Jason Shull said he wants to recreate a spirit of achievement in basketball he remembers from growing up here 30 years ago, when Klukwan, Inc. held an annual basketball camp.

Shull, 39, said several of the Haines players from that era went on to play the game in college, including Josh Fannon, Andrew Friske, Stuart DeWitt and Will Egolf.

“I can’t overstate how important those camps were to my generation of players. By the time we were in high school, we’d already spent a lot of time on the court and had something we took pride in. I want to be able to extend that opportunity to another generation of kids. I want to expose them to something they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.”

Shull will hold his own three-day basketball camp July 26-28 at Karl Ward Gym. The all-day “AAA Basketball Camp” is open to boys and girls entering grades 6-12. Enrollment is capped at 40 players; tuition is $125.

The camp features former NBA player Mark McNamara as guest speaker and coaches Shull and Jared Mercer, Idaho’s all-time leading high school scorer. Mercer played Division I basketball at the University of Idaho. Shull is an eight-time all-tournament Gold Medal player.

Besides giveaways for participants like balls and bags, the camp aims to prepare players for all aspects of the game, and how to approach it, including off-season training and nutrition. A big part of Shull’s message is that traits that bring success in basketball translate into other areas of life.

“Things don’t necessarily come easy to do. If they were easy, everyone would be successful. You have to push yourself through things that are hard to do, but there’s a reward if you push yourself through those things,” Shull said. The initials of his camp stand for “Attitude plus Actions determine Ability.”

Developing confidence isn’t only important for winning, but also is a motivator that can bring happiness in life, Shull said.

Most camps focus on offense but Shull said he’ll also emphasize defense and rebounding.

“A quick way to get yourself in the game is to be a good defensive player and rebounder. A coach will always find time for a player with those skills.”

Shull said he’s hoping to establish the camp as an annual event. The camp will be open to students from elsewhere if local students don’t fill it, he said. “If local campers can house kids from out of town, that would be helpful, too,” he said.

For more information, contact Shull at 907-314-0489 or [email protected].