Big Red Basketball Camp set for next week

NEWPORT — Next week, kids across Cocke County will have the opportunity to learn from Casey Ragan, Boddie Bible and their players, as the CCHS basketball programs host the Big Red Basketball Camp from July 17-18.

This will be the second year hosting for second-year Lady Red coach Boddie Bible, and it will be the fourth consecutive camp for Fighting Cocks coach Casey Ragan, who said the camp did not happen his first year during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The camp is open to a wide range, from boys and girls entering second grade to those going into eighth grade.

The cost is $40 per person, though Ragan said they are doing discounts for siblings.

“We’re not really trying to make money off it,” he said. “We’ll give them a t-shirt and we want them to come have fun.”

Each camper will receive a t-shirt, with the times for each day being as follows: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for second through fourth grade and 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. for fifth through eighth grade.

For the younger side, Ragan said they will be focusing more on fundamentals, including basic ball handling drills and one favorite competition.

“One thing we always do that’s a big hit is pass tag, where they have to pass the ball and tag a player at the same time to get them out,” Ragan said. “Usually they love that, and it teaches them to move in open space and to pass to their teammates, obviously.”

“And we will have kids from our programs there to help run things, and a lot of the younger kids look up to them anyway,” he added. “So it’s fun for our kids to interact with them, and I think they have more fun than the campers getting to teach things.”

For the older group, Ragan said that side of the camp will be run more like a practice.

“We want to let them see what it takes to play at the high school level and to refine their skills,” Ragan said.

“So that way when they do eventually get to high school, they know what to expect.”

For the second and final day of camp, Ragan said campers can expect lots of competition — shootouts, relay races, and 3-on-3 and 5-on-5, especially among the older group.

“You’ll learn a lot in 3-on-3, just about movement and space and screening,” he said. “But just looking for a fun time with them.”

Aside from fun, though, this kind of occurrence reinforces the role Ragan holds, since he is a Cocke County graduate who will be looking to impact kids throughout the community in this two-day span.

“I’m a Cocke County lifer and know a lot of people in town, and they know me,” Ragan said. “I’m not there yet, but I’m starting to get to the age where some of these kids coming through in camp, I went to school with or played with their parents.

“So that’s interesting and makes me feel old, but it means a lot to me. And hopefully I’m making a positive impact, and we’ll keep this train rolling.”