Nate James talks about his camp and being an assistant coach
Former Duke players Nate James and Chris Carrawell run an annual basketball camp in Durham, N.C. The Blue Devil Nation talked with Nate about the camp . Nate wants to share the Nate James-Chris Carrawell Basketball Camp information with both fans and parents. Nate was also kind enough to allow me an interview with him. He talks about his new responsibilities and an assistant coach, including what he brings to the table. You are sure to enjoy his answers. The interview follows the camp information. Please take the time to read the camp information and consider donating to a worthy foundation. Then read on and enjoy the interview. It is sure to make you want the season to start tomorrow!
Session Dates - July 14-18, 21-25, 28-(8)-1 Hours 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Monday-Thursday and Friday's 9 A.M. to 3 P.M.
Location - Durham Academy
Details - This is a day camp, meaning you kids will be dropped off an picked up daily. Cost $200.00 per week. There is a special. If you sign up for two weeks of camp, you get the third week for free.
Help Nate and Chris send a deserving kid to camp - There is a scholarship program set up which is a non profit foundation. Nate and Chris will accept donations be it five dollars, two hundred for a full scholarship or 2000 dollars. The kids chosen have good academics or have served in some way in the community. A coach, teacher or someone in the community are among those who will put a kid up for a scholarship.
What can parents, a mentor or someone donating funds for a scholarship expect a kid to learn and take from the Nate James-Chris Carrawell Basketball Camp?
What we try to do is provide a Duke experience. We structure the camp from a morning session through the afternoon. We will work on drills and teach them the fundamentals of the game. Throughout the course of the day, we have 3 on 3 and 5 on 5 play because it's important not only to learn the skill, but to apply it. We will teach them some of the same drills we have here at Duke and try to instill confidence through hands on teaching. By teaching them about the game, we are also teaching them about life. You know, like working hard each day, in a team concept with other people you may not know. Our goal is to teach them how to be successful. When freshman come into to Duke you don't know all the players, so you have to learn to adjust and become part of a team. We will try to instill that same introduction into the camp participants.
Elaborate a little bit more on what a normal day might be for a camper.
Our camp is divided by age. We have the NIT (6, 7, 8) , NCAA (9, 10, 11) and the NBA (12-17). We will break them down and work on certain drills whether it be shooting, rebounding, defense, agility drills ... every aspects of the game. We will have breaks where we discuss fundamentals, divide teams up to play some 3 on 3. We then break for lunch and come back and play some 5 on 5, but we always end the camp on fundamentals. In order to be a better basketball player, you have to learn the fundamentals.
So, Chris and yourself will be there. How about other players?
Nate James - Yes. Chris and myself will almost always be there, unlike some camps where the sponsor or the person it's named after will make one or two appearances leaving the hands on teaching to others. We will bring Duke Basketball players in, both men's and women's and will have them speak to the campers and give lectures. For instance, we will have Greg Paulus come in and show some ball handling drills and there will be many others. We want to show them that Duke Athletes are players just like them and that they work hard, hoping to give them something to aspire to.
So, the kids are assured a great experience ..
Nate James - Oh, definitely, definitely, It's to learn the game and have fun. Those are the two things. If they go out and give 100% and throw themselves into it, they will learn and have a great week of camp regardless of their current level of play. We get a lot of the kids coming back who have been attending the camp since the first year. We now have good experience running this event. I think we are doing a lot of great things and this summer we will continue to do so.
This camp is for boy's and girls?
Nate James - Yes, it is coed. It's a great camp, especially for the money. I really try to give them everything they may have at the Duke Camp, but a lot of people can't afford a Duke or a UNC Camp, so we try to offer a similar experience. We will give kids an opportunity they may have missed at the more expensive camps which includes bringing men's and women's players in. There will definitely be a Duke feel to our camp and they are sure to get some autographs as well. It's a good time!
A note to readers - There are a lot of deserving kids who cannot afford to go. I have two in my area which come from difficult situations which makes it impossible for them to afford the clinic. They make good grades, stay out of gangs and trouble and love to play basketball and more importantly show the character their community is in need of. If you would like to help send these two kids to the camp, I will personally make sure they get there daily and can guarantee you it will help them tell others of their experience. I work with youth groups and I am currently stretched a little thin. If you would like to help, you can contact me watzonebdp@gmail.com or when making a donation to Nate's Foundation, mention Mark's kids.
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Nate James Interview -
Congratulations on being named the new assistant basketball coach at Duke University. I am very happy for you and think you will do an excellent job in your new position.
I'm really excited about it. It's an honor to be a part of the staff here at Duke. I'm looking forward to bringing the same things as I brought when I was a player and hopefully the experiences I had will help the guys who are already here.
Have you been able to get to know some of the players and will you work with them?
Yes, definitely. I recently retired from playing ball in Europe. Since that time I came in around November eventually being added to the staff.. Every summer I come back and I got to know the guys playing against them. Once I joined the staff in February as the Strength and Conditioning Coach, I was able to be around them even more, establishing even better relationships. I got a much better idea of who they guys are and what the coaches do on a daily basis during that time.
You played for Coach K, but what is it like now that you work with him?
I was fortunate enough to already be a part of the staff and get in on some of the meetings and kind of got in behind the scenes already. I'm just in awe of how disciplined and how hard he works. He's the most driven person I think I have ever met. I mean, each day, whether it is after a big game or a tough loss, he prepares the same way. When you have someone who shows you how to be successful and what he takes to do so is a tremendous opportunity.
Chemistry is obviously really important within the staff ...
It's very important! ( with emphasis) We're a team! The staff is a team. The same thing we try to instill in our players to go out there and be one unit and play as a fist, we do the same as a staff. We work together, everyone know their roles. We do everything possible in order for communicating the message of what we expect from the team. We want to make it easy to deliver a message to the guys, so they can do the same things on the court.
What are your short term and long term goals in coaching?
I just want to enjoy the process. Right now I am just excited to learn from Coach K, Wojo and Chris and just learn as much as I can everyday to be the best coach I can be right now. There is a lot I obviously don't know this being my first opportunity. I'm just a little bit awed and want to learn and do my best to help the current Duke Basketball team. Years down the line if I am prepared I will seek an opportunity. Coach told me from day one that he's not preparing me to be an assistant coach and that he one day expects me to be a head coach. That gave me a lot of confidence and showed how much confidence he had in me. I just want to be the best coach I can be for the players here at Duke.
I know that the rest of the staff has responsibilities later this summer with Team USA and their quest to win a gold medal. Will you hit the AAU trail this season or do some recruiting?
I will be able to get out the road on July the 6th. I will get started and will try and learn and play catch up on all the young prospects we are looking at. I will be getting familiar with these guys, trying to get to know their coaches. So, once I do hit the road for evenual in homes I will have some idea of the information needed. It's going to be something new for me, but I am excited to get out there and learn. After studying the prospects, I am amazed that there is so much great talent out there and I look forward to getting some of them signed up here.
What does Nate James bring to the Duke staff?
I bring a new set of eyes and ears. I believe I will bring more toughness. I'm an extra person on the bench that knows what coach wants since I played for him. I know what he is trying to get out of all the players. That's one of the reasons coach hires former players for we understand what he wants from us. In my situation I can relate to almost everything a player can go through. Coming in as a McDonald's All American and having to vie for playing time was something I had to adjust to. Having injuries which I eventually overcame and just the obstacles that as a player I had to face ... just overcoming so many things will help me. Just having that experience will help me give advice to help a young player and give him advice which might help him succeed.
What can Duke fans expect from the 2008-09 basketball team?
I think we are going to be an exciting team! We have more experience now. We only lose one player, who was a heck of a player for us in DeMarcus Nelson. With all the guys returning and all the young talent we have coming in ... we're going to be extremely athletic ... Olek, Elliot, Plumlee ... all those guys are extremely athletic and will go well with the guys we have here. The guys returning are very hungry to go out and get one of those championships we missed out on. I think we will have a great year.
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