Aimee Gunzenhauser was a regular attendee of the Ceres High School Basketball Camp during her childhood and adolescent years.
"I came here when I was in elementary and junior high," said Gunzenhauser, a 2009 CHS grad who was recently promoted to head coach of her alma mater's varsity girls hoops team. "It's where I learned the basics."
Gunzenhauser and Bulldogs' varsity boys head coach Julio Marquez provided instruction during the first session of the 28th Annual Ceres High clinic, June 5-9, at Phil de la Porte Gymnasium.
Youngsters Brady Doane, Kaydie and Kendall Fleeman, and Rylee and Anthony Randez were among the 10 participants.
Campers practiced Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
They received 10 hours of instruction in a five-day span.
"This is where it all starts," Gunzenhauser said. "The sooner we teach them the fundamentals, the better they will be. It's very important."
Gaylyn Barker signed up three of her children for the camp, including 11-year-old twin daughters Kaydie and Kendall, and five-year-old son Brady.
Kaydie, Kendall and Brady attend Beaver Elementary School in Ceres.
"The girls brought home a flier from school," Barker said. "I'm so glad they have this program. They get a lot of attention. Even by the end of the first day, I could see improvement in basic skills. By the third day, there was a huge difference. This is definitely something we'll do every year."
The Randez siblings, nine-year-old Rylee and eight-year old Anthony, attended the clinic for the fourth year in a row.
Rylee and Anthony are also Ceres students. They go to Adkison Elementary School.
"I keep coming back because I enjoy it," Rylee Randez said. "I get to learn basketball. I have improved a lot from the first year I started. They teach me good things. They're motivational."
The second session of the CHS camp for boys and girls in grades 4-8 will be staged June 12-16.
"We're trying to build this camp as much as we can," Gunzenhauser said. "It helps having the high-school players here to help. The kids have done really well. They seem to be enjoying it. They're improving."