Young Players Learning Life Lessons on the Court

By Melissa Maynarich, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A basketball camp in Oklahoma City works to teach kids more than how to just make a free throw.

The basketball camp at Oklahoma City University exposes young players to the fundamentals of passing, shooting and ball handling while fostering the students' ideas of shooting for the stars.

"Dreams are important. Young kids need to dream, to work hard. Need to have those aspirations. We tell them if you want to make the NBA, if you work hard, there's a possibility you can make it," said camp instructor Roman Owen.

The campers are also taught skills they need in life.

"They get a lot of nutrition, alcohol and drug awareness, education information, table etiquette, resume writing," Owen said.

Players at the camp said the life lessons are making a difference in their lives.

"They kind of made a point where basketball is like life. Where you run into obstacles and you have to play defense. You have to learn how to work through it and just get passed that stuff," said Elizabeth Synan, 14-year-old camper.