By Tray Mason
Correspondent

For the eighth consecutive summer, Nansemond River head basketball coach Ed Young will host his annual Youngstarz Basketball Camp.

Set for June 25-28 at Nansemond River High School, the camp is for boys and girls entering grades 3-8, and lasts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

The camp focuses on teaching the basics and fundamentals of the game of basketball, which Young says is quickly being forgotten among young players today.

“They’ve got to learn the basic skills to play this game, because it’s eroding quickly at the high school level,” Young said. “Kids are really deficient in certain skills, because they want to do what they see on TV and forget all the work that’s been put in to get to that level.”

The camp has grown in popularity and has sold out during the past couple of years. Participation is limited to just 60 kids.

During the three days, kids work on a number of basic skills at different stations — shooting, dribbling and defense, to name a few. Things get more competitive in the later stages of the day when games of two on two all the way up to five on five are played.

Current Nansemond River players — girls and boys — serve as coaches or mentors to the kids and do much of the work for the camp.

Special guests have come in the past to speak to the children and more are expected this year. Former Warriors Andre Jones (Winthrop) and Nick Wright (Old Dominion) have shown before, as well as Suffolk High School great Tony Smith.

“The players make it more fun for the kids,” said Young. “It’s not the drill sergeant mentality they would get with me.”

The focus is not solely on basketball, though. Classroom sessions are held, where kids are taught on how to be better students and all-around people.

The cost of the camp is $100 before June 10 and $110 after. But Young makes no profit from the camp. After coaches and players are paid, all other profits made go to the Nansemond River basketball program as a fundraiser.

In the past, he has sponsored certain students who had exceptional grades and afford the camp, and he hopes to continue that this summer.

The most fulfilling aspect of the camp, he said, is watching the kids blossom into current Warrior players.

“I hope a lot these kids actually play for us, and they’ll have a taste of me and what we do here,” Young said. “It’s been neat to see that we’ve had players come through the camp who have played for us.”

Registration for the camp has already begun. For more information, call 923-4101 or email edwyoung@spsk12.net.