Midwest Elite Basketball » Midwest Elite Basketball Camps in Full Swing

Midwest Elite Basketball Camps in Full Swing

Oklahoma, Illinois, Colorado and Tennessee camps among first for summer 2013

On Sunday, May 19th, fourteen Midwest Elite Basketball (MEB) coaches hit the road to start the 2013 camp season.  MEB brought their patented Satellite Camps to Lone Grove, OK; Table Grove, IL; and Parker, CO to start the week off and then respective staffs traveled to Chandler, OK; Afton, TN; and La Junta, CO to finish the week. Hoehne, CO is slated to advance their skills over Memorial Day with a 2-day camp on the schedule.

Lone Grove, OK – University of Minnesota Duluth Assistant Coach and four-year MEB veteran Bryce Tesdahl directed the camp consisting of nearly 30 student-athletes from Lone Grove High School, 100 miles south of Oklahoma City.  Instructing the camp with Tesdahl included Brandon Rohr who was an Assistant Basketball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at NCAA D1 Southern Illinois University this past season and Trent Miller who recently finished his playing career at Morningside College as a 3-year starting point guard and 2-year team captain.  Rohr was MEB “Coach of the Year” in 2010.

The impact made on the student-athletes at Lone Grove was evident throughout the three days.  LGHS Head Coach Josh Mitchell tweeted,

“#MEB was great! The Longhorns are motivated to get better this summer.  Thank you @CoachTesdahl @TMiller402 @Coach_Rohr GREAT JOB!

Athletes from Lone Grove HS who attended echoed a similar response in the twitter world:

“That was the greatest team camp I’ve ever been to by far!!”

“That camp was legit…now I can’t wait for next year!”

Camp Director Bryce Tesdahl said, “this was one of the best camps I’ve worked in my many years working with MEB.  The athletes showed up focused and ready to learn each day.  They were receptive to the instruction and thirsty to get better each day.  After three days, Coach Rohr, Coach Miller and I saw marked improvement in each camper and on the team as a whole.  Head Coach Josh Mitchell has established a nice program with great team culture.”

Table Grove, IL – With over 30 boys and girls athletes from the V.I.T. school district right outside of Macomb, IL; Midwest Elite Basketball conducted two, 2-day camps for the 2nd consecutive year with both programs and the 3rdconsecutive year with the girls program.

The girls camp was led by Rock Valley College Assistant Coach Evan Lavery who is in his 3rd year working with Midwest Elite Basketball.  On staff with Lavery included Central Methodist University Assistant Coach Dustyn Yung, former NCAA D1 player (Southeastern Louisiana University) and current Rock Valley College Assistant Cierra Morris, and Rockford University senior team captain Scott Suchy.

Coach Lavery said, “We always enjoy working with rural student-athletes who are ambitious to get better.  Having worked with V.I.T. for the past 3 years, MEB continues to make an impact on the program each summer by advancing the skill-sets of each athlete who attends and building a love and passion for the game of basketball within the program.  Head Coach Carl Beebe does a great job and has an outstanding foundation set.”

The boy’s camp was led by former NCAA D1 National Champion Brad Witherspoon.  As a member of the Bill Self led 2008 Kansas Jayhawk Men’s Basketball team, Witherspoon won the Big-12 Conference and National Championship.  He is currently the top Assistant at John Wood Community College in Quincy, IL.  Instructing camp with Witherspoon included Iowa Central Community College Assistant Rex Parker and Rock Valley College assistant Darryl Watkins.

“The boys came in and worked hard each day of camp,” Witherspoon, who has worked at VIT each of the past three summers, said.  “Their willingness to grasp new concepts and be coached is the reason they will find success.  Head Coach Pat Pokorny took over the program last year and really turned it around.   We are happy to continue to make a positive impact on his program each summer.”

Parker, CO – MEB Co-Owner/Co-Founder Brad Schmit (Montana State University-Billings Assistant Coach) led a great staff of MEB coaches at Ponderosa High School.  27 high school student-athletes attended including 6’10 Division 1 prospect Jonathan Barnes.

Schmit’s staff included Benedictine College (KS) Assistant Coach Kyle Blackbourn, University of Colorado Head Manager Zach Ruebesam and University of Sioux Falls graduating senior team captain James Rader.

“Head Coach Mike Gibbs does a great job with his program,” Schmit said.  “Both Coach Gibbs and his assistant were NCAA Division I basketball players and understand the importance of player development.  We were able to be a valuable secondary voice for their program vision and instruction and made a very positive impact on the campers who attended.  We look forward to working with this program for years to come.”