The INDEE Youth Boys’ Basketball Camp continues to be well attended annually and this year was no different. 44 campers attended during the evenings throughout last week. There were campers in grades 5th through 9th register from East Buchanan/Winthrop, Independence, Jesup, and Maquoketa.
A common theme that sets Independence Youth Basketball Camp apart are the guest clinicians and guest speakers who attend each year. This year’s camp featured Clinician Marcus Hall on Sunday and Monday, while Coach Paxton Molinari spoke on Tuesday, and Coach Robbie Sieverding spoke to the campers on Wednesday.
Coach Marcus Hall coached several seasons at Highland High School in Riverside, Iowa and now directs the Kalona YMCA and runs several basketball clinics through his Hardwood Academy Training and Breakthrough Basketball.
Coach Paxton Molinari has coached at DIII Luther, NAIA Benedictine College, NAIA & DII Nebraska Lutheran, and now is the Associate Head Coach at DIII Coe College in Cedar Rapids.
Coach Robbie Sieverding is a local high school graduate of Bellevue, Iowa who went on to play one year at (JUCO) Marshalltown Community College before transferring to DI University of Northern Iowa to finish out his college basketball career. Coach Sieverding got his start in coaching as an assistant at the University of Dubuque and then in 2007 was promoted to the Head Men’s Basketball coach for the DIII Spartans.
Along with the guests, Head Coach Chad Beatty along with his junior high, high school coaching staffs, and high school players coordinate drills, contests, concepts, and competitions throughout the week. Each camper received a pair of NIKE ELITE socks for attending camp. Two “Hustlers of the Day” were named each evening and were nominated by the coaches and at least two contests were incorporated within the drills and activities for the night. Sunday evening camp was held from 6 to 9 PM, while Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday was from 7:00 to 9:30 PM.
“Youth Camp week continues to be one of the best weeks of the year for our players and staff. It allows me and our staff to meet and greet the younger players entering our program and evaluate where we are at with potential future participation and interest with the sport of basketball here in Independence. Getting to know the names and faces is an important component to the stability of the Boys Basketball Program. Kids want you to recognize them and know who they are, it’s important to them and I that we continue to take pride in knowing our past, present, and future INDEE Basketball Players” said Coach Beatty.
Hustlers of the Day:
Carson Cameron and Chase Kiler
Gabriel Kuennen and Isaac Wilcox
Ethan Cahalan and Lucas Sidles
Brady McDonald and Keelan Hoover
Trivia Winners and Special Mention Players:
Christopher Meyer * Josh Beatty * Kyle Williams
Block to Block Champions
Dawson Fuelling (5th & 6th Grade)
Chase Kiler (7th thru 9th Grade)
Free Throw Line Layup Champions
Dawson Fuelling (5th & 6th Grade)
Josh Beatty (7th thru 9th Grade) and Kyle Williams (7th thru 9th Grade)
HotShot Champions
Dawson Fuelling (5th & 6th Grade)
Brayden Ridder (7th thru 9th Grade) and Dylan Eisele (7th thru 9th Grade)
Knockout Champions
Jacob Mulford (5th & 6th Grade)
Ethan Wilcox (7th thru 9th Grade)
Drew Beatty (7th thru 9th Grade)
Free Throw Champions
Jacob Mulford (5th & 6th Grade)
Trey Weber (7th thru 9th Grade)