Children took to the hardwood on Saturday, as they competed, learned and improved in basketball in the 13th annual Sports Works Academy Basketball Camp at the Bogalusa YMCA.

“We’re excited to be back here in Bogalusa,” co-camp director Michael Galloway said, at the beginning of Saturday’s camp. “It’s our 13th year doing this. I talk to you about that all the time, just the longevity, so we’re looking forward (to it). We’ve got a couple of new kids. We’ve got a great lineup of coaches that showed up today. “Ereyanna Magee, Johnny Magee II, Nikita’s (Wilson) back, Terrence Jones and my brother Murrell Galloway, so we’re going to teach the kids.”

Michael Galloway co-directs the camp with Nikita Wilson.
Michael Galloway said they also did something different on this year.

“We’re having a free book giveaway, so we’re going to let the kids choose. We’ve got about eight cases of books out there, we’re going to let them choose whatever books they want. We’re trying to talk about doing more than sports, like I said, being well-rounded individuals.”

Both Galloways are Bogalusa High School graduates.

Murrell graduated in 1981 and Michael graduated in 1985.

The camp had 15 people that took the campers through their customary drill sets, which was like a combine style drill.

“We’ll run them through all quadrants of the court, working on dribbling, passing and shooting. Then we’ll break them into teams later on. Then we’ll break them into 3-on-3 competition and we’ll end up with some 5-on-5,” Michael Galloway said.

Galloway said he was super excited.

“This particular time of year is very fond to us,” Galloway said. “It’s like a reunion. We get to come home and see friends and family and get an opportunity to take a little vacay, so it’s a great opportunity for us to bond and to get together with the youth in the community.

“Some of our kids came back, like Jaylen Brickmore came back today and he started when he was 7 years old. Now he’s like a senior in high school, so we’re all excited to these kids grow and develop.”