The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Patricia ‘Pattie’ Johnson has been a household name on the local high school scene, instructing many young girls and boys the basic skills of playing sports, particularly basketball and volleyball.

Today, she continues to make her contribution through the staging of the HO Nash Summer Camp where the youngsters also spend time in the classroom as they concentrate on their studies at the same time.

Johnson said this year’s camp has taken on a new twist and has been dubbed “College Bound” as they work on developing the skills of the campers for the future.

Now into its 19th consecutive year, Johnson said they have seen an influx of campers from both the public and private schools, although the emphasis was in the inner city communities.

Johnson, however, stated that whoever comes out to participate, they won’t turn them away because the aim of the camp is to assist as many youngsters as possible.

“Every morning after we do our devotions, we take them through the various drills of the sports,” Johnson said. “This week is ball handling as they work on their dribbling, catching and passing.

“Also during the morning session, we have classes set up for them to go and do some school work because we feel it’s important for them to get as much learning as possible.”

Once they are done at HO Nash, Johnson said around 4pm they move indoors where they work out for about two hours at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium. She thanked principal Harcourt McCoy for the assistance he has provided in that regard.

By the time they are finished at the end of July, Johnson said she hopes that the campers will be well-rounded student-athletes. The camp will close out with the awards presentation with the assistance from the various sponsors helping her out.

For the most part, many of the campers seem to be enjoying themselves and have expressed that they attend the camp on a regular basis because of the valuable lessons that they receive from Johnson on and off the court. “It’s a good programme, I love the sport of basketball and she’s a great coach,” said Calvanique Spence, a 15-year-old student of St John’s College who has been attending the camp since the age of five.

“I’ve learnt the basic skills of basketball, shoot and dribble, just about every skill there is. It’s a great sport to play and I would prefer coach Johnson to work with than any other coach because she’s a great coach who takes her time with you.”

Kylah Marshall, another 15-year-old student of St John’s College, said she too has attended the camp for at least 10 years and she has no regrets because it has helped to make her a better person.

“I’ve loved how to shoot, dribble and pass the ball, everything that you should be doing with the basketball,” she said. “I think we have a very sincere coach who is willing to help you to achieve all of the goals that you desire.”

Since he was five, Collin Storr has made the HO Nash Camp his destination and now at age 17, the 6-foot, 3-inch student of Bahamas Elite Sports Academy has developed to the point that he has been invited to attend a tournament in California. “The camp has taught me some life skills, manners and respect and that has stuck with me,” he said.

“This has helped me to become a better person and I know it’s done the same for others because I have seen the change in them.”

Storr, who will be heading to California on July 9 for the tournament, said he hopes that he can see many more players develop their skills so that they can be recognised.

One of those campers is Jumu Miller. This is just the first year that the 13-year-old graduate of HO Nash has attended the camp. But she likes what she has seen and is encouraging others to get involved.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far and I’m enjoying myself,” said Miller, who played under coach Johnson for the HO Nash junior girls’ basketball team. “Coach J works you hard, but I want to be able to leave my name here as one of those players who made a difference.”

So far, coach Johnson has made an impact on so many youngsters and she continues to do so year after year with the staging of the summer camp.