This is Camp Darryl......(what we're about!)

[ShawnEarl]

Camp Darryl is all about one thing only, the kids involved with the program. It started out for that reason and it will also be the reason. It all started because Darryl wanted to give us an opportunity. At the time we were all paying large amounts of money to play in middle school leagues located at one place, we never traveled. He took us for the same amount of money and we played in tournaments throughout the Midwest. We all took a chance on each other.

I guess if you needed to sum up Camp Darryl in one word it would have to be loyalty. That's what he is all about. In this day and age that is big. He doesn't do this for himself one bit. It's about helping kids not only in basketball but also in life. He helped many of us with culture shock of leaving St. Joe County!

Years after we are done Camp Darryl is still evident. Many of us lived together in the first couple years of college and made friendships that will last forever. Of all the years playing there is nothing I can say negative about my experiences. Your experiences in Camp Darryl will be more than basketball, which after your done lacing them us you will understand.

[KyleStewart]

Most of you out there probably don't know me, but i have been around the camp darryl program since i was 5 or 6. I am currently 15 and have played for the past two years with CDBA. My brother Ryan was on one of the beginning teams of camp darryl. I was the little brother always in the gym always trying to get a ball to dribble or be around the team. I always kept the clock or score at tournaments and even kept the stat books while at the YBOA nationals in Florida during 2002. I dreamed of playing for CDBA one day. I was born to play basketball (father's coached in college my whole life). Even my baby announcement had a basketball on it. Enough about me, on to the program...

To start out, camp darryl isn't your everyday basketball team or league. Every week you play against top talent from all over the region or country. This is definitely not for everyone. You have to have the ability to play ball at a high level and under pressure. <u>CDBA=110% effort and hustle</u>. This program isn't all about having fun (even though you have a lot), but yet about making you a better player and a better kid through the process. There is no question Camp D has brought my game to another level, faster than any other option offered to me. The coaches in this program definitely care for each and every kid. They aren't there to make money or to boost their status in the coaching world. They are living for the present and not the future. Coaching and making kids better is their number one job. They are truly there for the love of the game. Darryl and i have a relationship like none i have ever experienced. I'm at a loss of words, i can't describe it. We can joke around, have fun, but still be serious and get the job done. As many people usually do, they don't treat me differently because my dad coaches in college, but Darryl and his program treat me as just another kid. There is no more or less pressure or favoritism towards me, as i have experienced before. I can't explain how much that makes a difference. Another one of the coaches/organizers, Jason, played with my brother and now helps with my dad's team. Through this i have become even closer with the program and the coaches. SO BASICALLY, THIS PROGRAM HAS THE BEST COACHES IN THE TRAVEL BASKETBALL WORLD.

As before, i hope this helps to show what the program is like. I have recruited a few of my friends from my school to play and join the program along with me and they have undoubtedly benefited greatly and it shows playing in school ball. I hope all of you who look at this program have the same kind of experience as i have. The lessons learned, memories experience, and friends gained through basketball truly make CDBA different from anything else.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 21, 2008 03:14 PM: Message edited by: kid commuter ]</font>

[Lisa Maxey Cook]

~~~~I AM POSTING THIS AT THE REQUEST OF TOM ROMSEK, SEAN ROMSEK'S GRANDFATHER~~~~


We are probably the oldest (years of age) members of the Camp Darryl ?family? and welcome the opportunity to recommend the program. We certainly agree with all the positive comments offered by others and are pleased to be acquainted with many of these ?family members?.

Our grandson, Sean Romsek, has played organized basketball for many years. The year I retired from full time employment we agreed to provide transportation to the practices and tournaments or whatever AAU program Sean decided to attend. He had many opportunities and selected the Camp Darryl Basketball Academy. Practices were in Kalamazoo and we made the trip each week from Fowlerville ? almost two hours one way.

I chose to stay at the practices and was immediately impressed by the well organized sessions. Each ?drill? had a purpose, all were supervised by qualified coaches, and team effort was emphasized. I often comment to others that these were the best basketball practices I have ever seen. It has been fun to see the improvement in the skills of all participants. There is a lot to be said for playing with other talented players.

Perhaps more important is the sincere interest of Darryl and other coaches in each of the team members. They strive to help everyone improve their skills, attitudes, emphasize the importance of team play, and expand their basketball knowledge. They become more than just a basketball coach and are a source of good advice in other areas as well. This relationship continues beyond the years playing for Camp Darryl. (Sean calls it a ?sense of community?).

The tournaments provide an opportunity to play as a team against other talented teams. This contributes immensely to each players development and results in exposure to college coaches from many different size schools all over the country. Darryl is very active trying to interest these coaches in his players and has a high success rate. Darryl worked hard for Sean and was instrumental in Sean receiving (and accepting) a scholarship to U Mass ? Lowell.

Sean is a senior this year so we will not be actively involved in the CDBA program, but we are grateful for the experience, pleased to have had the opportunity to meet so many fine people, and of course, consider Darryl and others our friends. We will always be part of the CDBA family.

Tom and Dee Romsek - (grandpa and grandma).

~~~Per Grandpa Romsek's request, I have posted.~~

I am unable to reply to message board yet so I am attaching my comments re CDBA. Please add it to the others.

Our best wishes !!!!

Cheers

Tom Romsek

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 21, 2008 04:46 PM: Message edited by: kid commuter ]</font>

[deucesmom]

I met Darryl a couple years ago, and have always been impressed with his program. We were actually apart of another AAu program when we met Darryl. Camp Darryl seems to be a well managed, organized program, not to mention that he seems like a great guy. He has to be based on all of the previous comments. We look forward to trying out this year with his team. Darry, keep up the great work, you are obviously doing a great job.

[coach W22]

I love the game of basketball!

My love for the game started at a very young age, maybe 12 or 13 playing in the parks in Portage, where I grew up. One of those great days I'd just played in an AAU tournament, I was a member of the Kazoo Blues. Back then they were the best program in Kazoo, man how times have changed!! That day at the park, this voice from across the park and yelled "Hey kid, you wanna play?" That voice was from, you got it- Darryl! You see, back in the day Darryl could play a little, ha-ha. In those days, the younger kids kids never played with the big boys, so I jumped at the chance to play.
Darryl has always been there for me. As a high school player he would come to my games and give me tips after games and tell me things I needed to work on. During my Senior year, when I broke the all-time assist record at my high school, he was there. When I signed with Glen Oaks, he was there. In my basketball career there has never been a time when Darryl wasn't there for me. I can think back to when we started CDBA, we only had two teams, and we would play at Aim High every weekend and bring home a first or second place every week. We have a basement full of awards just in case you need proof! ha,ha!

When you take a look at Camp Darryl, we have players at every College level, and we have managers, coaches and most important we help young men go on to college to get "that piece of paper" as my mom calls it.

To go from weekend trips to Aim High, to week long trips to Vegas is a great feat in itself! To see all of the players that came to the program as young boys and leave as men, we thank you! To all the young men who helped build this program, we thank you! To all of the parents who have sat in bleachers after working all week, and gave rides to kids that you didn't know too well or who have kept score or helped out in any way, I thank you....

Most of the so called "big time programs" only have one or two teams, where at Camp Darryl, we're going from January to August. We have multiple teams and sometimes we have two teams in the same age group. All of this work falls on one person, my best friend, my big brother Darryl...
To Darryl, for answering the phone after all of my games, I thank you. For listening when no one else would, for looking out for me even when I didn't want you to, I thank you.
To all of the parents that are thinking of having your son come out for the CDBA, this program has a very strong tradition of young men who worked hard and had fun in a family atmosphere! As co-founder, I welcome you to the program prepare your young man to be challenged! We play to win, but we also put team first. No one person is bigger than the program! If your son is a serious basketball player, this is the program for you. Just read the posts above, as many of these young men played serval years ago and still post or give back to the program when they can.


**A note to the players: Come to every practice ready to work, and also listen to your coaches, they are very good at what they do. Play hard, have fun and I welcome you to the CDBA family!

62249 Shimmel RD.
Centreville, MI. 49032
Glen Oaks Community College

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 01, 2008 10:19 AM: Message edited by: GoatCow#1 ]</font>

[AMains]

I could never put down in words how much Camp Darryl meant to me and how many opportunities it provided me. I was never a stud at basketball or even one of the best players on my high school basketball team, but I wanted to get better, I wanted to learn, and most of all I wanted to win.

Coach Phillips, who is one of the first CDBA alumni, told me about the program after a high school game when I was a sophomore, and told me I should try out for the team to work on my game. He took me to one of there practices for a U-14 team and I was amazed at how much better they already were than me and I was 16! I met Darryl and right away he treated as a student and as a son, he explained CDBA is more than an AAU program, but also a family. He told me I could try out, but in my own head, I knew I didn?t stand a chance playing against guys like Mattawan?s twin towers of Mark Larson and Wilbur Ampey, or South Christian?s Andrew Vandershaft, or even the shorter David Clore who proved white men can jump. But I tried out, I made the team somehow, and I went to practice only to get beat up by the names I mentioned above, but that is what gets you better, you play the best of the best at practice. I hated every practice because they were so hard, but I could see myself getting better and that is what drove me to keep going.

My family and I went to places we would never gone before, I met people who became family to me, and most of all, after all the work, I got a basketball scholarship and a free education. I will never forget trips I spent with the Jimmy, Clore, Alex, Jbibbs, Bhorn or Nate, or even the Mothers Night Out. I will never forget what CDBA did for me and my family (I love you mama horn). I will never forget about playing the best in the country at tournaments or becoming part of something that helped shape me into becoming a better man. Darryl became part of my family, he was there when my high school team made it to the ?elite eight? in the tournament when I was senior, he was there when I won Snow Court King (my girlfriend got mad at me because I went to see Darryl before her), and he is still there if I ever need anyone to talk to. If you are looking into becoming a better basketball player, this is the place for you, but you have to be ready to give as much as you get, because becoming part of CDBA is so much bigger than joining an AAU program, its becoming part of a family.

Please feel free to call me if you have questions about CDBA, my name is Andrew Mains, I am a sophomore at Davenport University and I am part of the CDBA family (#51). 269-832-0471

[AQBall4]

I am a proud alumnus of Camp Darryl and everything that it represents.

I may have only been a part of CDBA for one year in 2004 but it was the best summer ball I have ever played. I was introduced to CDBA by the Kool family, many of you may know Dave Kool who now plays at WMU. I went to the tryout wondering if I could play at this level. But through the hard practices and work outs during that summer I was better prepared for playing at the college level.

The best thing about CDBA is that Darryl has a passion for helping others. He personally does so much for every kid he comes across. The team atmospere that takes place at CDBA is something that has always stuck with me. If you want to be a part of an organization that cares, come to CDBA and you will not be disappointed.

By playing for Darryl I earned an athletic scholarship to Aquinas College where we are currently ranked Nationally, have achieved Conference and Tournement Championships the school had never won before. Not to mention playing against the intense competition the summer going into my senior year at South Christian, gave me the confidence and experiece needed to win a State Championship. Darryl was at the final game wearing a SC shirt I had made for him because he cared.

Bottom Line is that Darryl Matthews is a caring indavidual with one goal- providing you with the workouts and skills you need to make you a better basketball player.

I am very happy that I joined the CDBA family in the summer of 2004 because it brought me to cities and states I never would have been to otherwise. The Las Vegas trip is a special memory, and always will be.


If you have any questions you want to ask me personally e-mail me at [email protected] and i will gladly tell you anything you want to know.


Jordan Torres

[dolphins]

I have had a son play in Camp Darryl and I have had the pleasure of Coaching under the Camp Darryl logo.
There were very few High school games that I attended this year that didn't have Camp Darryl members participating on one side or the other.

The respect that these players would show after the game spoke volumes about what this program is about. After spending numerous practices and weekends together you have no choice but to form a close bond with not only your team but with the other CDBA teams around you. You do truly become family.

Darryl started out with a dream that has quickly turned into a reality. I told him you couldn't truly be successful without selling your soul in AAU ball. He has proven me wrong. By recruiting young adults with not only solid basketball skills but outstanding character he has molded his dream into something very special within the State of Michigan.

I have a younger son who is not yet ready for the level that Camp Darryl has reached within the AAU circuit but before his High School career is done I have no doubts or reservations that he will get to rock the CDBA logo. Wear it with pride because you are part of something special.


Coach Robinson
Assistant Mens Basketball
Kalamazoo College

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ December 01, 2008 07:34 PM: Message edited by: GoatCow#1 ]</font>