Participating in a basketball camp is undoubtedly an event that could have a significant impact on an athlete’s development. Daily practices, focus on developing a variety of skills and on competing with one’s own teammates results in enhancing sports competence as well as shaping one’s attitude towards the sport itself.
However, beyond the apparent perspective of a player and of a coach, we must not neglect the numerous benefits that the organization of a basketball camp could bring to the sports club. Such camps provide a unique opportunity to boost the sports brand, to establish a closer bond between the sports academy and the local community and, last but not least, to generate more revenue.

Below, you will find the key points of a 3+1 guide for organizing a successful basketball camp, both from a coaching and an administrative perspective. Its objective is twofold: to commercially elevate the sports club and to make new business prospects emerge.

The first 3 steps for organizing a basketball camp

Once you have decided to hold a camp, you should first answer the following 3 questions:

1. What kind of a camp?
2. Where will it take place?
3. What is the approximate cost?

Let’s look at them one by one.

1. What kind of camp?
   1. Skill improvement camp (dribbling, shooting, overall offensive skills). By opting for this, the club could potentially derive multiple benefits, both within the narrow sports framework and in the broader commercial landscape. The basketball development of your players could play a vital role in winning team titles or individual distinctions like joining the national team. What could ever be a better promo for your club’s brand?
   2. Team camp (focus on team offense and/or defense). This option is able to boost team’s chemistry and to improve each player’s collective skillset. Despite its different objective, a team camp may also pave the way for success as well as its commercial exploitation. Consider the development that a high school team could achieve if, during a random week in June, its training is focused on how to properly develop a transition offense.
2. Where will it take place? Primarily, you should thoroughly check the sports equipment and various areas of the facilities as far as their safety level is concerned. You should also clarify whether the facilities allow for the various activities you intent to take place (music, possibly some kind of party, etc.). Finally, ensure that the facilities are relatively close to the accommodation sites in order to make the participants’ transportation easier.
3. What is the approximate cost? At this stage, you will be able to just approximately forecast the potential cost of the camp. Cost estimation is a process that runs parallel to organization and planning. Here we just mention the following indicative costs: reservation of facilities, coach fees, equipment, doctors and physiotherapists, players’ meals, possibly accommodation, and transportation.

In case it is your first time organizing a basketball camp, we advise you keep its character and content as general as possible. Thus, you will be able to attract more people in this first attempt, showcasing your administrative excellence and your sports culture.

4th Step: Organization & Promotion

If the previous steps were like an assist, this step is the three-pointer. It is evident that the success of a basketball camp is largely determined by its thorough planning and organization. Every detail plays a significant role in shaping each athlete’s experience. However, alongside the organizational part runs the promotion of the event. Your objective must be to attract as much participants as possible as well as to develop a distinctive brand.

1. Organization – In this section, we will provide some guidelines for designing the camp and shaping its program.
   1. Registration: The first step for every athlete who wants to participate is registration. We recommend (exclusively) online registration for more efficient management of participant’s information. This requires setting up an attractive website. Based on the available facilities in which the event will take place, you should specify the maximum limit of participants and then determine the participation fee (here you should take into account the aforementioned 3rd step). Do not overlook offering different packages. For example:
      • Early bird: discount for those who book early
      • Standard package: 2 lunches, 1 dinner, 2 juices/soft drinks & 2 snacks for the party
      • Premium package: 2 morning snacks, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, unlimited juices/soft drinks & snacks for the party, premium prices for the camp store’s.
   2. Welcome: This is the first contact of each athlete with the coaching staff. It is the best opportunity to advertise your club, to introduce the mentality of your sports academy, its vision, and achievements. You can also invite an esteemed athlete or coach to give a welcome speech. Finally, in this session, you could hand out training jerseys, provided by the event’s sponsor (see here on how to get sponsorship), safety rules as well as rules of conduct.
   3. Program Design: In general, the program should have the following structure:
      • Arrival & morning snack
      • Morning circuit coaching session (3 hours duration, with intermediate 15-minute breaks)
      • 2-hour lunch break sponsored by the sponsor
      • Afternoon circular coaching session (3 hours duration, with intermediate 15-minute breaks)
      • Dinner provided by the sponsor

Additionally, you could add the following:

• Contests (three-point contest, skills challenge) & award ceremony
• Exhibition game with invited professional athletes and/or men and women players from local teams
• Evening party where the parents of the athletes could also join

2. Promotion

Even if your organization skills are at an excellent level, without the necessary promotion, your efforts will remain fruitless. The challenge is to make the local community follow the vibe of the basketball camp during those days!

• • If your aspiration is to repeat the event in the coming years, it is crucial to establish a camp logo, which would be accompanied by the team’s logo.
  • Create a poster for print and online advertising
  • Create a printed and online advertising brochure

What makes the difference… the unexpected

Beyond the undoubtedly useful tips mentioned above, the key to a truly unique basketball camp lies in the factor of unpredictability. Do not just strive for a well-organized basketball event, but rather seek to create an experience that will last in the memories of both children and parents. It is only through this approach that you will you be able to upgrade the club’s brand name and, ultimately, increase both direct and indirect revenues as far as the upcoming camp is concerned.

Keep in mind that everyone loves surprises, especially children! Do not disclose every little detail of the program in the brochure. Leave some sessions without description and plan an exciting activity (e.g., a treasure hunt with a prize, the appearance of a top-level athlete). The unexpected captivates, enthralls and creates a lasting memory. All in all, the unexpected makes the difference.

Satisfied participants are likely to bring a friend to the next camp or possibly join your club!

Camps and myTeam

myTeam aims not only to contribute to athletes’ development but also to help academies increase their revenues. Any club that uses myTeam app can organize a camp easier and more effectively.

The platform allows for the creation of a distinct subscription type specifically for camps that will be also promoted to athletes who are not registered to the club. Shortly, the app will provide the user with the option of creating a separate camp event, which could be purchased online by any user, regardless of the academy that he is a member of.

Book a presentation to see all the features of the platform by clicking here.