1 of 22

Kids in Chelsea enjoyed a day of refining their skills and having fun at the MLK Day Basketball Camp hosted by the Chelsea Community Center on Monday, Jan. 20. (Reporter photos/Tyler Raley)

By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

CHELSEA – The kids of the Chelsea community took their day off from school to refine their skills and have fun when the Chelsea Community Center hosted the MLK Day Basketball Camp on Monday, Jan. 20.

About 125 kids attended this year’s festivities, learning various techniques and methods on how to be successful in the game from Sadaka Hall, a local Chelsea resident and basketball coach.

The campers who attended learned many lessons on ball handling and dribbling, as well as different fundamentals of the game based on their age group and skill level. The camp was divided up into four sessions– kindergarten through second grade boys and girls, third and fourth grade boys and girls, fifth and sixth grade boys and girls and middle and high school boys.

The day’s sessions were not just about learning and getting better, but also about the campers getting to have fun with a sport they love.

“The main thing was to have fun,” said camp coordinator Sadaka Hall. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We all make mistakes. I make mistakes, as do camp counselors. All of us make mistakes so it’s just trying to get out of trying to be perfect and just working on your game and having fun. The game of basketball should be fun and working on the fundamentals.”

One of the biggest parts of athletic camps is helping kids learn new ways of improving as they strive to get better at their craft. For Hall when he is able to see the results of that on a player’s face, that is what makes the camp fun for him.

“Just to see the kids enjoy it,” Hall said. “When one of them does something that they thought they couldn’t do and they make the layup or make the shot, seeing that excitement on their face.”

The camp was a great success for all involved, leaving an impact on the game of basketball throughout Chelsea.

Hall knows that even during the school year, it is a great thing to get kids active, even when they have a day off to give their brains a break.

“We hope to continue to partner with the Chelsea Youth Club and Community Center and do different events, camps and stuff,” Hall said. “We make this kind of an annual thing where we get kids out, get them out of the house and moving around.”

More 280 Reporter

Chelsea holds at No. 7 in fourth basketball rankings, Oak Mountain, Briarwood nominated

Murphy to seek reelection to Hoover City Council Place 5

Westminster OM avenges area loss to Alabama Aerospace and Aviation

Leadership Shelby County 30th anniversary celebration set for March 13