Registration open for free middle school hoops camp

Published 12:58 pm Saturday, May 17, 2025

A few years ago in the wake of local gang violence and drive-by shootings, several groups came together and prayed about a solution.

An idea was put forward to reach young people before their lives could take a dangerous turn down the wrong track. The game of basketball was the avenue chosen to do so, and the “We Care – Stop the Violence” basketball program was born.

“This is our ‘do something’ that was birthed out of that meeting,” said Clarence Hall. “We’re doing this because we care.”

Registration is open for the program’s third annual free summer basketball camp for rising sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders. The camp will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout June and on July 1 at the Baldwin County Recreation Department gymnasium. Participating youth will receive not only coaching in the game of basketball, but also mentorship for the game of life.

The camp is open to 70 rising middle schoolers, boys and girls of all skill levels. Registration can be done at the rec department during business hours, the Boys & Girls Club, or through an online form.

Organizers have enlisted the help of a local legend to run the camp. With one state championship, over 800 wins on his coaching resumé, one high school gym and basketball court named after him, and a background working with all-time hoops greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, former Baldwin High and GMC Prep head boys basketball coach James Lunsford will be among those instructing the kids.

Lunsford has been retired since 2020, but with over 40 years’ experience in the game, he knows how to reach and coach young people. He also knows the importance of getting to them early.

“If they don’t come out of middle school on track then they don’t do too well, so we want to introduce the kids to some positive experiences before they get to high school,” Lunsford said. “I think basketball is a way to talk with the kids about some of the negative things that are going on in their lives.”

The camp has averaged between 50 and 60 kids each of its first two years. Every day there is time devoted to fundamentals and league play where campers are divided up into teams for some healthy competition. Kids will also hear from professionals in different fields who will give them advice for life. Topics include the importance of academics, staying away from gangs, communicating problems, conflict resolution and life goals.

Lunsford and Hall, currently a basketball referee and a player on Lunsford’s 1981 state championship-winning team at Baldwin, are thankful for sponsors who have stepped up to help the camp be successful in its early years.

For more information on the We Care – Stop the Violence basketball camp, contact Lunsford at 478-451-9526, Hall at 478-254-3664, or Milledgeville City Council Pro Tem Denese Shinholster at 478-456-9116.