The Village of Homer Recreation Department’s Blue Pride Basketball Camp got a bit of a surprise Wednesday, with Syracuse University women’s basketball players Dominique Camp and Keira Scott making the drive down to run the campers through some drills.
Camp is a sixth-year graduate student and Scott will be entering her freshman season this year. The duo have been making their rounds working with youth basketball players all over the area.
“Growing up, I went to a lot of camps,” Camp said. “In the summertime we get to work with kids on a daily basis if we choose to because we have time. During the season, we don’t really have time to do much.”
Homer girls basketball coach Brad Sovocool facilitated Camp and Scott’s appearance and was happy the girls were able to meet the Homer basketball players. Camp and Scott watched a varsity basketball open gym before the camp.
“We make an annual trip to watch these girls play at the Dome, so it was great to have them here supporting our kids,” Sovocool said. “They assisted at our youth basketball camp and ran through some drills for our seventh to 12th graders, which made for an unforgettable experience for our high school athletes and our younger players. We are lucky to have a high-level program locally that is willing to give back like this.”
Andrew Pierce, the Homer Recreation Department director, was happy to have Camp and Scott around for a day and hopes it becomes and annual occurrence.
“Hopefully this will continue on because because these kids all look up to them and it gives them something to follow and people to follow and look up to,” Pierce said. “Whether it’s basketball or not, they’re doing positive things.”
Camp and Scott have enjoyed the chance to work with young basketball players over the summer. It gives them an opportunity to give back to the game they love.
“Basketball has taken me all over the world, so giving it back in the other direction, teaching the things we learned and are going through is good for them,” Camp said.
“I think giving back to the community and teaching other kids is important,” Scott added. “I wasn’t really taught by older kids, I was taught by myself and my parents, so I think that’s important, having role models that are older.”
