WESSON — Summertime means sports camps. At Copiah-LincolnCommunity College, the Co-Lin basketball camp is the grand daddy ofthem all, dating back to 1968.

Since then, camps have steadily evolved. Originally, the campswere restricted to individual skills camps. Players were placed inseveral age groups. There were abbreviated games, featuring amixture of players from area schools.

Co-Lin athletic director and women’s basketball coach Gwyn Younghas been a part of the camp evolution. Girls camps have been added,both individual skills and team camps.

“A lot of coaches like to get their players together for somepractice time in the summer,” said Young. “They get used to whomight be the starters for the next season. It also helps with theninth graders coming up, to see how much talent they have.”

At Co-Lin this past week, the girls team camp took place. Itstarted Sunday and concluded Thursday at noon. Nearly 300 playersfrom across Mississippi and Louisiana participated. Threegymnasiums were used to accommodate each team playing 12 games overa 4-day period. There is an abundance of talent and energy asplayers improve their skills.

Among the participating teams were Brookhaven, Wesson, LoydStar, Enterprise, West Lincoln, Franklin County, Jefferson County,McComb, Bowling Green, Brandon, Denham Springs, La., Forest Hill,Hancock, Long Beach, Mandeville, La., Ocean Springs, Pearl RiverCentral, Ponchatoula, La., Tylertown, Wayne Academy, and WestMarion, plus several junior varsity and junior high teams.

“Camp also gives coaches an idea of what they face in a realgood team,” said Young. “Coaches see areas where they mustimprove.”

Retired Southern Miss men’s coach M.K. Turk got the Co-Linbasketball camps started in the late 1960s. He coached at Co-Linuntil 1974 before going to Memphis State as an assistant coach.Turk entitled the summer session as the Co-Lin Basketball Camp ofChampions.

Turk’s first year at Co-Lin was 1967. “We started (camps) in thesummer of 1968. We really utilized it for recruiting purposes. Youspend a week getting to know those guys, players and coaches.”

Back then, it was strictly a fundamental skills camp forindividual players. At that time, team camps were forbidden by theMississippi High School Activities Association.

Young has been overseeing camps at Co-Lin for 31 years. A WestLincoln graduate, he starred for Co-Lin and later at MississippiCollege in the early 1970s.

“I actually came up and worked the camp during my years at MC,”said Young.

Referees from District Seven help officiate. High school coachesChris Jordan, Ron Kessler and Ricky O’Quinn are lending a hand.D.J. Branning, Bill McGuire and Rusty Newman also are helpingofficiate the games, featuring non-stop basketball from morning tonight. Co-Lin athletic trainer Matt McClain takes care of anyinjuries to players during the camp.

Jan Delaughter, new head girls coach at Loyd Star, said shebenefits from the camp. “It helps determine your team’s strengthsand weaknesses. We learned what we need to work on.

“It showed me a lot,” added Delaughter. “I saw some improvementthrough the week because we played 12 games, against some real goodteams.”

Delaughter, a 1979 Loyd Star graduate, participated in Co-Lin’scamps as a high school player. She later played for Co-Lin.

“Co-Lin has a good camp,” said Delaughter. “They arewell-organized and they get you a lot of games in.”

Co-Lin Boys Camp

The boys team camp begins today. Co-Lin men’s coach Dennis Simssaid he expected 16 teams to participate. The team making thelongest drive is Gautier High School, located just north ofPascagoula.

“As a coach, the camp gets you a lot of games in a short periodof time,” said Sims. “You don’t have team pressure to win. You aretrying to get your whole team better.

“It gives you an idea of what the other kids can do. It showswhat you have to work on in the fall. It helps the kids, too. Theycan see how good they are.”

Breakfast is served at 6:30 each morning. Games start at 8 a.m.in three locations. Two games are played simultaneously in Co-Lin’sMullen Gymnasium.

“When they (teams) stay on campus, they become closer as agroup,” explained Sims. “You are eating in the cafeteria togetherand sharing a dormitory room. You get closer as a unit.”

Sims and Richard Duease of Madison-Ridgeland Academy, startedcamps in the Capital City area when Sims was coaching at JacksonPrep in 1983.

In the 1970s, former Jackson Murrah football coach Jack Carlislewould take his team to Percy Quinn State Park for a week ofpreseason practice. They would eat and sleep in the barracks andpractice football. Free time was spent swimming in the park’slake.

“I like it where you can play kids and you don’t have to worryabout winning,” said Sims. “Every kid has a chance to play.”

Team camps became a popular item in the late 1980s. Other sportscamps soon began, attracting more youngsters.