SHAWANO, WI – Former Shawano Hawks standout and current Michigan Tech men’s basketball head coach Josh Buettner returned to his roots this week to lead a two-day youth basketball camp at Shawano Community High School.
Hosted on June 17 and 18 inside the SCHS gymnasium, the Shawano Boys Hoops Camp welcomed Shawano School District boys entering grades 3 through 12. The camp offered three sessions based on grade levels: grades 6-8 from 10 a.m. to noon, grades 3-5 from 1 to 3 p.m., and grades 9-12 from 4 to 6 p.m. Each camper received a T-shirt, and the cost is $30 per participant.
Buettner, who played his high school basketball in Shawano before going on to a successful collegiate career and now a coaching role at the NCAA Division II level, said giving back to his hometown through basketball is something he takes pride in.
“It’s always good to be in the gym,” Buettner said. “Honestly, we’re just trying to run the camp and teach them skills. Just kind of the basics, and it’s things that kids of every level can do and things they can work on on their own.”
Buettner emphasized the accessibility of the game and the importance of self-driven improvement, even without top-level facilities.
“That’s kind of something that’s being lost in a lot of sports now. One of the great things about basketball is you don’t even need a hoop,” he said. “As long as you’ve got a ball, you can work on your dribbling in the garage or go to a park.”
Throughout the camp, players were introduced to skill-building drills and fundamentals meant to foster growth and fun, not just competition.
“We’re just trying to give them some skills and things they can work on their own to get better, and hopefully have a little bit of fun so that they fall in love with the game and continue from there,” Buettner said.