MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - As the women's basketball camp season nears its end for another year, GoBlueRaiders.com sat down with camp director and assistant women's basketball coach Allison Clark to get an update on the camps. The Blue Raiders will host their final camp of the summer this weekend, the High Intensity Camp, Friday-Sunday.
Q: What are your main duties as director of the women's basketball camps?
A: I do just about everything. I organize all the camps from the food to the dorms to the facilities to the registration. Basically, the organization and running of each camp.
Q: Each year, the camps grow in numbers. How do you handle that situation?
A: My first year (in 2006), we had to throw camps together. Since then, our numbers continue to increase and we think it is important to get out into the community. All of our coaches (head coach Insell, assistant coaches Clark, Head and Hodges) go out and promote the program. When the brochures come in, we do our best to get them to as many people as possible and tell everyone about our camps.
We feel like we have as good of a camp situation as anyone in the country. Our numbers are growing and we add more counselors and space. We have had to use the Rec Center on campus a lot more.
Q: What do you look forward to most when it comes to camps?
A: Camp is always a fun time. I remember growing up and loving going to camp. It should be something kids look forward to each summer. I think it's important, especially Lil' Raider Camp, to make it fun and enjoyable. They are able to be around our players and interact with them. They like having relationships with them. I think that is one of the reasons why our numbers are growing.
We try to teach the game of basketball at our camps. We don't just divide up and play 5-on-5. We want those kids to come and know they have learned something from being here. We teach all the fundamentals that we can and the little things that will help them become better players. We also are nice to people and treat people the way they want to be treated. Hopefully that will entice them to come back the following year, especially with team camps. We work with the coaches and get them the games they want to play. And for high intensity camp, we know the parents don't want to pay all the money just to see their child scrimmage. We really break it down and teach the fundamentals. We take pride in doing that.
Q: What are the advantages of a Middle Tennessee women's basketball camp compared to other places?
A: The big advantage is that we do teach the game. We are located right in the middle of the state and are easy to get to. With the high school state tournaments being held here, a number of kids want to come play where they might end up playing one day for a state championship. We feel like we offer a great camp with our coaching staff being very involved in teaching. We don't just walk around and watch. We interact with the kids and want them to leave here as a better player.
It is a good place. There are good people all around. Our players are great. I couldn't think of a place you would want to go that has the team and players that we do and can help the campers become better players. They love helping other people, are good kids and just know the game of basketball. They may not be the biggest or tallest, but they do know the game. We teach everything at our practices and our kids understand that. They know its important to teach those same fundamentals to the little kids and to the high school players.
Q: There have been three camps completed already and one left this weekend. How would you access them to date?
A: It has been the best month of camps since I have been here. The numbers and excitement that everyone has had about camps continue to grow. We have had a lot of great feedback about all of our camps thus far. This weekend should feature the most campers since I have been here. We are looking to keep growing and that's our goal. We want to sell our dream, our product and our program to everyone out there. We feel as though we have one of the top programs in the country. We really take pride in teaching the game of basketball because that is what we feel is lacking elsewhere. We have had some great kids come by this summer, looking forward to more this weekend and helping them become better players.
For more information on this weekend's High Intensity Camp, please contact Clark at (615) 898-5356 or aclark@mtsu.edu.
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