It was hard to tell who was having a better time and liking basketball more at the Thompson Falls Basketball Camp this past week, the more than 100 kids or the staff of former Blue Hawks players. 

Both groups clearly had a great time at the camp, headed by T Falls basketball coach and activities director Jake Mickelson. This was the 12th year Mickelson and T Falls have hosted the basketball camp for these age groups. 

The four-day camp, held in the TFHS gym Monday through Thursday was a hit however you looked at it. 

“I really had fun,” said Louis Hannum who had a clear favorite among the mainly drills and activities during the two-hour sessions each day for third through fifth grade boys and girls. “I liked the three on three drills the best.” 

“Me too, that was my favorite part,” agreed Nate Mickelson, who was also in the 3-5 grade group. 

And those two voices, as a bonus, bode well for the future of Blue Hawks basketball. 

“There are a lot of kids who have had brothers or sisters who went through the camp over the years,” said coach Mickelson, father of Nate.  “Most of the more than 100 kids in the camp this year are from the T Falls area, although we have one from Deer Lodge and one from Florida also.” 

And Mickelson acknowledged many of the kids in the camp will likely try out for T Falls school basketball programs and some may very well end up like the majority if not entirety of the staff assistants. 

Among those T Falls alumni helping out during the camp, which was split into three groups: kindergarten through second grade; third grade through fifth, and sixth through eighth, were sisters Megan and Ellie Baxter, both standout players during their high school careers who are now teammates on a strong Carroll College basketball team. 

“This is lots of fun to be part of,” said Ellie Baxter, who will be a sophomore this fall at the Helena school. “It’s great to work with these young kids”. 

Those sentiments were echoed by current TFHS player Bryson LeCoure, a senior who is expected to be one of the leaders of this year’s Blue Hawks’ team, as well as quarterback for the football team. 

“It’s a good thing to be part of,” he said. “I have a cousin at this camp and watching all these little kids play the game and have fun is great”. 

The two groups of “older” campers had two-hour, high-energy sessions each of the four days, while the K-2 group was on the court for an hour each day.  Being on the court is one of the top benefits kids get early on in their basketball playing days. 

“It’s good to get the ball in their hands and get them out on the court,” coach Mickelson said. “And this is also good exposure for Thompson Falls basketball.  A lot of these kids will come back to play for us some day.”

Each session began with agility, running, dribbling and passing drills.  The campers were then paired off by grade level in both boys and girls three on three games. 

Winners of those games met for a championship in each group.  Prizes, such as new basketballs and water bottles with the camp logo were also up for grabs.  And, of course, every camper got a Thompson Falls Basketball Camp t-shirt as a memento of their experience. 

Another of the 3-5 grade group who enjoyed the experience was Franklin Agting, who had surprising dribbling and shooting skills. 

When asked what he liked about the camp, Agting said simply: “All of it.”

    The 2024 K-2 class from the Thompson Falls Basketball Camp last week in T Falls. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)
  

    Coach Jake Mickelson talks with the kindergarten to second grade group at last week's T Falls Basketball Camp. (Chuck Bandel/VP-MI)