As the off season for high school sports progresses, the Sweet Home High School girls basketball team continues to practice in order to gear up for their season. The girls were seen during their basketball camp June 17 and 18.
This camp is a yearly youth camp that allows the coach to get to know some of the younger kids in the community who are interested in the program and allows for key program fundamentals to be taught. According to Head Coach Erika Evans, kids as young as kindergarten were in attendance.
“[It] lets me figure out what kids are actually interested in basketball,” Evans said.
This camp can be a benefit to both the coach and the attendees, as the camp allows a relationship to be developed before they get to the high school level.
The camp began with guest speaker and husky alumni Brooke Burke, who helped teach different fundamentals. Burke is currently playing at the collegiate level for Pacific University.
During this camp, Evans had two guest speakers. The other one was Sydney Wiese.
According to wnba.com, Wiese was selected as number 11 overall in the 2017 WNBA draft, she played at Oregon State University and holds the all time Pac 12 three-point record. Along with playing at the collegiate level, Wiese was able to bring to the girls a little insight on how she got to where she was.
“You saw some of the light bulbs go on,” Evans said. “It’s not everyday that you get to have a top round draft pick working at your camp and helping you.”
Evans also commented on how the girls had lots of questions for Wiese, ranging from what her favorite ice cream was to how she got to where she was.
“It just gives them, these young women who are really awesome human beings and great basketball players to look up to with that exposure. It gives them the idea of like, hey, I could do that if I start doing this now,” Evans said.
This annual camp isn’t all of what is in store for the girls basketball team, as they’ve been practicing since school let out. Along with this, they have continued to play scrimmages and have more than 20 games planned throughout their summer league.
“We will definitely be having a yearly camp, and I’m hoping to continue having guest speakers,” Evans said.