[Printer Friendly Version]   [How to E-mail This Article to A Friend]

SPORTS ZONE 1: Philidelphia University to host Basketball Camp

Philadelphia University To Host Reebok's Premier Basketball Camp for Top High School Players July 6-10 Philadelphia University will host Reebok's premier basketball camp for the nation's top high school basketball players July 6-10, a showcase of talent expected to draw the top college coaches, NBA scouts and sports media in the country. In all, 120 of the nation's best high school hoops players will be invited to the five-day camp, including 65 chosen by a national selection committee made up of top high school coaches and evaluators. The remaining 55 spots will be awarded through the 17 Headliner Tryout Camps Reebok will host across the country, including one that will take place June 2-3 at Philadelphia University.

"This is a great opportunity for Philadelphia University," said Thomas Shirley, director of athletics and head women's basketball coach at the East Falls campus. "We have the newest facility in the city, and we're bringing to campus the top 120 high school players and top coaches in the country -- it's a win-win situation for Reebok, the players and for the University."

The five-day camp, called Rbk U, will focus on team court performance, individual playing skills and life skills and career seminars, according to Christopher Rivers, Reebok's director of basketball. But it will be the competitive games scheduled during the camp that will be the main attraction for the college recruiters and NBA scouts who will be seeking to identify the next great college or NBA hoops stars. Rivers said he expects more than 200 Division I coaches and recruiters to turn out for this year's camp, as well as sports reporters from about 150 media outlets.

"There will be some future stars there, although you may not know it now," Rivers said. "It may not be the kid who's playing well this year; a kid who's 6'3" now may be 6'7", 6'8" in a few years, put on 25 pounds and develop in a great college program."

Through these camps, he said, Reebok has a responsibility to help the players "fulfill their dreams, but not mislead them about the journey." Out of the 120 high school players at the camp, maybe 35 or so will "play for pay" at some level in the future, Rivers said. "But if they all leave the camp better young men, we've done our job."

Philadelphia University was chosen to host Rbk U because of its state-of- the-art facilities, location in a major city and the strong working relationship Athletic Director Shirley has with Reebok Sports Marketing Manager Brian Lee, a University alumnus. The University's Athletic and Recreational Facility, which opened this fall, features three full-size basketball courts.

According to Reebok, Rbk U will be the country's only traditional invitational All-American camp during the July evaluation period, given the elimination of Nike Camp and the Adidas Superstar Camp. The camp will be staffed by some of the top high school coaches in the country, including many from the Philadelphia region, Rivers said.

Article courtesy of PRNewswire.com
Visit their website at www.PRnewswire.com


Write your own story telling us what you think about this article!