Basketball camp continues a long tradition

If you’ve been around this area for any length of time, you know the name Johnny Tillett and his association with youth sports.

In 1992 a young Deon Simmons was attending the first 4 Corner’s Basketball Camp, organized by Tillett. Five years later Tillett left the area for Raleigh and the camp went dormant.

Four years went by and the former camper decided to revive the camp. In 2001 the Deon Simmons Basketball Camp was born, patterned off the original 4 Corners camp.

In 2004, Tillett returned and joined Simmons and the two brought back the original name with a twist. It is now the OBX 4 Corners Basketball Camp.

The two have 16 years of camp experience between them, and their camp is the oldest and largest basketball camp in Dare County.

The camp is open to all boys and girls from ages 7 to 15. It is held the first week in July, and the 2012 edition will hold court from July 2 through July 6.

The focus is for each participant to develop the fundamentals of the game, learn sportsmanship and of course the main ingredient — having fun.

Campers all receive a basketball and T-shirt. Snacks and lunch are provided. Everyone participates in daily contests and at the end of camp — championships.

Another aspect of the camp are the guest speakers. Past speakers have included UNC players Marcus Ginyard, Tyler Hansborough, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington. Troy Willis from the College of Charleston (SC) and Illian Evtimov from NC State have also addressed the group.

Speakers are also solicited from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and even professional sports. The staff consists of former college players and coaches, overseas professional players and high school coaches.

Local restaurants and businesses underwrite most of the costs, and the camp is always looking for more support from the business community.

The camp is held at the Dare County Youth Center and First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills. The cost is $130 per person.

A registration form is available at the camp website: obx4corners.com, and interested sponsors can contact Deon Simmons at (252) 475-1627.