Choosing the Right Camp or Clinic

Have you developed an interest in the game & just wanting to try it out?

Do you want to work on fundamentals & build a strong foundation?

Are you pretty comfortable with the essentials & looking to learn new things or practice different skills?

Do you want to get in game-like reps as well as compete against others?

By answering these questions, you can narrow down which camps and clinics would be a good fit for you.

Investigate the types of camps and clinics offered by looking at their themes, information about who the activity is for, & their schedules, if available.

How much time is spent on instruction? Is the camp or clinic primarily drills-based? Is it primarily games? What is the age group? What is the capacity limit?

If you are looking for an instructional camp, a significant amount of time should be spent on teaching and doing drills. In fact, we would go as far as to say the majority of time. Repetition is key for building muscle memory. Although it can be monotonous, repetition (& patience) is how players get better.

Instructional activities will promote an environment where learning is the primary function. So, in addition to looking at the time spent on instruction, the amount of players at a camp or clinic will also affect both teaching & learning. For instance, 1 instructor to 50 or 60 players is not a good ratio. One coach cannot offer assistance to all players that may need it throughout a drill. Ratios of 1:10 or 1:15 are much more manageable. Why? Because these ratios are similar to a traditional practice setting for a team.

Lastly, games should be the least important aspect of an instructional camp or clinic. When drills can become monotonous, a couple short games can be useful in breaking up the segments. Games at the end to implement learned-skills can also be beneficial. But if 1/3 or even 1/2 of the camp or clinic time is spent on games, there hasn’t been enough time spent on instruction. More time on games means that time was taken away from teaching & learning skills.

So, if you aIe looking for instructional camps & clinics, research ahead of time to make sure the coach-to-player ratio is ideal. Also check that there will be significant time spent on teaching & drills, instead of games.

If you are looking for a play-based camp or clinic that has more games, you can also research this. Play-based activities should still offers instruction & some opportunity for learning. However, it won’t be a significant amount of time. You can find this information again by investigating the themes, who the activity is for, & the schedules, if available.

When researching, you want to pay closer attention to the age groups, any skill requirements that may be posted, whether or not players are able to “play up” or be moved to groups more in line with their skill level, & what kind of games & instruction is offered.

It’s also important to remember that games can be played anywhere for FREE. This includes the rec, the park, at school, etc. So, if you are paying for this at a camp or clinic, you’ll want to look for specific types of games, including, but not limited to: controlled scrimmages, 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3. Sometimes players can get lost in a 5v5 regular game setting, but camps & clinics that offer more of a variety of playing options, the better.

The number of games played will also always directly affect the time players have to actually learn. Smaller, more organized play settings allow for more touches & more playing time for all players.

Mini skillset competitions are also a great tool for learning. Play-based camps & clinics will have a significant amount of time spent on games. But the kinds of games offered is going to be a key piece to whether or not players still have a chance to get better.

So, be sure to research the themes, who the activity is for, any skill requirements, the schedules, & the kinds of games or instruction offered will help you choose a play-based camp or clinic.

Let’s be honest: A lot of players enjoy attending new activities and events with people they know. Part of growing in life though is also learning how to handle the unknown. Whatever your current comfort level is, that’s ok.

We love to work with local players & see friends encouraging & challenging each other at camps & clinics. However, we also will teach players to step out of their comfort zones as well. Always attending local activities will not give you the variety of competition your player may need nor help them improve as a player as they get older.

If you have the time & the means to be able to do so, we always recommend for players to go outside their area for basketball camps & clinics. Working in multiple states has allowed us to see varying levels of skill even within the same age group. What one player & family views as “high level”, “club level”, or “advanced” may not line up to what we’ve seen elsewhere for that players’ particular age/grade.

Being able to learn & play in different states is a luxury that not many families can afford, but it does offer a better perspective on where players are truly at skill-wise.

For players that enjoy our coaches, we do work in multiple states. So you are always welcome to sign-up for Ball Out camps & clinics elsewhere. But we also will always encourage variety for teaching as well, so that young athletes have many different resources & people to learn from. Be sure to check out offerings from other organizations outside your area.

Playing basketball & having success is about more than just the skills you bring on-court. Being well-rounded as an athlete can also involve studying the game as well as becoming a high-character person.

When researching a basketball camp or clinic, look for other activities they may offer that improve young athletes as a whole or help them understand parts of the game they were not familiar with. These things could include basketball IQ classes, recruitment information, film study/breakdown, as well as mentorship programs.

We have worked with a lot of middle schools & high schools and the #1 piece of advice we can give to young athletes is:

Attend WHATEVER basketball activities/events are offered at the school you want to play for!

Getting in front of middle & high school coaches early is important for both development & exposure. Players can get an early jump on learning the coaching style of their potential future coach, the terminology the coaching staff uses, & the system of play at their next school.

It’s also important to remember that not all middle school & high school camps or clinics will be “elite”. School team athletes are much different than a club team. On a club team, everybody (ideally) is the best from their areas. However, on a school team, there may only be one or two all-star caliber players.

However, this is true at the collegiate level as well, which is one reason why college coaches prefer to speak directly with coaches at educational institutions over AAU or club teams. School teams have great players & they also have role players. There is not enough credit/acknowledgement given about the impact & recruitability of role players at all levels of basketball.

There is so much more to learn from playing on school teams these days, such as how to grow within a program, leadership, helping those around you be better, bench etiquette, school spirit, & how to represent a community, among many other things. All of which are needed from athletes looking to play at the next level, as well as to have success in life.

Therefore, if coaches or a school program you hope to play for one day are putting on a camp or clinic, we encourage all athletes to attend them every chance they get! And furthermore, our in-house Division 1 coach even goes as far as to encourage players to prioritize it over club sports if there is a scheduling conflict.