Man, I gotta tell ya about my crazy journey finding a decent basketball camp for my kid this summer. Total headache! Started simple – just punched “best shooting camps 2025” into Google like any normal person would.
The Frustration Phase
Holy smokes, instant overwhelm. Page after page of shiny websites screaming “ELITE TRAINING!” and “PROVEN RESULTS!” with giant flashing REGISTER NOW buttons. Everyone claimed to have NBA trainers or D1 coaches. Yeah right. My nonsense detector was beeping nonstop.
I grabbed my notebook and wrote down three non-negotiables:
- No glorified babysitting – wanted actual skill drilling
- Small groups – kid ain’t learning in a 50-person circus
- Real feedback – not just some dude blowing a whistle
The Detective Work
Started cross-referencing like a madman. Found some camps on those directory sites but noticed something fishy – identical five-star reviews for totally different programs. Sketchy. Dug through old forum threads where actual parents spilled real tea about last year’s drama.
Called three places pretending to ask basic questions. Big red flag when Camp Velocity couldn’t tell me their coach-to-player ratio. “Uh, it varies?” Click. Hung up immediately.
The Breakthrough
Finally hit gold at my kid’s high school game. Chatted up the assistant coach during halftime. Got two legit recommendations off-record. “Avoid the franchises,” he whispered. “Look for retired college players running small operations.”
Went down the rabbit hole checking those local gems:
- Stalked their trainers’ social media – real coaching videos, not flexing Lambos
- Checked court locations – no sketchy church basements
- Emailed asking for a typical daily schedule – got detailed replies within hours
The Verdict
Ended up picking a four-day intensive camp run by a former overseas pro. Tiny groups, filmed shot analysis, even sleepaway option. Kid came back sore everywhere but grinning. Worth every penny and hour spent researching. Moral? Trust your gut over flashy websites. Always.