How should I choose a basketball camp for an experienced player?

Home > Parents > Basketball Camps > How should I choose a basketball camp for an experienced player?

Coach with two young basketball players at indoor court during camp

Choose a basketball camp that challenges your child where they need it most. If they struggle to use a skill under pressure, look for a camp that teaches it, gives them individual feedback, and lets them try it against live defenders. If their main goal is to compete against stronger players or play in an exposure setting, a showcase may be a better fit. Before you register, ask how the camp groups players and who will actually coach your child.

Just because a player has several years of experience or plays on a competitive team doesn't mean they've mastered the fundamentals. Some of the most experienced players still have weaknesses in their footwork, ball handling, shooting mechanics, or decision-making that can benefit from focused instruction. I’ve also seen experienced players embrace that same work because they wanted coaching on something they couldn’t yet do in a game. It helps to talk with your child about what they want from camp before you start comparing options.

Start with what happens in games

Picture a high school guard who handles the ball well in practice but picks up their dribble when a defender pressures them in the backcourt. For that player, I’d look for a ball handling camp where they can work on changing speeds and keeping their dribble against a live defender. Ask the camp director how often players get to work against that kind of pressure.Watch for one situation that keeps coming up, then ask your child or their coach what they see. Two ninth graders can have the same years of experience and very different needs. One might need work getting past the first defender, while the other gets to the rim but rarely finishes with their weaker hand.

Several skills need work. A general skills camp can be a good fit if your player needs work in several areas. Ask how coaches adapt those drills for players who already know the basics.
One problem keeps showing up. Look for a camp that spends time on that skill in the situations where your child struggles.
They already know what to work on. Consider whether another camp is the best next step or whether your child would benefit more from practicing what they've already learned. Sometimes the biggest improvement comes from applying previous instruction consistently rather than attending another camp.

Ask how coaches make familiar drills harder

Take a crossover. With a developing player, I might work on keeping their eyes up and controlling the ball through the move. With an advanced player, I can use the same crossover and add a live defender. Now the player has to read the defender and decide whether and when to use it.If your child already knows the drills on the camp schedule, ask how the coaches build on them. Can the player try the skill against someone who’s actively trying to stop them? Will a coach tell them what to adjust and give them another chance to try it? Those details tell you what your child will be working on once the drill starts.

Ask the camp director these three questions

How will you decide which group my child trains with?
What I’d look for. Ask what coaches look for when they assess players and whether they’ll move a player who needs more challenge or support.
What would make me hesitate. Groups are set by grade and stay fixed, even when the pace is wrong for a player.
How much instruction and feedback will my child get?
What I’d look for. Ask for an example of how a coach corrects a player during a drill or game and gives them a chance to apply the feedback.
What would make me hesitate. The director talks about playing time but can’t explain when coaches step in to teach.
Who will be on the court teaching my child?
What I’d look for. Ask who will work with your child’s group, what experience they have teaching that age, and how the lead coach supports assistants.
What would make me hesitate. You get the featured coach’s résumé but no clear answer about who teaches your child’s group.

A camp can serve a wide range of ages and still challenge an experienced player if coaches adjust the groups, drills, and competition. At Breakthrough Basketball, we generally group players by age and ability whenever possible. Our coaches also work to adjust drills and competition to challenge players at different skill levels. If you’re looking at a specific session, ask how the staff plans to group players there.

I’ve worked with coaches who never played college basketball and are outstanding teachers. When an assistant is still learning to coach, I want the lead instructor moving around the gym, helping them set up drills and showing them what to correct.Once you know what your child wants to work on, you can browse Breakthrough Basketball camps and use those three questions to narrow down your options.

Look for something your child can keep working on

Say your child struggles to finish with their off hand. After a three-day camp, I’d want them to understand the footwork, how to finish, and which drills to keep practicing. On the ride home, ask them to tell you one thing they’ll work on next. A few weeks later, watch what they do in a game when the defense takes away their strong hand. Are they more willing to try the finish they practiced?That’s the kind of progress I’d look for. I’d be skeptical of promises of dramatic improvement in a few days or guarantees of college exposure or scholarships. The work your child does after camp is what helps a new skill show up in games.