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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

COLUMBIANA – One of the area’s most popular sports camps is back for another summer. This year’s Bobby Madison Basketball Camp will be held from June 19-22 from 8 a.m. to noon each day.

Unlike previous years, the camp will be held at Columbiana Middle School instead of Shelby County High School.

All boys and girls from ages 6-12 can sign up for the camp. Madison and the coaches will teach basketball skills, how to be a better teammate and ways to apply what players learn in basketball to their lives.

“The most important thing for me is to teach the kids about the fundamentals of basketball and not only just basketball, about being good people, good teammates, teaching them life skills that will carry them throughout life and all types of things,” Bobby Madison said. “Being accountable, taking care of the things you’re supposed to take care of. Those are the things that I really try to instill in the kids throughout the camp.”

The cost to register before June 7 is $75 per camper and $60 for each additional sibling. After the 7th, the price rises to $90.

This is the 13th year the camp has been held, and it has grown into one of the most popular youth sports camps not just in Columbiana, but in the entire Birmingham area.

Over 150 campers came last year to learn from Madison and his team of coaches, many of whom coach high school basketball or played collegiately or professionally.

What keeps Madison coming back is the joy that the camp brings to the kids and the opportunity to give back what he has learned throughout his career to the community.

“I traveled the world playing basketball, I was able to go to college playing the game of basketball on a scholarship, so just the thought that maybe I could have an impact on someone’s life, maybe I can be an example for them and they can want to maybe pursue or follow the dream that I had playing college basketball and professional basketball, and it can lead to other things,” Madison said.

Madison is one of Columbiana’s proudest exports. Madison played for the Shelby County Wildcats in high school before becoming a Junior College All-American at Southern Union State Community College.

Once he graduated, he transferred to Western Michigan University, where his hard work helped the Broncos reach the 2003 NIT in his first season and then win the MAC tournament to make the NCAA tournament in his senior year in 2004.

He then played internationally after graduating from WMU. Madison played for teams in Argentina, Chile, Portugal and Venezuela during his three-year professional career.

Any interested parents can sign up at through the digital registration form.