Austin Johnson’s Academy of Hoops returns to San Saba

  • Campers from the older group happily pose for a photo on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
    Campers from the older group happily pose for a photo on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
  • Campers do a drill while dribbling a basketball and balancing a smaller ball with the other hand on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
    Campers do a drill while dribbling a basketball and balancing a smaller ball with the other hand on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
  • Campers from the younger group gather around Austin Johnson (left) on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
    Campers from the younger group gather around Austin Johnson (left) on Wednesday, June 29, during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
  • Campers do a floor exercise while stabilizing themselves with one arm and dribbling a basketball on Wednesday, June 29 during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)
    Campers do a floor exercise while stabilizing themselves with one arm and dribbling a basketball on Wednesday, June 29 during the Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops Elite Skills Basketball Camp held at Armadillo Arena in San Saba. (Photo courtesy of Austin Johnson's Academy of Hoops)

Austin Johnson’s Academy of Hoops returned to San Saba High School this year and was again the host of a three-day Elite Skills Camp on June 27- 29 played at Armadillo Arena. Johnson’s basketball camp has traveled to numerous towns throughout Texas this summer.

Two separate camps per day were a great learning opportunity for kids as they picked up on plenty of skill-building and conditioning drills from Austin Johnson himself. The first session was for the second through sixth grade in the morning and the second session for the seventh through 12th grade was held in the afternoon.

“Over 50 athletes came ready to take their game to the next level and worked hard while learning lots of new skills,” Johnson said on Facebook. “Thank you for another great year at San Saba. Can’t wait for next year!”

Players were introduced to a wide variety of drills, especially those focused on ball-handling and shooting form. Campers would dribble two basketballs at once around chairs, dribble the ball then shoot from midrange and in the paint, as well as individual players dribbling while a fellow camper pulled at their waist.

The youth basketball camp was very successful with plenty of smiling faces around the gym as a result of great chemistrybuilding exercises over the course of three days.

“He personally trains every athlete that comes to his academy,” states the official Austin Johnson’s Academy of Hoops website. “Whether it is one-on-one training or in a small group setting, everyone is getting to interact with Austin on a personal level. He specializes in many different aspects of the game that players will not receive elsewhere. Austin has various club-ball teams that he travels with and coaches during the year.”

Johnson was a standout basketball player at Palo Duro High School in the Amarillo area as he finished his high school career as the city’s leading scorer with a whopping 2,602 total points. During his collegiate playing career at the University of Oklahoma from 2006-09, Johnson ranks 12th all-time in Sooners basketball history in assists with 367 in 126 games played, 13th in steals with 133, and 22nd in blocked shots with 66.

Johnson would go on to later play five years overseas and had a standout 2011-12 season playing for Al Moutahed Tripoli in Lebanon with whom he averaged 21.3 points per game, 5.8 assists per game, and 3.9 rebounds per game in 26 contests. He would go on to win a league championship in 2013 while playing in Jordan and decided to return home to Amarillo afterward to begin his Austin Johnson’s Academy of Hoops business.

“I really enjoy mentoring these young athletes on and off the court,” Johnson added on his website. “I respect them just as much as they respect me. Without these kids, I wouldn’t have this successful business I have now and I thank each and every one of them and their parents for instilling the trust they have in me to push their athlete to the next level.”

Be sure to check out next week’s edition of the San Saba News & Star for more updates on Dillos and Lady Dillos varsity athletics. Sports editor Andrew Salmi can be contacted via email at salmi.courier@gmail.com or by cell phone at (818) 645-1115.