Sixty-eight girls ranging in age from six to 14 are working to improve their basketball skills at a basketball camp at Priceville High School this week.

The camp is being conducted in two sessions with girls in grades K-5 being instructed by head girl’s basketball coach Terri Nelson and assistant coaches Catrina Mason and Bryan Veal in the junior high gym. Retired Wallace State Community College girls basketball coach Larry Slater is conducting drills in the school’s varsity gym with the assistance of assistant coach Lim Walker.

Also assisting with the camp are returning members of the Priceville Lady Bulldogs team. They are Emilee Cunnngham, Alex Moore, Kenzie Price, Shyanne Stackhouse, McKenzie Parker, Peyton Parker, Jada Beverly, Brianna Gwin and Kayla Lucas.

“We break things way down for the younger girls,” said Nelson. “We do a lot of drills without the ball being in their hands. “ We don’t want them to be getting discouraged because they can’t do what the older girls do. At the same time we want them to begin developing basic skills such as shooting and dribbling the ball.” Above all, we teach persistence. We want them to try again and again until they become comfortable doing a particular skill.”

“With the older girls, we help them with their shooting form, work on rebounding and defense and teach them how to react and want to do in game situations,” said Slater. “We want them to have an all-around experience with the game, and hopefully it will carry over to next fall when they begin practice for a new season.”

The camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily and will conclude on Friday with a program designed to demonstrate what the campers have learned during camp.

Kineley Fhepparu, Clara Martin, Gracin Prater and James Ryan Gargis practice a right hand dribble drill at Priceville’s Girl’s Basketball Camp. | Clif Knight