Seems as though the normal protocol around these parts is to pay attention to basketball from, say, January to March, then completely forget about it until the next winter rolls around.
Maybe I'm misreading, but it feels like that standard rhythm has been altered in recent years. Oliver Purnell's advances in his final three seasons made people more interested in basketball year-round, and Brad Brownell has built on that in just one season with the Tigers.
It's a refreshing change because, shoot, covering a relevant and interesting program is just more fun.
Brownell recently laid out the details for his annual summer camp, which will unfold in mid-June. And while most summer camps are little more than opportunities for coaches to make some extra cash in exchange for showing up and making a speech or two, you get the feeling this one is different.
One of the defining characteristics of Brownell as a coach is his hands-on nature. He's not content to occupy a CEO-type role and delegate; spending a few hours at a practice last summer for our extended feature on Brownell firmly underscored that.
A day spent with Brownell left an indelible impression that this guy is simply incapable of mailing in anything. I bet the guy gets jacked up to mow his lawn.
He dives into the deep end of just about everything he does, and you have to think that adds some real value to the camps by making them more fun and educational.
"We kind of run our camp how we teach our team," said director of basketball ops Dick Bender, who's organizing the camps. "It doesn't matter if you're just starting out, or if you're in your third or fourth year on a high school team -- you're going to improve and get something out of this camp."
Bender says the staff involvement -- not just from Brownell, but from everyone -- is different from most high-level camps. The instruction is much more involved and genuine, and current players will also occupy a big role.
"A lot of these things don't happen at basketball camps put on by high-level programs," Bender said.
And on top of that, every camper walks away with a Nike basketball.
Here's the release from Clemson on Brownell's second-annual camp:
Men's basketball coach Brad Brownell has announced openings for both of his summer camps, the boys individual/overnight camp held June 12-15 as well as the team camp held June 17-19. Brownell and his coaching staff will be in charge of instruction for both camps, which will be held on the Clemson University campus.
The boys individual/overnight camp will be held Sunday, June 12 through Wednesday, June 15. Three different packages are offered for campers. The rate for campers requiring room and board is $425, which includes meals provided at the dining halls. The rate for commuter campers is $275. Lunch and dinner will be provided for commuters. The rate for day campers is $180, excluding the cost of meals. Boarding and commuter packages are available to boys entering fourth through the 12th grade, while day camp packages are available to boys entering second through fifth grade.
Applications for the individual/overnight camp are available online at ClemsonBballCamp.com. For more information on the individual/overnight camp, contact Susan Ruark of the men's basketball office at 864-656-1954 or by email at sruark@clemson.edu.
The Brad Brownell Team Camp will be held Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19. Teams must consist of a minimum of eight players, and play will be divided into five levels (three at varsity level, two at junior varsity level). The overnight rate is $230 per camper. The commuter rate is $160 with all meals paid, or $130 without paid meals, or $70 with no meals and no games on Sunday.
Team camp applications are available online at ClemsonTigers.com. From the home page, click on ‘athletic department’ and then follow to the camps link to find the form. For more information on the team camp, contact Director of Basketball Operations Dick Bender at 864-656-1968 or by email at dbender@clemson.edu.
LW
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