Brittany Kelley
KYLE — In an effort to build essential skills for young basketball players within the county, Clarissa Talbert and Laura Zunker created the Hays Shooting Stars, a local camp.
“We’re both parents of athletes and our children play a lot of sports, including basketball, and we felt like there was a need to focus on fundamentals and basketball IQ. A lot of what we were seeing [in the area] is very competitive,” explained Talbert. “We wanted to try to capture both boys and girls, either at a young age just beginning or at a higher level, [and] building on skills and confidence.”
So, in mid-2025, the two began advertising for a summer camp that would provide an accessible and affordable opportunity for families in the area. Talbert and Zunker do not have any formal training, but have previously played the sport and offer their experience to students from first to ninth grade.
Talbert also stated that it was important to ensure the camps were co-ed, since many girls turn to volleyball. Because she and Zunker played in high school, where they learned valuable lessons, it was crucial to the two that young girls were aware that basketball is an option.
The coach stated that to aid with accessibility, the camps are held during school breaks. Most recently, the Hays Shooting Stars hosted Holiday Hoops, which was during the Hays CISD winter break.
Each camp breaks down the basics of the sport, from dribbling to passing, shooting forms to communication on the court and more. As they are working on fundamentals, Talbert noted that the two coaches make sure to highlight the strengths of those participating and utilize the skills learned in a scrimmage match at the end.
Although the students are learning skills for the court, she emphasized that the athletes are also gaining important transferable skills.
“We see it a lot as: How do you handle a challenge? How do you handle accountability for yourself? Showing up, we applaud right at the beginning [and say], ‘Thank you for being here. You’re already miles ahead of what we would like to see. So, now, put in the work.’ All of that is fundamentals in basketball, but also very applicable whether you’re in school or at home with parents or interacting with siblings,” Talbert said.
It’s rewarding to see these students use these skills and succeed in all areas of life, the coach shared, adding that she loves seeing that they have had a positive impact on them. In the future, she would love to have a basketball team, if the opportunity presented itself.
“Since we are parents of student athletes, we also know the power behind kids being involved in something. Our kids do other things, which is wonderful, but if we can add to that, we think it overall helps the community in a larger sense,” concluded Talbert.
Hays Shooting Stars is available to both beginners and experienced athletes for approximately $65 per attendee, with a discount for siblings. The next camp is aiming to take place over spring break in March.
To learn more about the Hays Shooting Stars, visit bit.ly/3L5vtS7.
