BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The success of the Martin County Lady Cards summer basketball camp reached new heights this year.
From May 29-31, 60 young enthusiasts gathered for the “Camp of Champions” in the Martin County High School gym. They honed their skills under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Robin Harmon Newsome, her seasoned assistants, and past and present Lady Cards players.
The camp boasted a distinguished lineup of instructors and guests, including Ida Bowen, the 1991 Kentucky Miss Basketball, Sheldon Clark High School legend, and KHSAA Hall of Famer, who served as the guest speaker.
Bowen, alongside 2024 Donna Murphy Award recipient and Morehead State signee Laken Williams, led drills and shared insights with campers from kindergarten through seventh grade.
Alice Lloyd College recruits Katie Marcum and Alyssa Allen, as well as University of Pikeville cheerleading signee Kennadi Mollett, contributed their expertise to the program.
Throughout the three-day camp, participants engaged in a series of basketball drills focusing on ball handling, shooting, agility, team building and speed training. They also had the opportunity to interact with Miss Kentucky Basketball during a question-and-answer session, where Bowen encouraged the young athletes with personal reflections on her own journey.
“I wish I’d believed in myself even sooner,” Bowen said. “I started to say, ‘Yes I can,’ and worked hard on and off the court.”
Bowen, who played at Western Kentucky University before embarking on a professional career overseas, recalled how her early years playing pickup ball with the guys on Fridays and Saturdays paved the way for her scoring 2,385 points and grabbing 1,400 rebounds during her high school career.
This year’s camp was supported by a UNITE grant, which provided new equipment for the Lady Cards and t-shirts and basketballs for each camper. On the final day, Coach Newsome extended the camp’s schedule to include a session on vape and tobacco prevention to emphasize the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices.
Castle’s Jewelry of Paintsville contributed medals for each camper.
Camp days were filled with competitions in free throws, layups, and hot-shot challenges, with winners in various age categories taking home accolades.
Winners of the free throw competition include: Grade K-1 Grayson Hinkle; Grade 2-3 Julian Ray and Raylee Oaks; Grade 4-5 Lyric Howell and Braylee Horn; Grade 6-7 Kenleigh Estep and Brayden Hammond.
The following campers won the hot shot competition: Grade K-1 Mila Guthrie and Jastin Marcum; Grade 2-3 Lukas Mays and Kenna Hale; Grade 4-5 Parker Stafford and Harper Runyon; Grade 6-7 Emily Mills and Mayson Phillips.
Layup competition winners include: Grade K-1 Connor White; Grade 2-3 Ayden Allen and Carmen Endicott; Grade 4-5 Jayce McCoy and Paige Stafford; Grade 6-7 Lexi Bowen and Zaiden Tackett.
Coach Newsome expressed her excitement about the future of Martin County basketball, praising the commitment of the young athletes, their parents and the supportive community that surrounds the Lady Cards program.
