said. “We want to bring in (a sense of) academics and role models and high character guys. Obviously we want to win and get better, but first thing is academics.”
Young also made it clear that he and his new staff would be changing things.
“I think anytime you come into a new program you have to change the culture that was there before because it wasn’t successful. We’ve tried to come in and just sell the guys into recommitting to a championship program,” said Young. “Not just in-between the lines, but off the court also.”
Young went on to explain a little about what he believes in as a person and a basketball coach.
“Our first two goals are to be championship people everyday,” he said. “Don’t embarrass your family or the university. Number two was to build healthy relationships amongst the staff and the team. I feel like if we could do those two things coming in then we will exceed expectations far and beyond what people thought they could do.”
For more information on the camp, coach Young or GSU men’s basketball, contact GSU Athletics at (912) 478-5376 or visit them online at www.georgiasoutherneagles.com.
