EFFINGHAM — Former St. Anthony Bulldog Lucy Fearday is once again hosting the All-Area Girls Basketball Camp this summer.
This July will mark the second year that Fearday is running the event.
“We’re really excited,” Fearday said. “It came to be because I had the opportunity to be teammates with Gracie Heckert, who attended Cowden-Herrick-Beecher City, at Parkland my first year. We would just talk about how grateful we were for the opportunity to play in the NTC and how our experiences in high school helped us in college.
“We just wanted the opportunity to give back.”
The camp will take place from July 15 to July 16. The first day of the camp is for incoming third through fifth graders. The second day is for incoming sixth through eighth graders.
“Last year, we did a three-day camp and they were each about two-and-a-half hours,” Fearday said. “This year, we’re doing it all day for one day. We have five or six different coaches from area schools coming in that can provide different skills and things that they experienced from college.”
Each camp starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. at the Enlow Center inside St. Anthony High School. Registration is $50 per camper.
The coaches this year are Fearday, Heckert, Grace Nelson (2024 Altamont graduate), Lexi Seabaugh (2024 Brownstown-St. Elmo graduate), Sydney Hakman (2023 Neoga graduate), Cortney Brummer (2023 Dieterich graduate), Samantha Hayes (2025 Windsor-Stewardson-Strasburg graduate) and Alexis VanDyke (2024 North Clay graduate).
Fearday said last year was fun for everyone.
“We tried to fill [our camp] with games and excitement and enthusiasm because, at the end of the day, sports are meant to be fun,” she said.
The second day was a bit more exciting.
Fearday remembers when she was first in junior high and got to represent her school for the first time.
“Junior high is really exciting because, for the younger kids, it’s their first time competing for their schools,” Fearday said. “There’s a lot of club ball and different organizations you can play in, but there’s something different about being able to compete for your school.”
Being a leader is in Fearday’s DNA.
She credits her parents for instilling that in her.
“I feel like my parents provided me with awesome opportunities because they were able to coach me,” Fearday said. “They both played college sports and I have little siblings now, so being able to share and provide what I learned with younger kids is so big.”
“I fell into a leadership role at St. Anthony,” Fearday continued. “I had a very athletic, big class behind me and some good, athletic girls in my class, as well, but I’ve just always loved the game, loved the sport and loved to compete more than anything.”
Right now, Fearday said 40 kids are signed up for the camp. She said that was the goal, but more are always welcome.
This year’s camp will focus on energy and effort.
“Energy and effort create enthusiasm and enthusiasm create girls that grow up to be leaders and fun people to be around,” Fearday said.