While basketball season doesn’t begin for another four months, Midway’s program is wasting no time in making sure that they are prepared for not only this upcoming season but also those for years to come.
Led by Midway girl’s head coach Jennifer Honeycutt, the camp features rising fifth through ninth grade girls at the Midway High School gymnasium for four hours in the morning from Monday until Wednesday.
The number of campers has grown each year since Midway began the camps in the summer of 2009.
“It’s been really successful,” Honeycutt said of the camp. “It works out well. We’re building our program.”
With current and past Lady Raiders there to lead the drills and instruct the campers, the program feeds off of itself as it looks to teach younger basketball players fundamentals and individual skills that they may not have time to receive once the season begins.
“They have to take these skills in the summer as soon as they can get them and go home and work on them,” continued Honeycutt. “When basketball season starts, it’s more so about the plays and defense. This works on the individual aspects and gives them key things to get the fundamentals down so they can build on them later.”
Help from a number of sponsors has allowed the camps to run smoothly. These sponsors provide each camper with snacks during the day as well as a t-shirt, bag, and basketball.
“It couldn’t have been possible if not for support from our community,”attested Honeycutt.
Last basketball season, the Lady Raiders improved their overall record by three games and saw their league record jump from 2-12 to 7-7. For this improvement to continue, Honeycutt works to make sure that work ethic, as well as an excitement for the game, is instilled in all of those associated with the Midway basketball program.
“It’s already started,” Honeycutt responded to the question of how soon she expects to see the skills taught during these camps reflect on the basketball season. “We’re obviously improving. But every year when we get new kids in we’ve got to keep building. Right now, we’re putting down that foundation.”
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