Basketball summer camp infused with elite players

Fort Belvoir's youth basketball summer camp is about to get a taste of the Elite.

Fort Myer head men's basketball coach Herb Marshall also serves as the head coach of the WAMAC Elite men's basketball team, a squad made up of the best players in the Washington Area Military Athletic Conference.

But he has ties to the youth basketball program as well, serving as a coach for the Belvoir Barracudas during the winter youth basketball season for the past four years. In that same span of time, he has also worked Belvoir's youth basketball camps as a coach.

"I just keep coming back to help out," Marshall said. "I keep looking for different things and ways to try to make it better. Even though we're working with time limitations, that's no reason we can't still have a good camp."

Marshall decided to use those wide basketball connections to stir up more interest in Belvoir's camp. This year, he plans to invite several players from the WAMAC Elite to coach and mentor the camp's young athletes.

"I thought it would be a good opportunity and experience for everyone," he said. "This allows servicemembers of all branches to come give back to the youth. They have skills and talent. Since they're the best of the best, why not share it? It's a chance to leave a really big impact on these children.

"The kids in the community will be able to say they learned something from basketball players who are still in the game and still love the game," Marshall continued. "They'll see players who are still active in the sport. It should bring another spectrum to our camp."

Marshall estimates at least 16 Elite players will assist with the camp this year. "This way, they can become coaches and mentors to the players. It's something new for them, too," he said.
The hope, Marshall said, is that introducing these players will help to the program grow overall. Currently, the camp takes place over the course of a week for a few evening hours, but Marshall would love to see that extended.

"I think a lot of kids go to day care and other summer programs, so parents might not want to pull them out of those. Our camp usually comes after those programs," he said. "Hopefully with something like this, we might be able to look at this and say it's bona fide enough to have it all day, as long as you have the right criteria laid out."

Editor's note: Registration for Belvoir's youth basketball camp is now open to children ages 7 to 15. The camp dates are July 13 to 17, and the cost is $30. For more information on this and other sports camps, contact Jerry Arrington, Youth Sports director, at 703-805-9139.