LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Promoting physical activity and basketball to youth were the focused of a three-day camp in Fort Simpson.

Sadee Williams-Guinn dribbles a basketball April 5 while participating in the second day of the Deh Cho Regional Basketball Camp in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

The village's recreation department put on the Deh Cho Regional Basketball Camp from April 4 to 6. Thomas Roche, with assistance from Laurent Isaiah, both former members of Thomas Simpson School's Wolfpack, instructed the event.

"It's been going great," said Roche on Saturday.

"The kids had fun this morning."

The camp started on Friday with all of the participants playing fun games together for an hour and a half. For the rest of the camp, the youth were divided by age with three groups receiving three one-hour sessions each.

With the five to eight year olds, Roche and Isaiah incorporated basketballs into a few games including red light, green light before focusing more on physical activity with classic games like British bulldog. The nine to 11 year olds showed more interest and energy so they were able to practice more basic basketball skills, Roche said.

"I like that they are teaching you to play," said Ava Erasmus, 9.

Having just finished a morning session with eight other youth, Erasmus said she liked the passing and shooting drills and was learning new skills.

"I wanted to learn more about the sport and I had nothing else to do," she said about why she came to the camp.

Just playing basketball is what Kylan Antoine, 9, was enjoying about the camp. Antoine said he was definitely getting better at the sport.

With the older age group, 12 to 15 year olds, Roche was planning to work on the same skills, but go more in depth on things like ball handling, shot form, footwork and defense.

The camp is all about getting youth more active and interested in basketball, he said. Having only started the sport when he was 15, Roche said he likes seeing youth as young as five get started in basketball.

"Basketball is my favourite sport and seeing kids play it and wanting to better themselves with it is great," he said.

This was the first basketball camp Roche has led, although he's taken leadership roles at soccer camps in the past.

"I like to pass on what I know," said the 21 year old.

Apart from its physical and health benefits, basketball also provides great opportunities to travel, Roche said. He's gone to Phoenix, Arizona to compete in the North American Basketball Invitational, PEI for the Canada Summer Games and Grande Prairie, Alta. for the Arctic Winter Games.