WVC, Bighorns team up for inaugural Nike Basketball Camp

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee Valley College Athletics and the Wenatchee Bighorns partnered in July to host their first Nike Basketball Camp, drawing 80 young athletes from across the region.

The five-day camp, held at WVC’s Student Recreation Center and Smith Gym, welcomed players ages 8 to 15 and featured strength and conditioning, shooting and dribbling drills, game strategy sessions, and scrimmages. The program aimed to help players of all abilities improve fundamental skills and develop in post, wing, or guard positions.

“Nike heard of our successful program with the Bighorns, providing to the youth in our community, and asked if we would co-sponsor camps in the NCW,” said Shawn Cooprider, Bighorns owner and camp organizer. “For our inaugural camp, I think it went great, and we are looking forward to additional camps in the future.”

Coaches included Cris Cromartie, Bighorns general manager; Matthew Riley, Bighorns head coach; Braden Draggoo, camp co-director; Jordan Highland, WVC Knights men’s basketball coach; Joe Barnes, Eastmont High School head girls coach; and youth coach Julius Rowe. Several Bighorns and WVC Knights players also participated.

“It’s good for the kids to see and be around the players. That kind of stuff is priceless,” Highland said. He noted that one seventh-grader even asked him for a tryout.

Eme Henry, a WVC sophomore and camp coach, said working with younger players has been rewarding. “You make them happy, you make them want to be a player,” he said. “They learn together, they have fun together.”

The Bighorns credited business sponsors Draggoo Financial and Weinstein Beverage for helping make the event possible. Discussions with Nike about future dates are underway, with the potential for another camp this fall, Cooprider said.