Academic Basketball Awareness

Lawrence Youth Learn Academics Before Athletics at Live-In Summer Basketball Camp

Merrimack College, in collaboration with local Lawrence Boys & Girls Clubs, established the Academic Basketball Awareness (ABA) Camp in 1980. Today, this successful residential camp helps youth ages nine to eighteen realize their abilities inside the classroom and on the basketball court. Over 150 boys from Lawrence, Mass. live on the Merrimack campus for almost a week in order to fine tune their brains and b-ball skills.

The program aims to teach effective conflict resolution and builds positive self-esteem through workshops, team work, and interactions with successful camp graduates. Participants are selected from over 300 applicants from the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club. Selection is based upon the candidates maintaining good grades, demonstrating good behavior throughout the school year, and obtaining letters of recommendation from teachers and principals. 

Past ABA campers who have seen professional and personal success work the camp and talk to students about overcoming obstacles. Merrimack Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bert Hammel has led the program since its establishment over 25 years ago.

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