Camps put fun back into summer sports

While recruiting has been revolutionized in the past 15 years with the evolution of blogs and 24-hour news outlets, there are some recruiting traditions that remain the same: summer camps.

And although some players do use the camps to get noticed by college coaches, the main principle is improving the campers’ skills — and for them to enjoy it.

The camps remain a fun part of many children’s summers, and the focus is still on the kids, not recruiting.

“I think they are less about recruiting,” IU men’s basketball assistant coach Tim Buckley said. “It’s more about teaching the game of basketball and the fundamentals of the game and having fun with the game and those kind of things.”

The Hoosier football camps also focus on teaching the game, IU football coach Bill Lynch said.

“There are a lot of kids growing up in the state that look forward to participating in our football camps,” Lynch said. “We have a variety of camps that fit the needs of kids, from youth to young men entering their senior years in high school.

“It is a great opportunity for them to experience a camp where you are teaching the fundamentals of the game and exposing them to other kids from other schools.”

While fundamentals and learning the odds and ends of the game might be a focus, there is an added plus: Camp attendees get to see the school at a different level than they might have observed during traditional recruiting visits, said Shannon Flower, incoming IU freshman soccer player.

“I thought of college camps as a fun and easy way to get to know the college coaches and players of the schools I was looking at,” Flower said. “It wasn’t really to get noticed, just a way for me to get a feel about how the coaches are on and off the field.”

IU basketball recruit Jeremy Hollowell echoed Flower’s sentiments on getting to see the coaches in their natural settings.

“I think they are used more for the coaches to bond with the players and to build a relationship,” Hollowell said. “Also, (the camps are used to) evaluate each player against other recruits and other (Division I) prospects and get training hands-on from college players and coaches.”

And while Hollowell will not attend an IU camp this summer, he plans on attending other college camps, as well as several Amateur Athletic Union events and tournaments.

Lynch said coaches are very hands-on with the campers and that all of the position coaches are involved.

He also added that the camp fundamentals taught are very similar to what the current players are taught.

But, he said, having fun is the most important part.

“We want them to have a great experience,” Lynch said. 

Another positive for camps is the exposure they bring the school.

“One of the things is we get kids all over the country at camp, so they take the information home from camp to their club or high school programs and they’ll tell their friends, their teammates their coaches about their experience at camp,” IU women’s soccer coach Mick Lyon said. “That’s one of the biggest kinds of exposures that we get.”

Both Buckley and Lynch agreed, saying the camp allowed people to come see IU.
“I think it’s great exposure in terms of getting people to campus and a chance to see our beautiful campus and University,” Buckley said.

Lynch added that participants also have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the University’s athletic establishments.

“We have a beautiful campus and tremendous athletic facilities,” Lynch said. “Any time we can get kids on our campus and show them what Indiana University is about is very important. ... When they spend time here and realize how friendly everyone is, they see it is a great place to go to school.”

However, while the camps are not meant or used as recruiting tools, they can leave a good enough impression on participants that IU can have new athletes committing to the school.

“The interaction with the IU players and coaches were a huge factor in choosing IU,” Flowers said. “I absolutely loved the enthusiasm that the coaches brought to the game, and all the players were really great and seemed like awesome girls.

“It made me want to play for them and be coached by them. It made me really want to be a Hoosier.”