New Basketball Camp To Teach Kids Multiple Aspects of Game

Curtis Adams is the coach of the Fort Lee Wildcats and is a former Division II basketball player at Felician College. Adams is now bringing the skills he has learned over the years to the new City Sports on 4 Basketball Camp in Englewood.

Adams understands how important the game can be and how it can help people in other facets of life, both on and off the court.

"Basketball has played such an important part in my life, because in truth, it shaped me out to the man I am today," Adams said. "Growing up, my father told me, 'You can understand a person through how they play.' I've always taken that and made sure that I am the best I can possibly be, making sure that I never become satisfied with what is in front of me and to always reach a new height.”

Adams played high school basketball at St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale. After that he was recruited to play at Felician College in Lodi, where his career was unfortunately cut short by injury.

"It was short-lived however, due to a broken hand my freshman year and torn ligaments in my knee my sophomore year," he said. "It was at this point that I felt it was best to move on."

A youth basketball team in the Fort Lee winter league for 8- to 10-year olds by the name of the Fort Lee Wildcats came along and asked Adams if he wanted to hop on board as coach. It proved to be a great step for Adams.

“The Fort Lee Wildcats was my saving grace," he said. "I did not want to just walk away from it all the way I did. I was offered the job to coach, and I jumped on it. I don't think a lot of the other coaches and other teams expected us to be as good as we were. We grew to become a fundamentally sound team, and defeated top teams and even had nail biter endings with undefeated teams.”

Adams loves coaching and helping kids learn the game and play it to the best of their ability. Many things can be learned through the game of basketball, including trust, teamwork and believing in oneself. Adams looks forward to teaching all of these things at his new basketball camp.

"The purpose of this camp is to turn these young boys into men," he said. "Now, you may say that these kids are ages 8 to 15, but that should not restrict them from growing up and learning the experiences of life through basketball. Growing up, I always wanted to learn something new, what could make me better. I was restricted and put to the sideline because of my age. These kids don't need that kind of disadvantage. Through this program, I want to develop smart players, hard working players, dedicated players, loyal players, players who don't understand the concept of quitting oneself and having the desire to go after what you want, in this program's case, turning your weaknesses into your strengths. These are the kinds of people who get the college scholarship in athletics or academics, and more importantly, the job. Basketball relates to life in all ways. I want to teach the lessons of life through the game."

Curtis Adams' Supplemental Basketball Camp takes place at City Sports on Route 4 in Englewood starting July 11 and runs throughout the summer. Weekly sessions are held on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m., and kids can sign up on a per-session basis for $100 per session. Each session will have a maximum of 25 players.

For more information or to sign up email Fort Lee youth basketball's Jack Haulser at fortleehoops@aol.com.