Westside High coach hosts first youth basketball camp

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Summer camps give young athletes the chance to hone their skills, fall in love with a game, and have fun at the same time.

This week Westside Head Basketball Coach Jerry Hunter is hosting his first youth basketball camp.

Westside’s state championship-winning mentality and approach to the game are being passed on to all the young ballers in attendance at the first annual Jerry Hunter Basketball Academy.

“We decided to get out into the community and become a part of the solution. There’s a lot going on now, so coaches in the area, we come out and do something for the kids,” said Hunter.

Aja Richardson, participant, said: “This is my first time going to a basketball camp in the summer. They have a lot to teach us and they’re teaching us all they can in these three days and it’s very nice.”

The main focus of this camp is the fundamentals.

Landen Carpenter, participant, said: “Passing is important, so you know, I know the right passes. When to make them, and mindset is important so I can stay within the game and not get distracted easily or stuff like that.”

Hunter said: “A lot of the time, everything now is kind of ball dominant. So, we try to teach them to share the ball, but more so importantly, to be good teammates and understand the importance of sportsmanship.”

Larry Washington, participant, said: “It’s very fun. I’m meeting a lot of friends here, and learning from people like the coaches here, and they’ve won state championships and it’s great to learn from them.”

It’s not every day you get to pick up a few pointers from a three-time state championship-winning head coach.

Khalon Hudson, Westside alumni, said: “They don’t realize it, and they’re probably not going to realize it until they get older, who this man is, and they’re going to realize, oh my gosh that’s cool. Like, that’s amazing.”

Receiving some advice from a couple of Westside alums who know a thing or two about winning on Georgia’s biggest stage has its bonuses too.

“I know that I was in their shoes once, and I know what I learned from camps like this, and I just know how it made me evolve as a person and as a player both on and off the court,” said Hudson.

Aumauri Tillman, Westside alumni, said: “This type of stuff right here is what keeps us grounded. Just being able to give back and be around these kids as they’re still learning. Understanding that no matter how good I become or how good people think that I am, there’s always things to work on.”

They had a Little Campers vs. Counselors game towards the end of the day too, which was fun for everyone involved.

Carpenter said: “That was fun. They blocked all our shots. It was cool. I enjoyed it!”

Dan Booth: “Are you looking forward to getting some payback tomorrow?”

Carpenter: “Yeah, for sure. I’m dunking on all of them!”

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