1st SLCSummer Hoops Camp Ends With Appearance by Coach Welsh

BRASHER FALLS - The first St. Lawrence Central summer basketball camp ended in legendary fashion on Thursday.

After spending the past four mornings working to improve their hardcourt skills, the more than 40 campers on hand at the high school gym were treated to a guest appearance from college coaching legend Jerry Welsh.

"Congratulations to St. Lawrence Central for starting this camp," said the former SUNY Potsdam mens basketball coach, who now serves as a scout for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and teaches classes at Duke University.

"When I was your age, we didn't have summer basketball camps. We didn't have AAU teams. The first year we had the summer camp at SUNY Potsdam, we had 108 campers. By 1985, we had 885. Basketball players in the NBA and college are better now than they've ever been and it's because of things like these summer camps. It starts here," he added.

A North Country product from Chateaugay, Welsh was a successful high school coach at Massena Central through the early 1960's before taking over the mens basketball program at Potsdam College in 1968. In 22 years at the Potsdam helm, he elevated the program to national prominence. He led the Bears to their first NCAA Division III Championship in 1981 while his career highlight at Potsdam came in the 1985-86 season when his squad posted a perfect 32-0 record in capturing a second national title. The basketball court at Maxcy Hall where he constructed a Division III dynasty now bears his name. He left Potsdam with a career record of 455-142 and went on to coach Iona College at the Division I level from 1991-1995 where he amassed a 47-63 record.

"I've golf with coach Welsh quite a bit over the last seven or eight years so I've gotten to know him," said SLC varsity boys basketball coach Joe Reome. "When we started to organize the camp, he immediately came to mind but I was a little hesitant about inviting him. I'm sure he gets those kinds of requests all the time."

"But," Reome added, "when I asked him, he said, 'No problem. When do you need me to be there?'. This is a great way for us to end our first camp."

Welsh spoke to the inaugural class of SLC summer hoops campers for 20 minutes where he emphasized the values that he instilled in the players that coached over the course of his career. He spoke of desire, teamwork, unselfishness. About dedication, listening to coaches and skills development.

"Skills are the divider," he noted. "Don't waste time when you could be working on developing your skills. Players like Kobe Bryant and Steven Nash are successful because they work hard at having all the skills. They are complete players."

Coach Welsh also stressed the value of correctly practicing the same hardcourt skills over and over again. To demonstrate his point, he invited camper Nate Arquiett to come out and take a knee near the foul line.

"Okay Nate, now I want you to untie your sneaker then tie the laces up but do it the wrong way," he said, drawing a confused look from the youngster who struggled to follow the directive.

"See," said Welsh, turning to the rest of the campers. "Nate learned to tie his laces the right way and it comes natural to him now. It's the same with learning basketball skills."

Before wrapping up his "semi-pep talk", Welsh had one more question for the campers.

"What's the first thing you should do when you leave the gym today and go back home?" he asked.

"Shoot some hoops," said one camper.

"Practice guarding someone," spoke up another.

"Those are important things to work on," coach Welsh replied. "But I think the first thing you should do when you get home today is thank your parents for sending you to this camp."