This year’s camp was truly special, due to the special support and sponsorship of the U.S. Embassy, Abuja. From October 11 – 14th, we held a 4-day basketball camp in Jos, Nigeria. This was a very rewarding experience for the 55 campers, coaches, and the people of Jos. Below is a summary of how things went at the camp.
Pre-camp commitment
Through the sponsorship of the U.S. Embassy, we were able to renovate a very critical basketball court to the history of Jos basketball – the court at TCNN (Theological College of Northern Nigeria). This court hadn’t been renovated in over 50 years but yet, has been used by a lot of players including those that started basketball in Jos but now play in the U.S. We’re so glad we could help provide a safer and more enjoyanle environment for the next wave of Jos players.
Day 1: Coaches Clinic
We held a clinic where the Next in Line coaches shared in-depth knowledge and training to 25 coaches based in Jos. This was an opportunity for the Jos coaches to learn from very experienced coaches who have coached at the Nigerian National League level and even represented Nigeria at various global competitions. The goal here was for Next in Line to share knowledge with the Jos coaches so that even after the camp is done in Jos, the Jos coaches can continue to impact great knowledge and teaching on the players in their respective academies. With the clinic, we ensure the continuity of Next in Line’s teachings even beyond the camp.
Day 2: Camp start
This was the kick-off of the camp where we had 30 boys and 25 girls from various basketball academies in Jos. On this day, we focused on the fundamentals of shooting, passing, and dribbling. The players also got to meet the coaches and their teammates. We ended the fist day of camp with some dancing and fun. Day 1 was electrifying and started the camp on a great note.
Day 3: Defensive fundamentals
We focused this day on defense. Shuffling, closing out, help defense, and communication were all key learnings on this day. We also discussed some life skills and shared motivational stories with the campers to explain the opportunities that are really possible through basketball. The camps also got to scrimmage and put their learnings from the previous day and this day into practice. It was a very energetic day.
Day 4: All-star game
On the final day of camp, we spent a bit of time on practice, then we got into games. The campers played a few games against each other where All-stars were selected. The All-star game was electrifying with amazing dunks, shooting, and great defense as well. We ended the day with certificates for all campers, prizes for the best players & MVPs, food, music, and picture-taking to crystallize the great memories.