By Brannon King / For the FCT

Young ball players from around the area recently had the opportunity to take part in the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department’s summer basketball camp.

The camp, held each year at the Russellville Rec Center, gives athletes a chance to get onto the court and out of the hot temperatures to learn important skills from instructor Rayfield Ragland.

More than 25 campers between the ages of 5-15 took part in the two-day clinic, with ages 5-9 attending a session June 18 and ages 10-15 attending the June 19 session.

“The ultimate objective behind the camp is to give kids – not just in the Florence and Muscle Shoals area but to give kids also in Franklin County – an opportunity to develop,” Ragland said. “A lot of times we overlook the fact that we actually have basketball players in this area. Especially with Russellville being a baseball/football area, we kind of overlook basketball, and I wanted to give kids in this area a chance to actually develop and perfect their skills, to where they can put themselves in a position to possibly get a scholarship one day.”

Ragland, who works with many local athletes as a personal trainer, said he uses the camp as an opportunity to teach not only basketball fundamentals but also valuable life-lessons that can improve confidence, discipline, focus and work-ethic.

“A lot of it is life lessons,” Ragland explained. “You can learn a lot through playing sports that can pertain to everyday life because you have to have the discipline and follow order on the basketball court. What I want them to understand is that you have to take that same mindset outside into the world. You still have to follow order, and you still have to have discipline, in everything you do in life.”