Faith Christian Summer Hoops Camp Wins Big With Students

Campers from across the Tri-Cities enjoyed expert guest coaching, fun drills and competition and opportunities to develop their skills at this year's Faith Christian Academy Summer Basketball Camp. The 15th annual camp for boys and girls in grades 3 to 8 took place August 19 to 22 in FCA's gymnasium.

The camp opened with guest instruction from Jordan Delks, assistant men's basketball coach at Judson University in Elgin. Coach Welk's topic was ballhandling. After sharing his Christian testimony, the former Indiana high school and collegiate standout ran campers through a variety of drills designed to improve their dribbling skills and introduce them to dribbling moves they could practice on their own.

The topic for August 20 was defense. Mike Hurn, sports and outreach pastor at Christ Community Church in St. Charles, instructed campers in how to play solid defense on and off the ball. Hurn, who coached high school basketball in Iowa for 31 years prior to entering full-time ministry, then taught campers how to execute a trapping team defense that generates turnovers and leads to fast break baskets. Coach Hurn also shared with campers the three ways they can avoid life's traps: be content with what they have, obey God's commands in His Word and tell others about Jesus. Hurn has guest coached at FCA's basketball camp for nine years.

On August 21 Don Davidson taught campers the finer points of shooting. Davidson coached for 33 years at Aurora Christian High School and 10 years at Yorkville HS, winning  631 games in his high school coaching career en route to induction in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. Davidson, who has instructed at FCA's summer camp for 14 years, now teaches Bible and coaches boys basketball at Parkview Christian Academy, where he is also athletic director. Davidson also encouraged campers to put Jesus Christ first in their lives and strive to be champions for Christ above mere personal gain.

The last day of camp was led by Jeff Smith, boys and girls basketball coach at FCA since 1998. Coach Smith taught campers proper passing skills, boxing out and rebounding a missed shot, how to move without the basketball, passing to moving teammates and how to set and use screens to get open for shots. The camp concluded with two lively scrimmage games. Coach Smith also explained to campers the importance of being unselfish teammates who follow the lead of Jesus Christ, who "came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" according to Mark 10:45 in the Bible. Assisting Coach Smith was Tim Weeks, a four-year FCA basketball standout who will play on the freshman team at Aurora Christian High School this winter.

"The 26 students who participated in this year's camp were terrific," Coach Smith said. "They worked hard, listened and learned and had a great time playing a wonderful team sport. FCA students are a pleasure to work with."