Lauren Polio is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Scottsdale Christian Academy for AZPreps365.com.

While many schools have booster clubs that are able to help generate money for their athletic programs, Scottsdale Christian Academy does not have this luxury.

But the Eagles basketball program has found a different way to be able to find funding for its team.

Head varsity boys basketball coach John Anderson first took over the annual Scottsdale Christian Eagles Basketball Camp two years ago. The camp had been running for more than 20 years at SCA to help supplement the boys' basketball budget.

According to Anderson, it was hard to know how high the interest or the demand would be, taking over after the year the pandemic began. But they were able to find their sweet spot and the camp was a success.

“I was really unsure of how it was gonna’ be received because the previous summer there was nothing because of COVID, so I went into it a little bit hesitant," Anderson said. "Very quickly we sold out, within about two weeks we sold out of our 160 spots. We had really terrific results. The feedback from parents and players after that first summer was very good.”

The Eagles’ camp runs for one week, with one camp being held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for first through fourth graders, and the second camp being held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for fifth through eighth graders. While the camp is held at SCA, it is open for anyone to attend.

The basketball camp proceeds help fund the program, for example paying for new uniforms, equipment, team dinners, and road trips. By doing this, they are able to help boost their team and do things that they wouldn't be able to do otherwise and give the kids a good high school experience. 

Seth McClue, a junior at Scottsdale Christian who also attended the camps from first through eighth grade, echoed how much the camps helped him throughout his basketball career.

“When I was little, they kind of introduced me to playing basketball and the fundamentals,” McClue said. “They made me interested in the game and playing club, and then that’s what helped me end up making varsity, I started to play more competitive basketball because of the camps.”

While Eagles camp helps generate the money they need to help fund their program, Anderson and assistant head coach Paul Clark emphasized that it is more than just a fundraiser. It also is able to provide beneficial life lessons for the athletes who attend them.

“From a basketball standpoint, I think our kids come away with a lot of the key fundamental building blocks to work on if they want to pursue the game through high school level and beyond,” Clark said. “But I think what really sets our camp apart is we use the game as a vehicle for life skills. We’ve built our philosophy of our program around five core values and each day we focus on one of those values and how that shows up not only in basketball but in the classroom, in friendships, and just in life and how those things can benefit all aspects of their lives.”