Bainbridge Youth attend Camp for Champs

Published 6:20 pm Friday, June 19, 2015

Darton College Lady Cavaliers head basketball coach Lea Henry, who was raised in Colquitt and was an academic All-American basketball star under legendary University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers head basketball coach Pat Summitt and an Olympic gold medalist, and her husband former University of Maryland Terrapins basketball standout Greg Manning brought their Camp of Champs character education program for students basketball program to the Decatur County Memorial Coliseum on Friday.

During camp, the two former outstanding players shared their character education and life skills attributes with young Decatur County students in a physical recreational atmosphere that are intellectually stimulating, emotionally empowering, physically challenging and fun. Students attending camp sessions came from Decatur County’s five elementary schools.

Senior Lady Cat Patra Parris, who made first team All Region 1-AAAA and All Area with coach Kelvin Cochran’s Bainbridge High School Lady Cats last season and has signed with the Darton Lady Cavaliers, will be playing for coach Henry next season. She assisted with Friday’s Camp of Champs session.

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The campers rotated through groups that introduced them to basketball skills and drills appropriate for their ages. They also received a character lesson before rotating to their next skill station.

At the end of the rotations, the groups assembled into one large group and shared what character trait they learned. They walked away each day with a clear understanding of the importance of positive character traits and the powerful impact of a quality education.

Camp instructors Henry and Manning said they believe that the best camp messages are only as good as those who deliver them. And the environment in which they are delivered. They said their goal is to motivate young people from all walks of life.

“We strive to make our camps intellectually stimulating, and physically challenging,” Henry said. “In our character presentations, we talk about goal setting, good citizenship, integrity, fairness, respect, honesty, teamwork and good judgment.”

Each camper received a road to success playbook and a camp T-shirt.