Snow Valley Basketball Schools Westmont College Santa Barbara, California
The Snow Valley Basketball Schools are a great place for any young basketball player who is looking to improve his/her skills, work hard, make new friends and have fun!
Since 1961, the Snow Valley Basketball Schools have been instructing kids on the fundamentals of basketball. As the longest running basketball school of its kind, you'll receive more instruction in the fundamentals and more chances to improve your skills than anywhere else in the world. This rigorous daily format includes fundamental instruction, clinics and team games that will leave each camper with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
- Take Your Game to the Next Level
- Gain Self-confidence through Basketball Success
- Create Lasting Friendships
- Rigorous Program
- Work Hard and Have Fun
The Snow Valley Basketball Schools are a great camp for all ages. If you are a high school basketball player, the Snow Valley Basketball Schools provides an incredible opportunity to improve your game, and if you are a younger player, it will be sure to help you develop the basic skills to help you make your team.
Highlights Include
- Daily Instruction, lectures, and demonstrations on fundamentals
- Intense drills aimed at improving each camper's individual skill development and knowledge of the game
- Report Card and discussion of skills with a personal evaluation
- An amazing group of experienced high school, college, and professional coaches selected for their ability to teach the game
- Daily games against players of similar abilities - games until 10:00 at night!
The Snow Valley Basketball Schools return to our long standing host school at Westmont College for our entire camp schedule. We are excited to offer five different sessions for the serious basketball player.
Our host location is approximately 100 miles Northwest of Los Angeles, and within driving distance of many Northern California cities. Please note that all campers are responsible for their own ground transportation. The Santa Barbara Airport is closest in proximity to Westmont College.
The safe and secure campus, which includes scenic gardens, stone bridges, and stunning pathways, is an ideal place for camp. Campers reside on campus in the newly renovated Van Kampen Hall.
Meet your coaching staff
Camp Director
Charlie Sands
A master teacher of the game of basketball, Coach Charles Sands has played and coached at both the high school and college levels. After playing as a point guard at California State College, Los Angeles, he spent eight years as the varsity basketball coach at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. Continuing his coaching career at West Los Angeles College, he established the basketball program and continued to coach there for thirty-two years winning over 400 games. With his earnest love of the game and of teaching, Coach Sands has shared his vast knowledge with his peers and players alike over the course of his impressive career.
Read Full BioFor the past twenty-five years the coach has been the co-owner of Snow Valley Basketball School, one of the most prestigious teaching camps in America. Coaches and players from all over the country and the world have partaken of skills and techniques taught there. Many have gone on to successful careers at various levels of the game. With the high regard he has received, Coach Sands has been invited to travel, conduct coaching clinics and teach basketball in many states in the U.S and in Europe.
At West Los Angeles College, his teams competed in the State Playoffs, and, as a result, his coaching peers elected him Coach of the Year several times. In fact, because of his outstanding reputation throughout the state, he was ultimately elected to the California Community Coaches Hall of Fame.
Since his retirement and because he is passionate about helping basketball players take their skills to another level, especially their conditioning and shooting, he continues to coach. With his incredible understanding of the game, his ability to analyze player's strengths, as well as his communication skills, Coach Charles Sands will always be a valuable asset to the game of basketball.
Camp Code: BVXRSV
Mastering the fundamentals of your game...At Snow Valley Basketball Schools, we offer the greatest array of teaching talent anywhere to help you become a better player. Each season we emphasize the following fundamentals:
- Playing under control
- Individual Defense - stance, movement, open court vs. dribble
- Individual Offense - moving without the ball, pass receiving, initial moves with the ball
- Individual Position - classes each day
- Shooting Fundamentals - including the jump shot
- Rebounding Skills - ball side and help side
- Extended Defense - help and recover, closing out, defend post and flash post
- Extended Offense - passing, receiving, perimeter, inside play
- Transition - defensive recovery
- Open Court Work - guards and forwards
- Cut Throat - 4 on 4 instruction
Snow Valley Basketball programs feature staff and players whose own high school and college coaches were important in their basketball development, so they know how to help you achieve your basketball goals. Snow Valley treats each player as an individual...A Personal Player Report Card will be kept on your camper throughout the week, and given to them at the conclusion of camp. This report card will note particular strengths and weaknesses, and offer suggestions for individual improvement once they have left Snow Valley.
Daily game competition against other players of similar age and ability levels will be scheduled. Every participant will play a minimum of one half of every game. In addition to games, a minimum of nineteen clinics concerning individual and team fundamentals will be presented during the week long session. Drills are a big part of each clinic. We design our program to have an eight to one player to coach ratio and guarantee your son or daughter will receive an excellent week of BASKETBALL INVOLVEMENT.
Sample Daily Schedule
- 6:00 Point Guard & Post Clinic
- 7:00 Breakfast
- 8:00 Organization and Warm-up
- 8:45 Clinic - Offense
- 9:35 Clinic - Defense
- 10:35 Clinic - Shooting
- 11:30 Team Practice
- 12:30 Lunch
- 1:15 Clinic - Offense
- 2:30 Central Division Games
- 3:45 Eastern/Central Division Games/Break for Western
- 4:45 Dinner
- 6:00 Organization & Individual Athleticism
- 6:30 Clinic - Defense
- 8:00-10:45 Western Division Games
• Check-in: Sunday; 1pm-3pm - Van Kampen Hall (First meal: Dinner)
• No Lunch on first day - campers should come dressed and ready to play. After registration, campers will report to gym at 3:30pm.
• Boys Check-out: Thursday; 4pm (Last meal: Lunch)
• Girls Check-out: Thursday; 11am (Last meal: Breakfast)
Weekend Offensive Skills Program Notes and Information:
• Friday 12pm: Weekend Camp check-in (First meal: Dinner)
• Sunday 11am: camp closes (Last meal: Breakfast)
Past Camper
Rigorous but fun!
This was a rigorous but fun experience. I got great feedback which has helped to improve my game. I now know the areas that I need to work on and I am striving to improve my game every time I go to the court. I would recommend this program to anyone who seriously wants to improve their technique and be a better player!
Past Camper
Great One-on-One Coaching
I benefited from the one on one coaching. My coaches knew when to push me so as to reach my potential. Facilities were nice and clean. Food was excellent.
Past Camper
My shooting technique was perfected
Before I went to this camp I had several shooting instructors work on my shot. I went to Snow Valley and by the end of the camp my shooting technique was perfect. It takes a really amazing camp to show you the right shooting technique in just a week.
Parent of Camper
Best Camp attended...
This is the dad of the camper -- she has attended several basketball camps although only 13 years old including a Stanford camp earlier in the summer, playing up from her age group at both camps --- she considered the Snow Valley Camp much more rigorous and more instructive than any other camp she has ever attended.
Parent of Camper
Thank you.
My daughter hurt her ankle at the camp. I was impressed at the care taken to tape her ankle and to retape her the next day as well. I really appreciated this. My daughter gained a great deal from the camp. Thank you.
Parent of Camper
Thanks to the phenomenal staff
My husband and I would like to thank you for the rewarding experience our son just experienced at your Snow Valley Basketball School at Westmont College. Being serious about basketball, our son appreciated all the professionalism and expertise of your staff. He has been to a different basketball camp the last three summers and he says this camp by far was the best. He recognized the committment and intensity you provided him. The time his coach took in evaluating our son and grading him on all aspects of the game not only informed us as parents on how to guide him in his development of basketball but it also gave him something extremely worthwhile to work with in terms of basketball fundamentals. With that said, please thank Coach Brendan Garrett and Coach Simmons for us and for that matter thank your whole staff! Our son plans to attend your basketball camp again next summer.
Parent of Camper
Son's experience as pleasant as my own experience at Snow Valley in 1986!
My son enjoyed the camp very much, he felt that it was for serious basketball players- lots of hard work and lots of instruction - but playing hard basketball is the most fun activity of all for him. He really enjoyed the Cut-Throat game. He is already asking if he can go back next year. As a father, I was very pleased to hear that his experience was as positive as my own experience at Snow Valley in 1986!
Parent of Camper
My son will be back next year
Camp was everything I expected and more, my son had a great time and learned both mentally and physically. Great staff, we'll be back next year.
Parent of Camper
Excellent
The camp pushed my daugheter up to and a little past her breaking point. She was exhauseted but very proud of her accomplishment and feels very good about herself as a result - Oh and the basketball was excellent as well!
Camper
Bringing two of my friends with me next year
The food was great. The coaches were talented and seemed to really care about us. I plan to bring two of my friends with me next year.
Camper Parent
Highly recommend to anyone who is serious about basketball
By far the best basketball camp my daughter has ever attended. She learned so much and also had a lot of fun. I would highly recommend this camp to anyone who is serious about becoming a better basketball player!
Camper Parent
Wonderful first year experience
The two comments my daughter has made over and over again is how much she learned at camp and that she definitely wants to return next year. Thanks for a wonderful first year!
Camper
Top-notch and wonderful
Everything was top-notch and wonderful. I enjoyed the energy and enthusiastic vibes I got from walking into the gym on the first day of camp.
Camper
Impossible not to get better
It's impossible not to get better at this camp. If you really take full advantage of the drills you will improve a ton!
Camper Parent
My son loves basketball again
This was a very positive and focused experience. My son loves basketball again. Thanks.
Camper
Thanks to the coaching staff for their great guidance
I worked hard and gained great guidance from the instructors. Thank you to the coaching staff for your hard work.
Camper Parent
Incredible experience for our son
Absolutely incredible experience for our son. He LOVED it on all levels. Fun, great learning experience, good food, beautiful location, spacious rooms. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!
Parent of Camper
Improvement- Thank you
Phil is the only junior in the starting line up on a senior-laden team and flips between the 2 and 1 guard spots. He will probably wind up the team's leading scorer and first or second in rebounds, steals, and assists. Defense is very good. Mixes his offensive production between outside stuff and rebounds/put backs with a few slashes to the basket every game. Finishes well. Sealed a one point win taking a charge with no time left the other day that was pretty heady.
All of this to simply say "thank you" for your contribution to his development. His skill sets are very high and game IQ very high. I attribute that to investing in Snow Valley Basketball Camp.