Wayne County Commissioners and District Attorney's Office Sponsor Hoops Camps
HONESDALE — Summer has officially arrived here in northeastern Pennsylvania, so the youth sports spotlight is currently focused on the baseball and softball diamonds.
However, a dedicated band of local adults is making sure that basketball doesn’t fade completely from public consciousness.
The driving force behind this effort is Hall of Famer Ron Rowe, girls varsity hoops coach at Honesdale High School.
Coach Rowe just recently put the finishing touches on the 2022 Wayne County Commissioners Summer Basketball Camp. This year’s edition of the clinic was hosted by the Wayne Highlands School District and attracted nearly 100 participants.
“I’m very pleased with how everything went this year,” Coach Rowe said. “It’s great to see how our community always steps up to support our camp.”
The Commissioners Camp tips-off a busy summer of hoops action. Next up on the agenda is Stand Tall for Basketball. This annual clinic was founded by Wayne County President Judge Janine Edwards when she was District Attorney.
AG Howell, the current DA, now oversees the camp. The 2022 edition is scheduled to run from Tuesday, July 5 through Thursday, July 7 at Wayne Highlands.
“We are excited to provide kids of Wayne County an opportunity to learn basketball skills and teamwork, enjoy fellowship with each other, and have some fun,” Howell said.
Tipping It Off
A total of 75 girls grades 2-8 turned out for this year’s Commissioners Camp.
The group was divided into two segments with the younger girls based at Stourbridge Primary and the older players working out at the Middle School.
According to Coach Rowe, the clinic was focused on teaching fundamentals of both offense and defense. Shooting and ball handling drills were featured in addition to instruction in the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship.
“The most important thing is that the girls have fun,” Coach Rowe said. “We’re hoping to get them interested in basketball by having a good time with their friends.”
Honesdale assistant coaches and current varsity players also volunteered their time throughout the clinic.
Among those on hand to mentor campers were: Ed Martin, Jenna Kinzinger, Eric Goldstein, Kari Kromko, Dottie Rickard, Maurice Meagher, Lacey Utegg, Jessi Di Puma, Karsyn Kromko, Gillian Goldstein, Natalie Goldstein, Lily Murray, Lily Head, Ruby Martin, Kiley Brady, Reece Krajkovich, Meghan Dowling.
“I can’t thank them enough,” said Coach Rowe. “There’s no way this camp would happen without all of the time these coaches and players volunteer.
“Our players start building relationships with the kids at an early age, and they really look up to them. It’s so great to see our girls setting such a good example. They’re excellent role models.”
The Wayne County Commissioners also played a key role in the camp. Brian Smith, Joe Adams and Jocelyn Cramer offer their enthusiastic support for the clinic each and every year.
“We really appreciate everything the Commissioners do for us,” Coach Rowe said. “We’d also like to thank Alyssa Urban for all she did in acting as the liaison.”
Growing Tradition
AG Howell is a Honesdale graduate and an avid supporter of local youth sports.
Not surprisingly, Wayne County’s District Attorney was only too happy to take over Stand Tall for Basketball when he was voted into office in 2019.
“Any activity like this camp that brings our youth together is more important than ever,” Howell said. “We want to teach and show our children that positive interaction and respectful exchange of ideas are at the core of a great place to live, work and raise our families.”
This year’s camp will run over the course of three days. It’s open to boys and girls of all abilities, grades three through seven. The cost is $25 per camper and financial assistance is available. Players will receive snacks, drinks, t-shirt and a pizza party at the end of the last day.
Each session is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. and run until noon at both Stourbridge Primary and Lakeside Elementary. Counselors will offer instruction in all the fundamentals of the sport with an aim at imparting lessons that can be applied on and off the court.
When Janine Edwards conceived of the idea for this camp, one of the focal points was providing a positive experience for kids amid a sea of negative distractions.
The Stand Tall for Basketball mission statement explicitly states that it hopes to “inspire children to set goals and be motivated about their own future by providing guidance “ in areas like attitude, education, teamwork and healthy lifestyle.
That’s a philosophy that AG Howell whole-heartedly affirms … and one which the community comes out every year to support.
“We’re really grateful to our sponsors: the District Attorney’s Office, Dave’s Super Duper, Scarfalloto’s Restaurant, and Fox Ledge Spring Water,” he said. “Also a big thank you to our coaching staff and players from the Honesdale boys and girls basketball teams.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wayne County Commissioners District Attorney Summer Basketball Camps
