The 23rd annual Hoops with Hart Basketball Camp came to another successful close last week at St. Andrew’s School, after approximately 150 youngsters, ages 7 to 16, enjoyed a full week of refining their basketball skills while learning some new techniques in a fun-filled atmosphere.

This was the second full week of basketball camp, the first coming earlier, June 25 to 29, when campers again enjoyed learning the game under the watchful eye of experienced high school and prep school coaches. 

“The camp went really well,” said camp director and St. Andrew’s director of athletics, Mike Hart, who together with his longtime St. Andrew’s School assistant coach, John O’Shea, put the kids through their paces. “It was awesome, despite the heatwave we were experiencing. Our Middle School Division was really strong.”

“Our first session was excellent,” Coach Hart said. “We had some good players. The June camp featured current St. Andrew’s players working with the campers. The August session included our alumni working the camp. Things couldn’t have gone any better.”

Camp numbers this year may have been down a bit, but the intensity level and interest was at an all-time high. Kids really enjoyed the instruction and the awards and prizes which were distributed at camp’s end.

“We offer a quality product,” said Coach Hart. “The kids have fun and they get a ton of basketball knowledge.”

Kids and basketball seem to form a perfect union at the Hoops with Hart Camp. And, much of it has to do with the tutelage of Coach Hart and Coach O’Shea, two of the most respected and revered coaches in the game. Each has a great basketball pedigree.

John O’Shea is a 1984 Warwick Vets graduate, and 1986 CCRI grad. He also graduated from the University of Maine at Fort Kent in 1989. He’s been teaching and coaching at St. Andrew’s for 20 years. He and his wife, Carol, are the proud parents of a daughter, Alexandra, and son, William.

Coach O’Shea loves being around kids. He especially has a great rapport with pre-teen youngsters, who pay close attention when he talks basketball.

Coach Hart’s resume is stocked with a number of New England Prep championships (six), three other New England finals, and 13 New England Final Fours. He’s developed some of greatest prep and college talent around, and continues to shine as a top-ranked recruiter nationwide.

He has coached for 29 years, including 24 years as head coach at St. Andrew’s School. Amazingly, he has sent 123 players to Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, Junior College, and NAIA schools. Two of his former players, Demetris Nichols (#52) in 2007, and Michael Carter Williams (#11) in 2013, were NBA draft selections who went on to play in the pros, while 18 other players competed overseas.

“It’s all about the kids,” Coach Hart said. “We always try to teach them properly and do whatever is in their best interest. This basketball camp is just another measuring stick in what we’re trying to accomplish here at St. Andrew’s.”