22nd Annual Dip Metress Basketball Academy underway at Christenberry Fieldhouse

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Summer camps are in full swing, and some local kids are getting the chance of a lifetime to learn from a legendary head coach.

Dan: “Have you crossed anybody up yet?”

Southy Grinalds, a participant, said: “Uh, one.”

Dan: “Are you looking forward to crossing somebody up?”

Grinalds: “Oh, yes sir!”

The 22nd Annual Dip Metress Basketball Academy is underway, and kids from six to 17 are learning a thing or two about the game of basketball.

Austin Erlacher, another participant, said: “It’s so cool how I get to meet the players and play with them.”

Tensley Cooks, a participant, said: “We’re at a college gym, being taught by college coaches or players who used to go here.”

Head Coach Dip Metress said: “This is pretty much all basketball camp. We feed them, but we’re not watching movies, we’re not going swimming, we’re doing basketball.”

Whether they’ve been playing ball for years or are learning the game for the first time, it’s a great opportunity for everyone involved.

Joseph Lambert, a participant, said: “The games that we play, hot shot, knock out, and definitely the five on five. That’s my favorite part, the five-on-five.”

Players got the chance to learn from a college coach and his former players.

Dan: “What’s the best thing you’ve gone so far?”

Brendon Pie, a participant, said: “Knock out.”

Dan: “Okay cool. Did you win?”

Pie: “No, I was close.”

David Viti said, “It’s kind of funny to see kids that I used to be in their shoes, and kind of know what they were going through at these camps and all that kind of stuff, and kind of the nervousness you get playing with people that you don’t know.”

Playing against better competition can help these young ballers grow their game in more ways than one.

Cordell Edwards, a participant, said: “It’s really valuable, the fact that I get to get out here and showcase my skills. It’s really important to me.”

Ay’dien Perry, a participant, said: “Being able to play against older people who are way better, for example, like him, and a couple of the other people down there, it helps a lot.”

Joseph Lambert, a participant, said: “It’s extremely valuable. Especially, to learn from a college coach, who can help you expand your skills and your game, to help you go on and move on to the next level.”

It’s camps like this that make sports fun to learn and have the power to hand down the love for the game to the next generation, one , dribble, and shot at a time.

Metress said: “I learned a long time ago as a coach, if I couldn’t dunk, you give out stuff. So, at the end we’re giving out stuff for free throws, and like I said, just making them have a good time and fall in love with a game, that’s meant a lot.”

The 22nd Annual Dip Metress Basketball Academy continues through Thursday at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

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