The Tiger Basketball Camp was held last week at the DeKalb County High School gym, with over 70 young players participating. DCHS Boys’ Basketball Coach Lynus Martin, DCHS Girl’s Basketball Coach Joe Pat Cope, DMS Girl’s Basketball Coach Josh Agee, and Assistant DCHS Girls’ Basketball Coach Alex Meadows were all on hand at the camp, teaching the fundamentals of the game. 
"We combine boys and girls, from ages five to 14," Coach Martin told the Smithville Review. "This is the third year we’ve combined the boys and girls together and we’ve had over 70 kids this week. It’s been a big success."
Coach Martin said that the camp not only helps the young players learn the game, it also is a way for the school coaches to evaluate the future of their own programs. "It’s a way for us to see the younger kids and how they’ve develop year to year," Martin said. "We do four skills contests, one each day. We do a hotshot, a free throw, a three-pointer, and a speed dribble, and we take the top five on each day. On the last day we put them together in each age group and kind of let them show what they’ve learned for their parents. Then we play live games to let them see some of the skills they’ve learned this week. 
"It’s basically, for me, a way for me to see how these kids have progressed and what they look like on the court," Martin continued. "I want to see these kids down the road for three or four years, and see what we’ve got and what we don’t have. Me and Coach Cope enjoy being around kids, so it’s always fun for me and enjoyable."
Coach Cope echoed Coach Martin’s words. "It’s the future of our program," he said. We’ve got 70-something kids. We started helping each other three years ago, so we can give each other input and tell each other who we think are the best girls in the camp and who are the best guys in the camp, and what they need to work on.  We can go to the parents and say ‘Hey, the kid’s doing great. Here’s what they need to work on,’ and hopefully when they come to our high school program, they’re prepared." 
Coach Cope said that learning proper techniques as kids start learning the game helps them be prepared for middle-school and high-school level play. "We want to start with the fundamentals while they’re early in the sport. With the young kids we just want to get the proper hand position, eyes up when they’re dribbling, and court awareness. It’s a lot easier to start them right, than when we get them to try to break those bad habits.
"Coach Agee is here from the middle school, so we’re even before that with these kids.  He can look at what’s coming to his school and we can see what’s coming to our school, and hopefully correct any mistakes so when they get to the school programs, they’re ready to focus on what we do."