Bakersfield College camp attendees enjoyed the second annual Easter Basketball Camp that was put on by BC coaches.

“I think this camp is good for the kids because we help them learn the fundamentals,” said BC basketball coach Rich Hughes. “This is our second year doing it. We’ve had a pretty good turnout, almost as much as last year, and that’s always good.

“We try to time this camp right, so everyone is on spring break and it’s good that the parents get them out here and be active.

“I also think that this is good public relations for our program. I think it’s good to support the community and that they support the camps we have here.

“I think with any college you want to give back. You always want to teach the younger kids the fundamentals,” he said.

Hughes added that they get kids with all levels of familiarity of basketball.

“Some are a little bit above and some are a little bit below, but this can help anyone no matter how familiar they are with the game.”

He also added that the benefits from the camp would go to shirts, sweatshirts or anything that the program won’t be able to cover for the athletes.

“We want to give our athletes some of these things for the hard work they put in,” he said.

The camp was on April 3-4 and Hughes was the camp coordinator, assistant coach Aaron Chavez was the camp director and a couple of current players were there for instruction.

The cost was $75 per person. The emphasis of the camp was to help with the fundamentals of the game of basketball, including shooting, dribbling, ball handling, passing, defense and team play.

Justus Rogers, 17, a junior at Ridgeview High School, commented on what he thought about the camp.

“I enjoyed it because I like working on fundamentals,” he said. “I thought everything the coaches told us was very helpful, and I liked that we got to do it in a new gym.

“I really liked the three-point shooting drills because we got to compete with each other, and it’s something I need to continue to work on.

“I think this camp was helpful because it showed me that you always got to continue to work on the small things and make sure that they stay sharp,” he said.

He added that he would show some of his teammates at Ridgeview some of the drills that he learned at the camp.

“Yeah, I’m going to try to share it with my teammates, so they can get better as well.”

Current BC men’s basketball player Duncan Schramm, who was one of the players that assisted in the camp, commented on what he thought about the camp.

“I just like working with the kids,” he said. “ They’re a lot of fun. It’s not too serious, and I get to be a jokester.

“I think the kids really benefit from this camp and the parents get them out of their hair for a while.”

He added that he learned a lot from helping out in the camp.

“It helps you to learn patience and you get a good feeling helping the kids out, and when they accomplish something you feel good too,” he said.

BC is scheduled to have another camp with two sessions in the summer. The first session will be on June 13-15 and the second will be on June 20-22.