If a player wants to maximize their overall skill level in the game of basketball, extra work in the offseason is necessary. Starting at 9 a.m. and running until 3 p.m. on Monday, June 20, the Jumpstart Basketball Camp will start its 23rd season of giving youths from grades 2-9 the opportunity to hone in on their hoops attributes in a five-day event at Dufur High School. Cost to attend this event is $100 until the capacity of 150 is met. Some of the areas instructed include ball handling, passing, shooting, rebounding and defense. Program coordinator Tom Conklin will have the kids give their undivided attention to details, attentively listening to each word their coach offers. Several former or current athletes from across the area will be on hand for individualized instruction. While an athlete may be blessed with speed and size, possess solid inside skills or a deadly 3-point shot, Conklin said none of those attributes matter if a player cannot mesh with his or her teammates. “We spend a lot of time teaching about the character of an athlete,” said Tom Conklin. “First or last place, it does not matter. When the game is finished, how will others remember me as a player? Will coaches see me as a class act? We select specific quotes that guide each of our five days of camp. These quotes stem from a deep experience that defines struggle ultimately providing the success we were hoping for, but not sure we’d attain.” Along with the opportunity to work together to practice their new skills, the aim of the camp is predicated on emphasizing the fundamentals, developing proper mechanics and gaining valuable game experience. Campers acquire and carry the knowledge over for a chance to get a solid start to their upcoming seasons. In the end, there is no better tool than getting on the hardwood. “In the process, I realized kids and all folks love to work towards a goal,” Conklin added. “In the process or journey, they develop much more than an outcome. The journey is what makes the person, not really the prize. When a person wins a running race, they, in my opinion, won because they reaped the reward of the process or developmental benefits of striving for a goal.” Early in the morning, the athletes sit down for a speech from one of the coaches, and then the instruction begins. After a break, the kids get an opportunity to use their skills in friendly scrimmages, with coaches emphasizing proper techniques on the sidelines. Once all of the daily work is completed, the campers get a chance to soak up some sunshine at Dufur City Pool for a dip in the drink. The money raised helps fund the Jim Schultz Scholarship program at Dufur schools and many of the other Dufur sports programs. In addition, Conklin said he felt extremely blessed to raise money from the Jumpstart track and cross country races, the hoops camp and other yearly events so he can cut checks for Home at Last, the Salvation Army, The Dalles River Trail Project and other programs. Interested parties can email questions to Jumpstartyouthactivities @gmail.com or log on to Jumpstartcamps.com.
