Siena Team Camp Helps Build Teams

During the last week of June, most people are excited for summer to start. Teachers are excited for the time off, parents are planning vacations, and seniors are saying goodbye as they graduate from high school. While this is all happening, underclassmen and their coaches are working to get better. They are working to find out who amongst their squad is going to lead the team in the upcoming winter season. Siena camp builds and molds teams. It builds camaraderie and team unity. I went to this camp as before my junior and senior seasons, and I enjoyed the time in the gym, as well as bonding in the dorms. It was an exciting beginning of summer, being able to get on the court with my classmates. Siena team camp offers your team a chance to play against different competition. Teams from all over the state come to build and compete. You are matched up against teams and players you wouldn’t play throughout the season, so you get a better idea of your strengths,weaknesses, and who can adapt well to different scenarios. While players don’t always play on travel teams in the spring, because of baseball and other sports, team camp also gets kids back up to speed and ready for summer leagues and open gyms.

This year we saw a mix of teams from around the state attend the camp. Port Jervis from downstate fielded a team, as well as Pearl River HS, which is just north of NYC. Coach Dave Doemel, Greg Stire and CBA were in the field, as well as Queensbury, Bishop Ludden from the Syracuse area, and the Kingston JV team headed by Tay Fisher. There were also a few area teams that had varsity and junior varsity. Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Voorheesville, Adirondack HS and Green Tech all featured the JV and Varsity teams. While the location for this camp is ideal for most in the Capital Region, being somewhat central, it also offers campers the experience of a college-type atmosphere. Players and teams who stay at the campus sleep in college dorms and have games throughout the morning and day, and have the evening to relax in their rooms. While winning is a central part of the game of basketball, Siena camp also offers an opportunity to work on and execute different offensive and defensive plays, as well as figuring out lineups that work well together, and just getting a nice feel for your team. This is not only a crucial time for coaches and returning varsity players, but this is the first time some of the JV players get a crack at the Varsity level, so adjusting to the speed of the game is crucial for molding your team.

All in all, Siena camp offers a variety of experiences- which I myself have enjoyed- that are very important in attempting to have a top tier basketball program. Developing and molding a team is difficult, but the offseason and team camps like Siena’s, offer a chance to find out what you have, who you have, and what you need to work on in the summer leagues and into the following season. We at Upstate Scouting Service would like to thank Siena College for their efforts, as well as the staff that makes it all happen.

– Robb Bareis Staff Writer