How to Spot the Best Basketball Camps in California
How to Spot the Best Basketball Camps in California
How to spot the best basketball camps in California
There’s an old saying in basketball that teams are made in the winter and spring, but players are made in the summer.
Right now, basketball players all across the Sunshine State are making plans to spend their summers working on their games. Some will spend it in the gym, others in the driveway or the park, and some may attend a basketball camp or two. But with a limited time to work on their game, and hundreds of options to choose from, what are the best basketball camps in California for their own personal development?
Here are 4 things that we’ve found that may help you make a decision:
1) Local College vs. Brand Name:
Most local colleges and universities have their own summer basketball camps, but they’re not the only game in town. The best basketball camps in California are often one of the brand name camps that happen to run sessions in your neck of the woods. Camps like Five Star, Point Guard College, and Hoop Group have sessions that run out of local high schools and colleges all over California, so make sure you take a look at what’s coming up in your area beyond the local options. The best basketball camps in California may be IN your backyard, but they don’t have to be FROM your backyard!
2) Player Exposure vs. Player Development:
Players go to different basketball camps for different reasons, so finding the best basketball camp for you largely depends on what you’re looking for. Some camps like Five Star and ABCD tend to attract players looking to get noticed by college coaches and AAU teams, and therefore have more games being played throughout the day. Other camps like Point Guard College and Hoop Group develop players by offering instruction beyond the hardwood. Choosing from among the best basketball camps in California may largely depend on whether you’re looking to get better, or get noticed.
3) On Court vs. Off Court Development:
Some of the best basketball camps in California may not spend all their time on the court doing drills and playing games. These days, the top basketball camps out there also offer video analysis, leadership training, and breaking down basketball related concepts in the classroom setting to develop a player’s mind and leadership abilities off the court. With so much of the game being mental, it’s important to consider the value of spending time learning how to think the game and not just how to play. The best basketball camp for you may offer more of the latter.
4) Day Camps vs. Overnight Camps
Some of the best parts about basketball camp are not the time you spend on the court, but the time you spend making relationships that will last a lifetime. The best basketball camps in California don’t have to have an overnight component, but if that’s what you’re after, make sure you determine how many days and how many nights your camp offers so you can get the best value for your dollar.
Summary:
As Californians all over the state plan for another summer on the hardwood, think hard about your options for how you’re going to spend your time. If attending some of the best basketball camps in California is part of your plan, make sure you take a few of these thoughts into consideration so you can get the best experience possible this summer.
In terms of sheer physical stature, Dena Evans probably did more with less than just about any point guard that ever played the game. Only 5′4″ tall, Dena was named “Miss Basketball” in the state of Texas as a high school senior and then became a star at the University of Virginia, where she led her teams to three NCAA Final Four appearances and a 118-17 record during her four-year career.
As a senior at UVA, Dena received the Frances P. Naismith award as the country’s top collegiate player under 5′7′. After college, she played professionally in the ABL and in professional leagues overseas. In 2002, Dena was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Women’s Basketball Team.
Dena’s pursuit of excellence was never confined to the basketball court. A Rhodes Scholar Finalist and Magna Cum Laude graduate with a degree in economics, she was selected as one of the top ten student-athletes in the nation as a senior and earned First Team Academic All-American honors for three consecutive years.
A former PGC graduate herself, Dena has directed the Point Guard College since 2002, and is committed to carrying on the legacy and teachings of her long-time friend and mentor Dick DeVenzio, who founded PGC in the early 90s and directed it until his death in 2001. Dena is Owner and Chairman of Point Guard College and will co-direct Advanced Concepts on the PGC Tour ‘09.
