The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

Phoenix Suns All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker paid a visit to the 10th edition of the Elite Skills Summer Basketball camp yesterday at the Kendal G L Isaacs gymnasium.

Durant and Suns’ shooting guard Devin Booker have been in The Bahamas since the beginning of the week and have been enjoying the sporting facilities at the gym.

The Elite Skills Camp started on June 26 and will continue until July 18 for both girls and boys.

The camp is geared towards participants ages 4-18 to teach them the basic fundamentals of the basketball game.

Denycko Bowles, director of International Basketball Academy (IBA), talked about the NBA players’ special visit.

“The visit has been good especially for the campers in terms of them not only being able to see but to feel and experience NBA players, not only Kevin Durant but also Devin Booker,” Bowles said. He added that for the campers their momentum has definitely picked up and they have been even more enthusiastic and feel like they can be the next great Bahamian NBA or WNBA players.

Overall, both players were a great motivation for the kids at large, encouraging them to stay focused and continuing to work hard, according to Bowles.

At this year’s camp, the participants will learn how to improve their basketball IQ, basketball footwork skills, advanced ball handling, offence and defence critiquing and training, as well as strength and resistance training.

With the camp already off to an exciting start for over 100 boys and girls combined, Bowles talked about how things are going from a coaching standpoint.

“It’s been really good, the kids have been extremely enthusiastic and have come every morning with high anticipation of camp and in camp routines throughout the day and we have grown in numbers which speaks to the hard work we have put in the camp for the boys and girls,” Bowles said.

After 10 years of dedication and hardwork, camp organisers are focused on teaching the budding athletes how to become better citizens from a student, spiritual and athletic standpoint so that they can be productive members in society.

Bowles said the best celebration for him after a decade of existence is seeing the youth develop and progress into model citizens.

“There is no greater feeling that would last like seeing these kids in their element and to watch them be successful at what they do, to see the excitement on their faces has been the greatest reward this year and for years to come,” he said.

Among the other special appearances for the campers will be Dr Tyneil Cargill, who is a medical physician in The Bahamas, to offer the participants perspectives from different walks of life outside of sports.

The summer months are usually a busy time for the various camps across the different sporting disciplines in the country.

The Elite Skills Summer Basketball camp gets underway from 9am to 2pm.