Every summer, the small town of Goodhue, Minnesota, transforms its elementary school gym into a playground of learning and laughter, where the next generation of basketball players take their first steps onto the court. Coach Matt Halverson, who has led the program for several years, runs a free “Bitty Basketball” camp each July for children entering kindergarten, introducing them to the sport’s vocabulary — baseline, sideline, pivot — and basic skills such as passing, dribbling and shooting.
Teaching the Basics
The two‑day camp, held July 6‑7 this year, welcomed 24 youngsters who moved through a series of drills before enjoying a final 15‑minute “open gym” where they could apply what they had learned in free play. Halverson’s approach blends instruction with fun; he believes that early exposure to proper terminology and technique builds confidence that carries forward.
The camp is not isolated; it feeds into a larger summer program that includes a main basketball camp for grades one through twelve, as well as a shot club that runs throughout June and July. Participants in the shot club log thousands of attempts at “game speed,” earning prizes for milestones and reinforcing muscle memory that coaches say produces sharper shooters across the program.
Current varsity players, including seniors Luke Roschen and Michael Roschen, return each year as mentors, sharing the same drills they once practiced as campers. The ripple effect reaches beyond the gym; families like that of Fletcher Rothmeier attend varsity games together, and even youngsters such as Ben Halverson, the coach’s five‑year‑old son, dream of emulating stars like Luke Roschen, who will play Division II basketball at Southwest Minnesota State University next season.
Community Impact
For many, the camp represents more than skill development; it creates a sense of belonging that sustains the program’s legacy. Thanks to these initiatives, Halverson notes a measurable improvement in shooting percentages among his players, a testament to the camp’s role in shaping the program’s culture. The tradition also extends into the fall, when a brief “Bitty Basketball” session runs during the high school season, keeping the momentum alive year‑round.