Lady Wildcats host Little Dribblers Basketball Camp

MARQUETTE — Over 200 children from kindergarten to third grade took part in the Little Dribblers Basketball Camp, hosted by the Wildcats women’s basketball team. The future ballers rotated around different stations to learn the basic skills, from dribbling to shooting.

“This is just an introductory for kids. This might be the first time they’ve actually been in the gym with a basketball for a lot of them. It’s a great experience for them. Hopefully, they learn something here and can bring it home with them, and maybe work on it and get themselves interested in the game of basketball,” Wildcats head coach Troy Mattson said.

The Lady Wildcats players also played a big part in the camp, which reminded them of basketball camps that they would attend when they were younger.

“In kindergarten, I remember going to summer camps all the time when I was younger. And I just loved it. I looked up to the coaches then, and I hope the kids do that to us. I’m sure they do. Definitely love starting young and getting in the gym when I was little,” said guard Darby Youngstrom.

“It’s important to get started at a young age because if you don’t, it’s hard to catch up to people. A lot of them seem to love it and they’ll probably continue, either with a small AAU program or a club program, before they get into their middle school ages where they will be on a regular team at their middle school and into their high school years,” Mattson said.

For more information on basketball camps that will be held this summer, head to the NMU Wildcats website.