SPANISH FORT, Alabama — Spanish Fort High School Lady Toros varsity head coach Angi Puckett and members of her team held a summer basketball camp for 20 girls (third through eighth-grade) at the Spanish Fort High Gym recently.

Puckett said the camp went well and she may hold another this summer. The former collegiate player at the University of Indianapolis added that her own love of basketball makes teaching it a two-way street with her getting back more than she can give.

“I thought it went great. And anytime you can introduce kids to the game of basketball and share your love of it — and I hope to maybe make it the start of a love for the game for some of them, too— all at the same time, you know, it’s just a great feeling. I’m excited about that.”

At times she appears to be having as much or more fun than the campers.

“I am having fun,” she said with a laugh. “It can be exhausting, but hopefully they got enough out of it that they can work on it at home and over the summer and keep getting better and better. But if we have another (camp) in July, I hope they come back more excited and more hungry for basketball than before and I hope we have even more than the 20 we had this time. My girls from the team are just super good with all the kids and been a big help. I think everyone enjoyed it. I hope so.”

One camper, Olivia Doherty, who is going into the fourth grade this fall, gave the two-day experience two thumbs up and a huge grin.

“It was fun,” she said. “They make us do a lot, but it’s fun. I like to dribble the ball and shoot it. My dad (played) and my sister Emily, too. She plays. She makes me play, sometimes.”

Emily will also be a senior on the 2012-13 varsity at Spanish Fort this year.

Incoming senior Elaine Wood, who has three varsity basketball letters, said she enjoyed working with all the campers, especially the younger ones. She added that going over the fundamentals and basics of the game help reinforce them in herself.

“I love helping out and I love the little kids, too. Coach Puckett is great with them. It’s just a good feeling. And we all have fun,” she said. “I think working with them (teaching) really helps me to be a better player, too.”