(Maxx Photo) LHHS head basketball coach Barry Boren (with some of his 20-person coaching staff standing behind him) addresses campers and parents at Thursday's awards ceremonies at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp.
by Chuck Licata
For a lot of the high school’s existence, Liberty Hill has produced basketball teams that – year in and year out – produce stellar seasons.
This past season was certainly no exception as the Lady Panthers made it to the Class 3A state semifinals and the Panthers made it to the Region IV final.
(Maxx Photo) LHHS head boys' basketball coach Barry Boren stands with Josh Sudekum, who was named Most Valuable Camper at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp.
Right after the turn of the century, current LHHS boys’ head coach Barry Boren started the Runnin’ Panther Hoop Camp. This summer, that basketball camp turned 10 years old.
The 10th annual Runnin’ Panther Hoop Camp was held June 11-14 by boys’ head coach Barry Boren, who – along with then-girls’ coach Tanya Lott – started the original camp in 2002.
“This camp is patterned after the long-running and well-heeded Lone Star Hoop Camp,” Boren explained. “Jan Jernberg, now the coach at LakeTravis, and I worked many years ago. He set the format for what we do now.
“I approached Tanya Lott who was then the LHHS girls’ coach. I asked her about starting a (combined) basketball camp. She agreed to help out although she felt we might get about 50 kids, tops. I told her we’d get at least 100 campers combined; we ended up with 115 kids that first year.”
The combined camp actually separated four years ago under then-LHHS coach John Avritt; current girls’ coach Matt Kirschner now runs the Lady Panther Hoop Camp (that camp was held two weeks ago).
Both camps have exploded the past couple years. While the Lady Panther camp brought in a record 131 campers two weeks ago, the Runnin’ Panther Hoop Camp – which caters to boys entering second-through-ninth grades – counted 150 boys at its week-long event.
“That’s over 280 campers between the two; that’s impressive,” Boren stated. “But, we don’t take anything for granted. We both work to give the campers the best in teachings and experiences.
“We put an emphasis on our coaches – our boys’ camp has 20, total; that includes 11 former campers, four staff members and two former camp coaches. I feel we have great, quality coaches and when you combine that with the (camp’s) solid format, our campers get a great experience.”
Boren, who took this year’s LHHS Panthers to the brink of a berth in the 3A state tournament (they lost in the Region IV final to Corpus Christi Miller), enjoys having just-graduated players – as well as former players – come back and work the camp.
“They like coming back,” Boren beamed. “It’s great to have them back too. We’re so lucky we have players who leave Liberty Hill but stay in touch with us.
“Our former players make great camp coaches. They’re all very smart kids; they were all coachable as players, now they get to ‘show off’ their skills to the younger kids. It’s a great atmosphere.”
A great atmosphere which has helped Runnin’ Panther Hoop Camp continue to go strong – 10 years and running.
Or, “Runnin.’”
Camp award photos are below:
(Maxx Photo) The campers at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp who were named Top Gun award winners included (l-r) J.T. Ware, Kyle Kuhlmann, Danny Katz, Janeck Naylor, Cooper Bell and Garrett Wright. The camp's trophy winner in the category was Carson Lowe (far right).
(Maxx Photo) The campers at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp who were named Ace Defender award winners included (l-r) Colton O'Dell, Trent Salyer, Carson Vickers, Carson Lloyd, Neil Stephens and Connor Thompson. The camp's trophy winner in the category was Adam Welch (far right).
(Maxx Photo) The campers at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp who were named Coaches Choice award winners included (l-r) Tanner Genley, Viltero Fuciher, Tyler Morton, Kyle Seabuck, Clay Elliott, Matt Rimann, Drake Schmidt, Logan Gillentine and Connor Lowe. The camp's trophy winner in the category was Andrew Carlisle (far right).
(Maxx Photo) The campers at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp who were named Most Improved award winners included (l-r) Hayden Griffin, Blake Roberts, Rhett Hoffman, Sam Roth, Jake Knight and Ethan Hershberger. The camp's trophy winner in the category was Colby LaDuque. (far right).
(Maxx Photo) The campers at the 10th Annual Runnin' Panther Hoop Camp who were named Team First award winners included (l-r) Corey Esquell, Chance Pogue, Aaron Bizzell, Matt Zipperer, Riley La Duque, Austin Maxwell and Zone Scott. The camp's trophy winner in the category was Luke Stabuck (far right).
