By Jennifer Small, Source Sports Editor
Madison Hoop Dreams concluded its 16th
season of summer basketball camp in August with 345 shoreline youth
attending at least one of the five weeks of Coach Bill Barker’s camp.
The summer started
off with a scholarship presentation that saw six $1,000 scholarships
awarded to alumni of Hoop Dreams. Though the only requirement in
applying for the scholarship is that applicants must have attended the
camp, a committee of five also reviews applicants’ community service,
school activities, athletic experience, and an essay.
The 2009 recipients included Daniel
Hand High School’s Kate Clawson, Brielle Sydor, Ryan Paternoster, and
Luke Taylor, who was the Madison school’s valedictorian.
Haddam-Killingworth’s Shelby Van Huysen and Old Saybrook’s Christine
Marshall also received scholarships.
Week-long sessions of camp ran
throughout the summer, averaging 69 campers a week, drawing campers in
grades 3 through 10 from Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton,
Madison, Guilford, Branford, North Branford, Durham, HK, Higganum,
Essex, Centerbrook, Ivoryton, Deep River, and even one from Japan.
Campers experienced instruction,
drills, games, and contests. Every camper was also videotaped while
shooting. Coach Wally Grigo then replays the video in slow motion so
campers can see their technique for themselves and areas that need to
be improved. He then prints stills of the beginning of the shot, the
release, and the follow-through for further study.
There were several special guests
throughout the summer including Ricky Lopes, president of the Harlem
Superstars, and Rich Pagliuca, also known as the “Candy Man,” who
taught campers the rocker step and other offensive drills. UConn senior
guard Jerome Dyson visited four of the five weeks, among a host of
other UConn greats.
“He did such a great job—he made
sure to visit with all of the campers and signed autographs,” said
Barker. “All of our visits were made possible through the graciousness
of Coach Jim Calhoun, who sets this up for his players as a community
service.”
During the first week, UConn senior forward Gavin Edwards joined Dyson with Donnell Beverly, a junior guard, visiting the second week. UConn alumni Tony Robertson, who
played at UConn with Ekema Okafor before playing professional
basketball in Europe, joined Dyson during the third week. Dyson closed
out the guest speakers in the fifth week—a week that boasted the most
campers of the summer with 95.
The fourth week was girls-only week
and campers were greeted by Tiffany Hayes, a sophomore guard for the
Huskies who was one of three UConn players, along with Maya Moore and
Tina Charles, to play in the World Games in Europe. She was the
youngest member of that team that took home the gold.
“We were very fortunate to have one of the top players in the country—and the world—at our camp,” said Barker.
Every week of Hoop Dreams concluded
with an awards presentation in which winners from the week’s
contests—hot shot, speed layup, three-point shooting, one-on-one, and
shooting Olympics—are announced and scholar-athletes are honored.
“That is our main award and campers
bring in their report cards and we look for an indication that they are
working up to their ability, have a positive attitude, and are a
pleasure to have in class,” said Barker. “It is always our first award
and our most important because it took them all year to win that and a
reminder that they have to work hard in school.”
Barker’s daughter, Tammy Boris,
co-directed the camp along with camp alumnus Brett Zanardi, who
attended Haddam-Killingworth High School. Zanardi came to Hoop Dreams
as a 3rd grader and was a camper through 9th
grade before becoming an assistant coach through high school and a
coach through college. In fact, most of Hoop Dreams staff of up to 23
per week were campers themselves and graduates of local high schools.
“It’s nice because they’ve come to
camp and ask to come on as assistant coaches and the ones who are best
come back as coaches,” said Barker. “It’s a wonderful relationship
because they’re all so respectful and appreciative. They love it—they
wouldn’t be good at it if they didn’t love it.”
Though Hoop Dreams is over for the
summer, Barker offers Madison Hoop Dreams School of Basketball at
different times throughout the year and over school breaks. The next
session will run on Mondays in
October. For information about Madison Hoop Dreams, visit www.madisonhoopdreams.com.