HELENA — The Helena High Bengals wrapped up another week on the hardwood with the next generation of girls basketball players from around the Capital City.
The coveted hoops camp is fairly priced and focused on skill development as well as a focus on game play, and was led by head girls coach Ben Dudek and junior varsity coach Heather Madsen.
“Every year we just make sure that the girls have this marked down on their calendar,” said Dudek referring to the high school players who help coach the youngsters at the camp.
This unique summer camp is an opportunity for young athletes to gain the skills and comprehension of playing hoops with a chance to learn from the players they look up to.
“It’s fun to see them just take these little nuggets that we’re giving them and really get into the game and execute,” said Madsen, who is an elementary school teacher at Warren Elementary.
This second-through-eighth-grade girls-only basketball camp has been happening in the Helena area for decades, and it entails months of planning and mountains of devotion to the youth of our community.
Additionally, 30 girls signed up for the third-through-fifth-grade camps, and it gave each player a chance to work more closely with their team coaches.
“It really comes full circle, and then they come to high school and they're playing well and it's just the best feeling in the world,” added Madsen.
Dudek brings his experience from Pennsylvania working at a youth basketball organization called Advanced Hoops.
“If we start kids young and they start loving the game of basketball, they’re going to go work on the game of basketball outside of camp and that’s going to help out the future, no matter whose here, so that’s the goal,” added Dudek.
