By Stephen Smoot
A well-constructed foundation generally requires a lot of front end work to build. If set in place properly – and if located on solid ground – a foundation for a home or business generally needs little attention over the years. The structure can rest on its concrete, block, or stone for decades or even centuries to come.
The foundation for a successful basketball team – or any sports program for that matter – relies on constant construction. Foundations for the varsity teams require hard work to make sure that student-athletes coming up learn the proper skills, develop chemistry with other players their age, and absorb the expectations that come along with a winning program.
Last week, Pendleton County youth with a love of basketball had an opportunity to learn from Mountain State legends. Pendleton County boys head coach Jeremy Bodkin was a team captain during his senior year for one of West Virginia University’s all-time great coaches, Gale Catlett. Donnie Kopp, who heads the girls’ varsity program, led girls’ squads in Harrison County to two state titles.
Other county coaches joined the two program leaders to provide an intensive, but welcoming and fun, education in the fundamentals of playing basketball. Bodkin noted that four of the coaches helping him and Kopp “scored over 1,000 points in high school.” He added that “Donnie’s been coaching for 16 or 17 years. He knows it.”
Approximately 50 players from third to eighth grade joined the week-long evening camp. Some came in from Monterey and elsewhere in Highland County, Virginia.
From Bodkin’s point of view, the foundation starts with the fundamentals. He explained that one must “set the fundamentals early. Take their fundamentals and build on them throughout the year.”
When players learn the fundamentals of the game, including handling the ball with both hands equally well, developing proper shooting form, learning proper “boxing out” on rebounds, shooting layups correctly, defensive stance and sliding, and much more, Bodkin says, “Coach Kopp and I don’t have to teach” those skills. They can instead work on more advanced techniques with their high school competitors.
“You have to do these things for these kids to have a chance to get better,” Bodkin said.
Kopp shared that “it’s fun to watch them.” He added that over the course of the week “they’ve come a long way.”
“They may not be able to do it,” said Kopp of the younger players working on drills, “but they try to do it.” Bodkin also stated that “it’s fun to watch them try.”
As he watched and advised a group of youngsters learning how to correctly shoot layups, one of his players, team forward Jameigh Miller looked on and helped to teach. Kopp shared that fellow players Julia Mongold and Avery Townsend had also participated during the week in helping to coach the upcoming cagers.
“They enjoy being a role model,” noted Kopp, who added that “they looked up to the older ones when they were younger.”
For both coaches, the camp serves an even greater purpose than simply teaching the game of basketball. Bodkin explained that all of the work required to organize the camp, recruit players and counselors, then run it all week is “giving back to the community” every bit as much as helping to develop better varsity squads.
The coaches also enjoyed watching some of the younger players stand out and show their skills. “Some of the eighth graders are really talented,” noted Bodkin. Kopp had praise for middle school standout Alana Huffman and her work during the week.
Camp award winners among the younger girls included Caston Lightner for foul shooting and layups, Bristol Bowers earned the hot shot award, and Macie Mitchell was camper of the week.
For the older girls, Vaylee Harper won awards for foul shooting, hot shot, and one-on-one while Makayla Lambert earned camper of the week.
Among the younger boys, Luke Kimble won the foul shots award, Hyrum Hartman earned awards in hot shot and layups, and Carson Mitchell was camper of the week.
Older boys’ awards went to Mason Miller for foul shots, Jackson Wimer for hot shot and one-on-one, and camper of the week was Coen Hiett.
With the work put in this week by the varsity coaches, other volunteers, and, most of all, the players, Pendleton County High School basketball’s foundation looks to remain sturdy and strong for the foreseeable future.
