Licking County graduates take turn coaching during Helfer basketball camp
NEWARK — Keshawn Heard might be a natural coach.
The Newark graduate is taking a momentary break from playing between the lines to wearing a whistle this week. He is assisting with the Mike Helfer Basketball Camp at Newark High School.
"I have always known coach Helfer since high school. He has been a great friend of mine and helped me here and there with my skill, and being down there and competing against him, I learned more about him as a person," said Heard, who has played three seasons at West Georgia and transferred to Ohio Dominican during the spring.
"I am just trying to give back and help kids in the community learn how to hoop," Heard added. "I've heard I am pretty good (at coaching). It's probably something I will think about in the near future."
Helfer, a Newark Catholic graduate, has been the head coach at Valdosta State University since 2005. A stop back home in Licking County is a regular part of his summer.
Monday morning’s first session had about 40 players ranging from grades six to eight. It finished with spirited games of 3-on-3, but those came after a busy morning of work.
"Parents get confused, and they try to advance the young kids too fast," Helfer said. "Learn how to dribble, pass and shoot. We work on basic stuff at the college level that I think parents would be surprised at how simple it is."
Helfer’s lasting message for the first day was the importance of frequent and consistent work. What players do in the summer will be reflected in their opportunity and performance next winter.
That is a lesson Watkins Memorial graduate Ethan Stearns learned at a young age. He has one more season at Bluffton University and is an instructor this week after being a camper as a youth.
"I was running the shooting drill, so my biggest thing with them was making sure they held their follow through," Stearns said. "A lot of them just kind of flick it up there. That's one of the most fundamental parts of your shot."
Helfer, who starred at Capital University and made stops at Kent State and Grand Valley State as an assistant before a successful eight-year tenure as head coach at Southern Polytechnic State, has had quite a run in Georgia, winning more than 300 games. The Blazers have dominated the Gulf South Conference and are a perennial top 25 team in NCAA Division II.
Helfer’s instructors Monday included young assistants Brad Burkholder from the Newark staff and Dow Jones and Dani Evans from the NC staffs. He enjoys seeing the transition from player to coach.
"The college players enjoy the interaction with the young kids, but they also understand a little bit about how coaching is hard to get someone to do what you think they should do," Helfer said. "It's challenging, but it's also very rewarding when you do see that happen."
Heard’s playing days are not quite over. His family and friends will enjoy seeing him close to home.
Heard led the Wildcats to Ohio Capital Conference-Capital Division and Division I district championships in 2019.
"(Playing at West Georgia) was a great learning experience," Heard said. "Me coming back home was truly to be back near family, a better opportunity and a chance to be around people I used to play with."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County grads coach during Mike Helfer Basketball Camp
