WILLIAMSTOWN - "The Total Package Basketball Camp" is being held at Wood County Christian School this week.
Tuesday was the second day of the camp, which features boys and girls entering grades 3-9 from all around the Mid-Ohio Valley area. The camp kicked off on Monday and will run everyday from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. until Thursday.
Dan Ellis, the head coach of the Wood County Christian boys basketball team, assembled the camp and said the objectives are pretty clear.
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JORDAN HOLLAND The Marietta Times
Ron Warner gives instructions at “The Total Package Basketball Camp” for boys and girls at Wood County Christian School Tuesday.
"We're working on skills and fundamentals," Ellis said. "We try to emphasize teamwork and make sure they are having fun."
The camp is broken up into age groups, and each age group rotates into different stations. The stations include defense, ball handling, dribbling, passing, and shooting drills. The kids also get to play 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 games, as well as "Knockout."
"We try to incorporate some fun," Ellis said. "For the most part, it is a fun atmosphere. We try to teach the kids respect, and to treat each other the right way and play the game the right way."
Over 50 kids were in attendance at the camp. Along with Ellis, a few coaches from around the area were in attendance, including Ron Warner and Darren Stevens. Ellis also had several former players helping out, including Cody Gutberlet, Nate Lord, and John Mark Conaway.
Gutberlet, a key member of the 2010 state championship team, attended the camp as a kid and said it helped him grow as a player.
"This is the only camp I ever went to," Gutberlet said. "It's a lot about learning the fundamentals, and it's fun while you learn. I've been coming here since 5th or 6th grade. It's good for the kids to have a camp like this."
Gutberlet, currently a student at Ohio Valley University, graduated from Wood County Christian in 2011 and enjoys coming back to help.
"I went here from pre-school through kindergarten, so I have a heart for the basketball team," Gutberlet said. "I want to see them succeed. I have a good relationship with Coach Ellis and he always makes it fun."
As for Ellis, he said he loves teaching the game to the kids and seeing them develop as players.
"I enjoy having fun with the kids and helping them learn the game of basketball," Ellis said. "A lot of them are at the beginning stages of learning to dribble, pass, and shoot. Also, a lot of the kids are here every year, so it's fun to see them grow up."
