Above is a group photo of the campers and high school helpers at the 2017 Peebles Lady Indians Elementary Basketball Camp.

By Mark Carpenter – 

With spring sports now in the rear view mirror, a familiar sound was heard around Adams County last week, that of the basketball hitting the hardwood as the summer camp season began with Coach Billie Jo Justice and her staff holding the 2017 Lady Indians Basketball Camps. Justice and staff held a camp for next year’s second through sixth graders from May 22-25 for two and a half hours each morning and then brought in seventh and eighth graders for two hours in the afternoon.
“With the morning session, we’ve tried to incorporate some fun and different activities with some skills mixed in,” said Coach Justice. “The kids seem to enjoy coming to camp and having fun, and yet learning at the same time. The high school girls and all our coaches have done an excellent job coordinating anything. We’ve done stations, drills, some games, trying to just get the younger kids involved and building the program up.”

Peebles senior-to-be McKinlee Ryan, left, guides young campers through dribbling drills during the 2017 Peebles Lady Indians Basketball Camp.

“In the junior high camp, we’ve done a lot more fundamental skills and drills, a little more intense, getting ready for the junior high season.”
“It’s the first year that we have just had the girls by themselves at camp,” Justice continued. “I think it has been a little more productive for our girls to be just the girls. Overall, we have a had a good turnout and been successful so hopefully we can build on that and just keep getting better.”
No camp is successful without a lot of help for the head coach, especially with the younger campers. A few of the high school helpers for Coach Justice spoke to The Defender on their reasons for wanting to be part of the instruction.
“I just like to see how they grow,” said senior-to-be McKinlee Ryan. “It’s just fun watching them play and them helping them out.”
Said fellow senior-to-be Matti Nichols, “I love coming to camp and helping them improve on their skills, see them laugh and smile and have fun. I just enjoy getting to see them improve as players and I can see a difference from day one of camp to the end.”
The newest Justice to don a Peebles uniform will be Coach Justice’s daughter Jacey, who will be a freshman this coming season.

A spirited game of “Sharks and Minnows” was one of the games that entertained the young campers at the Peebles Lady Indians Basketball Camp, held from May 22-25 at Peebles High School.

“I get to help people see what I see,” said Jacey. “The girls are having more fun as each day goes along.”
There were a total of 26 campers in the 2-6 morning session: Izzy Scott, Gracey Beckett-Kingsland, Kenzie Beckett-Kingsland, Cambri Parker, Kaylee Hanson, Megan Schmitz, Rayna Beckham, Abigail Smalley, Alyssa Smalley, Sarah Niswander, Addison Puckett, MaKenna Bennington, Morgan Bergquist, Kylee Bergquist, Payton Johnson, Kendall Myers, Amryn Carroll, Caydence Carroll, Baylie Johnston, Kendall Young, Chloe Wesley, Harlee Brand, Kyndel Alonso, Emma Rhoads, Brianna Van Pelt, and Mikayla Van Pelt.
Thirteen campers made up the afternoon junior high session: Chelsey Beckett-Kingsland, Lily McFarland, Darby Mills, Serena Ludwick, Lauryn Ludwick, Lydia Phipps, Lanie Johnston, Emmi Nichols, Marissa Moore, Avery Storer, Natalee Workman, Mack Hamilton, and Shea Perin.
The high school players who assisted with the camp were: McKinlee Ryan, Matti Nichols, Baylee Justice, Kylie Sims, Jerilin Toller, Johna Dunigan, Jacey Justice, Taylor Cluxton, Harlee Wilkinson, Madison Beekman, Kierra Stone, Hope Brown, Christian Reed, and Tatum Arey.

Above are the campers from the Lady Indians Junior High Camp.