ASHLAND — Simon Wheeler remembers going to basketball camps when he was a young player. 

The 21-year-old Ashland University sophomore is on the men’s basketball team. He plays point guard. Mostly, what Wheeler said he remembers from going to camps was making friends, some of whom he ran into later in life. 

This week, Wheeler had a chance to see basketball camp from the other side of the ball. His coach connected some of AU’s players with the Ashland YMCA for its first basketball camp of the season. 

The camp lasted three days and included students in kindergarten through sixth grade, according to Christian Langston, the Y’s sports and fitness director.

Langston themed the camp around the idea of “You Matter.” 

Children learned basketball fundamentals, went through drills, played each other one-on-one and Langston imparted messages about never quitting and how each of the students has purpose.

Wheeler, AU’s point guard, volunteered for all three days of the camp. 

“I learned that you have to take a different approach to every kid,” Wheeler said. “They all have different personalities and learn different. Some might learn by talking to them, and others you have to show them how it’s done.” 

Wheeler said in college, where he studies business administration, things feel really serious. The camp gave him a break from that. He said he had fun watching the children learn to play basketball.

“You Matter”

Langston, the YMCA’s sports and fitness director, said he wanted to bring positivity to Ashland through the camp. 

“With what was happening with tragedies and loss in the community, I wanted to spread positivity and spread hope,” Langston said. 

All the students received t-shirts that said “You Matter” on the front. The back had a message too, reading, “Don’t forget it. You are strong. You are capable. You have purpose. You matter.” 

Langston said throughout the week, he talked to the camp attendees about how he hoped their shirts would make them “walking billboards.” 

As they go throughout their days, some of them wearing the t-shirts, he said they can share that message with others.

Mitch and Jenni Jacobsen’s son, Johnathan, attended the camp. Mitch works at a nonprofit in Mansfield, and Jenni is a professor at Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Mitch said they’re YMCA members, and saw the camp as a good way for their seven-year-old to prepare for the basketball season. 

He added he thinks the message of the camp was really important. Mitch and Jenni both said they thought their son took away the positivity Langston fostered throughout the week. 

“Everybody has strengths and everybody’s good at something,” Jenni said. “Christian [Langston] does a really good job at making all the kids feel like they’re special.” 

Mitch said adding a message to these camps lets the students walk away with something more important than just sports. It offers life lessons.

Building habits

Langston finished the camp Thursday night by having students gather around him. He asked if they had fun and to share what they learned and liked about camp. 

“How to dunk,” one said. 

“Working with Coach Simon [Wheeler],” another said. 

“Being with my friends.” 

“About the message on my shirt.” 

The coaches spotlighted students who worked hard or did well in a drill on the last day. Then, Langston gave the students a speech touching on the camp’s theme. 

“When you’re wearing this shirt and you come across somebody, you’re telling them, ‘You matter,’” Langston told the camp attendees. 

He told the students to do two things moving forward.

First, he said that if they loved basketball and wanted to keep playing, that they should keep practicing. He encouraged them to put a ball in their hands and work on dribbling and shooting. 

Then, Langston asked the students to practice a mental skill, too. He told the students that as they look in the mirror each morning, he wants them to tell themselves that they’re strong and capable. 

“The world can tear you down sometimes,” Langston said. “So, you need to be sure to build yourself and others back up.” 

Abel Wressell, a second grader, said he liked the camp, especially playing one-on-one against each other. The 8-year-old walked away after listening to Langston’s speech with a goal of continuing to hone his basketball skills.

“I’ll keep practicing,” Wressell said.