The energy levels are high at the Nipissing Student Athletic Centre. Sunlight streams in through the high windows, near the ceiling.
Liam McKee, 11, shouts out, “Stance!”
The Junior Lakers jump into a defensive position, yelling, “Defense!”
It’s the first year for the Lakers Basketball March Break Camp and the turnout is impressively high.
Over 20 kids are present for Tuesday’s camp. They show up bright and early at 8:30 a.m. and stay there until 4 p.m.
Organized by Marg Jones, head coach for the Lakers’ women’s basketball team, and Chris Cheng, head coach for the Lakers’ men’s basketball team, the March Break Camp lasts the entire week.
“They learn the fundamental skills, the basics, and they have fun doing it,” Cheng stated.
Jones has run athletic camps for 20 years. This is her first year coaching the women’s basketball team.
“This gives the kids a chance to meet our athletes,” Jones said.
Members of the Lakers varsity teams assist with coaching the kids. The student coaches arrange their participation around their class schedules.
In addition to getting coaching experience, the students also get paid for their time. It’s a nice spare bit of income for a busy life at university while also doing something they enjoy.
The kids are enthusiastic about the activities, doing stretches and warm-ups in the morning and after lunch to ensure their muscles are ready for action.
And they’re all there to learn. When it’s time for a lecture from the coaches, they hush their teammates in order to hear what they have to say.
“The kids build a relationship with each other,” Cheng said.
When a ball goes awry, the kids help each other out. There’s a sense of teamwork and fair play when they start a game among themselves.
And while young McKee thinks the camp starts too early, earlier than classes at school, this is exactly where he wants to be.
“I’d rather be doing this,” he said.
