More than 80 kids have attended the annual basketball camp being held this week at the Troy Recreation Center. Athletes ranging from 6 years old up to 16 years old have come out to the camp all week long to work on the skills and fundamentals needed to improve in the game of basketball.

“It has been a great turnout. Every day we have more and more kids,” said Camp Director Justin Cope. “When I started, we had 45 kids, and now we have more than 80. We have been teaching them about hard work and discipline. It really makes you feel good as a coach to see all these kids.”

In the camp’s sixth year at the recreation department, along with seeing a consistent up tick in attendance, Cope has noticed he has a more diverse group of students coming out.

Both boys and girls in the camp are from all over Pike County. One of the boys came all they way from New Orleans to participate in the camp.

“The kids have had a great reaction to the camp,” Cope said. “Most of these kids have come out every single year. I get asked all throughout the year when the camp is going to be.”

During the camp, the older players are mainly separated from the younger players to work on different drills and fundamentals. Since the older players have more experience, Cope and his staff work on more sophisticated and complex drills with those athletes. The younger players work on the more basic drills in hopes of learning basketball the correct way.

“We have been working on ball handling, jump shots and free throws,” said Bradley Caldwell, a camp participant. “I have been working on passing and getting my jump shot right. My favorite things are the scrimmages. I am learning to be respectable while I’m here.”

“My favorite thing is shooting hoops,” said Ciara Larred, another camper. “The teachers show us how to shoot better and get into position defensively.”

With the camp starting at 8 a.m., the campers line up in anticipation, ready to play and learn the game of basketball.

Along with learning the game of basketball and the skills needed to take the game to the next level. Cope hopes to teach life lessons that will impact the players’ lives well beyond their time on the basketball court.

“I hope they get a valuable lesson and they learn the value of trying hard,” Cope said. “I teach them to never stop working for their goals and to make sure they hit the books to make sure they keep their grades up in school. Basketball will always go away. One day they’re going to wake up, and it’s going to be gone. One thing they can’t take away is their education. Whether they want to play basketball, football or baseball, they have to work hard.”

While at the camp, Cope stresses to his players that the camp is not a vacation and that his players will work hard everyday while at the camp.

The basketball camp will conclude today at the gym with a basketball tournament along with an award ceremony at the end of the day.