ROANOKE, Va. – If you’re a real “hooper” from the Star City or surrounding areas, you know there was one place you had to be each summer: Twin Hoops basketball camp. That’s how hundreds of kids will be spending some of their time this summer.
This week’s opening session marks the 28th year for the iconic camp that’s aimed to instruct vital fundamentals of the game in a fun, uplifting atmosphere. Twins Ramon and Damon Williams have instilled a culture of success and humility--two aspects that they valued throughout their journey. They say consistency has been key in keeping the camp going and staying locked in to the “new and now.”
“We try to be consistent with the product that we have, a good quality product--stress the fundamentals, bring character to the camp,” said Damon. “It’s more to just basketball as we say, it’s life over basketball and hopefully that keeps them coming and I think the parents appreciate that as well.”
“It’s a thrill knowing that we walk around and see a t-shirt that says ‘Twin Hoops’ and the kid may be 25 and that shirt looks awfully tight on them. So, they must have came when they were a bit young,” Ramon said. “So, it’s nice knowing the brand is out there and people know it and we appreciate it and we appreciate the people.”
The dynamic duo have been pillars in the Roanoke community and beyond, serving as coaches, mentors and father figures to thousands of kids throughout the years.
Ramon and Damon excelled on the court at William Fleming in the mid 1980s before going on to be record-setters at nearby VMI.
Veteran hoops coaches in the area continue to assist as they have as well. The first session wraps up Friday at William Fleming and the second session runs August 5-9.