Camp Philosophy:
Our camps are designed to teach more than what is done at the typical school camp. We believe in detailed instruction on both fundamentals and more advanced moves. We go beyond the basics and believe that with the proper instruction and ample practice time, most kids are capable of performing advanced moves. We break things down, step by step, focusing on proper footwork, correct body position and efficient technique. They’ll never know what they can accomplish until they try. For example, we’ve had first graders dribbling between their legs and shooting from 12’ on a regulation height rim while maintaining near perfect form.
We don’t do much scrimmaging at our camps, but when we do scrimmage, we mainly do controlled small side scrimmaging, 1 on 1, 2 on 2 and 3 on 3. This results in more touches per player and a more fundamentally centric half court game. It’s our experience that as soon as we go 5 on 5 full court, all the day’s hard work goes out the window and it’s run and gun time.
We also don’t waste large chunks of instruction time playing knock-out or running low-participation competitions (we’ll do a little of this to have some fun, but its not a significant part of the day’s activities and is never the focus of our efforts). For most of the camp, each athlete will have a ball in their hand and will be working on their game.
We also hate standing in lines. Inevitably, there will be lines for certain drills, but generally the lines are short (2-3 kids) and we strive to maximize reps. We have 21 baskets in the gym and limit the number of campers to 72 so that’s only 4 kids at a basket.
ITZ offers 10, week-long, specialized camps focusing our training on specific objectives.
Instructors:
The Camp Director is Steve Turpening, Owner and Founder of In the Zone. Steve is on the court and running the camps 90% of the time. Most of the assistant instructors are typically current or former Division I, II and III college players from schools like Rider, Bloomsburg, Kutztown, Moravian, Millersville etc or exceptional high school players.
Our 2023 Camps:
(Expand for more information)
Shooting Camps
For boys and girls grades 4-12
Monday, June 12 to Thursday, June 15, 2022; 9:00-12:00.
Wed, July 5 to Fri July 7, 2023; 12:30-3:30 ($75)
Monday, August 7 to Thur, August 10, 2023; 9:00-12:00
Our Signature Camp and one of our most popular camps; it’s one week of pure shooting. We spend the first day doing form shooting, breaking down the shot step by step, weaving instruction and practice sessions and ultimately by the end of that first day—having a great looking shot. The rest of the week we spend taking that great looking shot and making it work in various game like situations.
We’ll also cover shooting off the dribble, shooting off the pass, shooting with the 1-2, shooting with the hop, step backs, head fakes, jab steps, shooting under pressure and much more. If you want to develop your shot or just become a better shooter, this camp is for you. We’ll take at least 500 shots a day; 2,000 shots in a week.
Note about youngsters: The camp is open to 4th and 5th graders but they need to be able to shoot at a 10′ rim and have the focus and attention span to shoot for 3 hours 4 days straight.
Cost $95/week
Please Note: this isn’t a “fun” camp; we don’t play many games. We shoot. Parents should consider their kid’s attention span and love of shooting when deciding to attend the camp.
Court IQ: Read & React*
Court IQ: Read & React*
For boys and girls entering grades 5-12
Monday Jun 19 to Thursday Jun 22, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Learn the lost art of moving without the ball by reacting to what is happening on the court. The game can be broken down to reading the ball and the action of the ball handler in relation to your position. There are several basic actions that occur frequently on the court and proper reaction to these actions improves offensive efficiency and increases scoring opportunities. We’ll cover over 20 of these situations and practice them to achieve a basic level of proficiency. If you know the read and react basics, you can play anywhere, with anyone and in any system.
Cost $160
“After this camp, my son was able to immediately implement some of the things he learned. I saw a definite improvement in his game. He started driving to the basket and had more confidence in his shot.” — J.B. Bethlehem
*Advanced Camp
Post Player Camp*
Post Player Camp*
For Centers and Power Forwards.
For boys and girls entering grades 5-12
Monday, July 17 to Thursday, July 20, 2023
9:00 to 12:00 pm
Exclusively BIG MAN PLAY. Don’t just play big, learn to own the paint: Learn and practice over 35 offensive moves and 20 defensive reads. Learn the finer points and techniques of posting up, getting position, getting open, winning the arm and leg battle and defending the post. Learn to finish with dribble drop steps, drop steps, up and unders, Shaq spins, jump hooks, pro hops, baseline sweep moves, step back shots, pro-stance, passing, sealing, setting screens to score, using screens to score, inside-out plays, offensive rotations from the post…
Cost $75/week
*Advanced Camp
Ball Handling & Finishing Camps*
Ball Handling & FinishingCamp*
For boys and girls entering grades 5-12
Monday, June 12 – Thursday, June 15, 2023: 12:30-3:30
Monday, July 17 — Wednesday, July 20, 2023; 12:30-3:30
Monday, Aug 7 – Thursday, Aug 10, 2023; 12:30-3:30
Not just dribbling although we’ll do alot of that, but learning how to put moves together to attack the basket. Killer Crossovers, Combination moves, using the body to sell the move and then finishing with 16 different lay-ups. Lots of ball handling drills including 2 ball and 3 ball dribbling, tennis ball drills, medicine ball drills, partner drills, wall drills and more. Want Handles? You’ll earn them at this camp.
Cost $95/week
*Advanced Camp
Offensive Skills and Scoring Camps*
Offensive Skills and Scoring Camp*
For boys and girls grades 5-12
Monday, July 24 – Thursday, July 27, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Like the offensive end of the court? Then this is your camp. This camp is a blend of all the other camps. We’ll build the shot like in the Shooting Camp (but won’t spend as much time on it). We’ll do ball handling and driving like in the Perimeter Camp. We’ll do post moves like in the Post Player Camp and we’ll run small sided scrimmages like the Scrimmage and Court IQ Camp. If you can only do one camp this summer, this is the one to do.
We’ll do form shooting, shooting off pass, dribble, using 1-2, hop, step backs, head fakes, jab steps and sweeps. We’ll do lay-ups but not just right and left handed: we’ll do over-hand, under-hand, baseline near side of rim, baseline reverse, near hand and far hand reverse lay-ups, wrong-handed lay-ups and front of rim lay-ups.
Ball Handling will focus on crossovers, in –and –outs, double crossovers, spins, retreat dribbles, between the legs, behind the back and combination moves.
Learn the two-man game which focuses on pick and rolls, give and goes, back door cuts and handoffs. Three-man game: using away screens, down screens, cross screens, offensive rotations and the 3 man weave.
This camp has it all.
Cost $160/week
*Advanced Camp
Court IQ & Scrimmage Camps*
Court IQ and Scrimmage Camp*
For boys and girls grades 5-12
Monday, July 31 to Thursday, August 3, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Like to scrimmage? In the Zone’s twist on scrimmaging is to start small and build up. Learn the skill, practice the skill, then use the skill in a controlled small side scrimmage. On Day 1 we’ll learn individual offensive skills and reads (ie jab step and drive) then play 1 on 1 to practice and reinforce the skill. Day 2 we do pick and roll, give and goes and then play 2 on 2. Wednesday it’s moving without the ball, coming off screens, screening away and then its 3 on 3 half court. Thursday we cover offensive and defensive rotations, attacking zones, presses and traps. Then we go full court and practice these sets in game like situations. This camp is uniquely fun and instructional at the same time.
We really work hard to keep the kids doing the right things during these scrimmages. Too many times, in camp environments, scrimmage time means run and gun—throw out everything you learned and go coast to coast as fast as you can and win at all costs. That’s not what we’re about.
Cost is $160/week
*Advanced Camp.
Scoring and Shooting Camp*
For boys and girls grades 5-12
Monday, August 14 to Thursday, August 17, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Camp combines the best parts of the Shooting camp, Ball Handling and Finishing Camp: Jump Shots in the morning, Lay-ups and lots of dribbling in the afternoon. Learn and practice how to put the ball in the basket. This is a great all-around camp.
Cost $160
*Advanced Camp.
Perimeter Player Camp
For boys and girls grades 5-12
Monday, July 10 to Thursday, July 13, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00pm
For Point Guards, Shooting Guards and Small Forwards: All the skills necessary to play on the perimeter. Read and React to the ball and what your teammates are doing. moving without the ball; Passing and Ball Handling, Grades 5-12
Cost $160
*Advanced Camp.
Tough Guy Camp
For boys and girls grades 4-12
Monday, June 26 to Thursday, June 29, 2023
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
This is a defense and rebounding camp. Tough guys only at this one. Not flashy, not exciting, and not necessarily fun–but the things players have to know if they want to play. Every team needs a defensive stopper and a rebounder–want a spot on a team? –be that person. Cost $160.
Youth FUNdamentals Camps
Youth FUNdamentals Camp
For boys and girls entering grades 1-5
Wednesday July 5 – Friday July 7; 9:00-12:00 ($75)
Monday July 17 -Thursday July 20, 2023; 9:00-12:00
Monday, Aug 14 – Thursday, Aug 17, 2023
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
This is a fundamentals driven camp for the little ones. It is about learning basketball and having fun. Campers will learn a skill, drill it and then reinforce it while playing a variety of games. For example, a short 2 minute lesson on dribbling will be followed by a few drills and then a game of dribble tag. A short lesson on the jump stop will be followed by a game of Red Light—Green Light. Each game reinforces a specific basketball skill. The youngsters learn and practice solid basketball fundamentals while having fun and without those boring stand-in-line drills. This is a great way to teach kids. We also scrimmage but mostly keep it at 2 on 2 and 3 on 3. The last day we’ll do a 5 on 5 scrimmage to get the kids familiar with game procedures and full court concepts. Kids are grouped by age and ability but we also honor friend/sibling requests.
Cost $95/week
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Cost $95
*ADVANCED CAMPS are not appropriate for beginners. Campers should have a couple years of playing experience, be able to perform a descent weak handed lay-up, shoot a 15’ jump shot and have a working knowledge of the rules of the game (traveling, fouling, blocking etc).
“My son has done camps all over NJ and the Poconos and the ones at In the Zone are by far the best. Coach Turpening goes into so much more detail and also explains when to use certain moves. No other camp can compare to In the Zone.” – J.H. Washington, NJ
“You guys really run nice camps. Not a lot of hype and you do what you say you are going to do. In fact you do more than you advertise. I wish all camps were like that. We’ll be back next summer.” – J.S. Clinton, NJ
Summer Camp Player Discounts: TBA
CAMP REGISTRATION INFORMATION TBA
For a printable Flyer, click: CampsFlyer2023
