Young athletes enhance basketball skills at new camp

If any young athletes are looking for an opportunity to learn the game of basketball or sharpen their skills, coaches Tony Webb and Roy Booker have it covered.

GrindTime Development and SEMO Prep have partnered this week to bring basketball knowledge and skill to the youth of Poplar Bluff and surrounding areas as Booker and Webb kicked off their inaugural 2024 The Last Dance Youth Basketball Camp on Tuesday. The camp will go through Thursday at the Black River Coliseum.

After hosting a high school all-star game, Webb and Booker decided to collaborate again to provide the game to the youth. Webb said he was excited for the camp and has gotten much traction with over 60 kids in attendance.

“What we’re doing with this camp is piggybacking off the success of our annual all-star game, which we’ve done the past four years,” Webb said. “Poplar Bluff has always been a basketball haven, and we’re trying to bring the culture back to the area. We have a beautiful facility here at Black River, and we want to bring out the youth and use them. Our numbers have been good and we’re planning to do another camp at the end of the summer for another chance to bring out more kids.”

Fellow partner Booker agreed that following their momentum from the all-star game was the perfect chance to create something special for the young athletes in the area. He said giving the youth their knowledge and experiences from basketball is the goal.

Booker wants to provide the tools to the young athletes as they were given to him.

“I think we both enjoy it, to be honest,” Booker said. “I love the game of basketball, so I can do this all day. The camp has been good so far. Seeing the excitement as the kids’ faces light up, learning more about basketball is great. They’re definitely having a good time, and I believe watching them have fun while learning helps us have a good time as well.”

The campers include three different groups from second through eighth grades. The first camp day included learning about the game’s fundamentals — how to dribble with each hand, play the correct defense and understand the overall technique.

On Wednesday, the campers did a lot of drills to recap what they learned before. The final day will consist of competitions to determine how to put together everything they have learned.

The campers also got to put down the basketball and ask questions rather than only concentrating on the game. In addition to giving them the knowledge they needed to succeed on the court, Webb and Booker discussed the value of education and the potential futures of basketball players.

Webb said it’s important to allow kids to have questions, whether it’s learning how to be an elite player or playing for a college.

“Before we even get started on the court, we talk about academics, discipline and being a good student,” Webb said. “It’s great that we can sit these kids down and talk with them about basketball and life. We’re able to use our experiences as former players to help them. The kids were shy (at the beginning), but they came today with a lot of questions, and it was great.”

Webb said it’s important to engage with the youth through sports because it keeps them active, and they can learn many things, such as leadership and respect.

“Basketball is a tool,” Webb said. “Everyone will not be able to play in college or professionally, but they can use basketball as a tool for the vehicle that gets them to the next place in life. There are a lot of different sports and activities out there. We just happen to do basketball, and we know kids love it when the ball bounces. We just want to use this tool to get their attention, keep them out of trouble, keep their grades up and help them be better people.”