USD Men's Basketball 1999-2000

"I started (the camp) as a way of doing something for the commu– nity, a way of giving back," Hammel says. "The ca mpe rs really get into it a nd e njoy it, and that makes the effort worth it." Hammel's camp has become an overwhe lming succe ss and has been e mulated by programs throughout the country. The campers, predominantly from the Lawrence Boys Club, thrive on the structure the camp provides and come back year after yea r. Hamme l, a 1974 graduate of Bentley College, a member of that school's Hall of Fame and a former scout with the Milwaukee Bucks, has gained recognition at all levels for h is commun ity efforts. Hammel alwa ys tries to do more, like Hal– loween and Christmas parties with the Boys Club. The camp also has featured speake rs that pique the kids' intere st, like Dave Hopla, renowned as the World's Greatest Shoote r. But Hammel's success reaches far beyond the summer camp circuit. w u Entering his 20th season, he stands it as Merrimack's all-time winningest ~ coach with a record of 281-257, two ~ NCAA appearances, three Eastern ~ College Athle tic Confere nce titles, ~ and the 1992 Northeast-IO Touma- ~ (/) ment title. Add last season's 22-7 :;, record to those credentials. That ~ team lost only one player, and this j year's squad seems poised to make ~ another NCAA run. Merrimack ~ w returns four senior starters, includ- l! >– ing point guard Shawn Brown, a ffl ,.. ca p tain of the team who led the ~ NCAA in assists per game last sea- 8 son (8.3 apg). CONTINUEO

he heat of early August beats down on the pave d black top, as the outdoor basketball courts at Merri– mack College seem to glow underneath the feet of its basketball campers. The coach walks over for a quick cup of water, and the fun begins. "What's this? ," Bert Hammel screams at seven campers lying in the shade under a tree. 'Tm 47 years old, with a bad knee, and I'm busting my butt while you guys rest. Let's go, it's time to play." Hammel is Merrimack's head men's basketball coach and the founder of the Academic Basketball Awareness Camp, known simply as ABA. The camp differs from your average summer basketball camp, which often caters to play– ers with less desire to play ball and more desire to hang out with their friends . Admittance to the camp, located on the small, suburban campus comes by scholarship only, and the camp serves chil– dren from Lawrence, Mass., a lower middle class city located adja– cent to the upper class suburbs of North Andover. Hammel started the camp 18 years ago as a way to provide the players with a chance to attend a camp, but the players must be seri– ous abou t the game and about their studies. A morning filled with life skills classes, such as letter writing, leads to an afternoon and evening filled with basketball. If you want to skip classes or just want to s it out for no particular reason, you can go home. It's as simple as that.

BY ED McLAUGHLIN