[Big Jim]

I agree to many "gagets" to play with today. I hardly ever see anyone on an outside court in the summer. It is hard for me to get guys to go to the gym in the summer to play. Crazy!!!

Just to prove the point. How many times during the summer, when you were a kid, did you come by the gym and there NOT be someone there?

The same when i was in the 7th or 8th grade and i asked coach about getting in the gym during the summer or at night. He told me just to go down there. Well, if i went, there was one of 4 people, always there and sometimes a full load. Notice I said, "always."

John, Jerry and Keith lived there. So, that's what I started doing and noticed there about 4 or 5 other guys my age that started playing all the time during thed summer. By the time I was a senior at Paintsville, it was the same way for when J.R. was in middle school. We had a bunch of guys from Paintsville and Central that would play all the time during the summer for hours and hours.

The best part was all the guys that played when I was in middle were all in college when i was in high school. They'd show up at random times all summer and play. They'd bring in players from wherever they were and we would flat out ball. Real runs with real players...all day. I can just think up about 10 guys I've known over the years that had their own key...including myself.

I'm not home now, but I assume none of this is happenning. When you play against that kind of comp from the time you're a kid, the college game is less of an adjustment. Plus, all the young kids are more interested. It's not about "just playing ball." It's about learning some dedication and discipline, so you know what it takes to get an education or get your education paid. Anyone who thinks it's just about basketball, is being very obtuse and not considering the residual affect of not only the kid, but other kids. If a bunch of ball being played at the gym or rec center keeps one kid's idle hands out of trouble, it's more than worth it.

JR, Does coach still have his camp?
Anybody still come in for it?
I assume not, since I haven't heard about it in a couple of years. If so, wtf?

Anyway, the point is, if it's not happening, it would behoove everyone to try and revive it and I'd help anyway I could. :Thumbs: