Matthew Liles hosting 2nd annual basketball camp
Greensboro College player and Lexington Senior High School Alum Matthew Liles will have his 2nd Annual Matthew Liles Skills Camp on July 29 from 10am-12pm at the Lexington Senior High School gymnasium. After suffering a major injury last year, Liles was unsure if he would host a camp this year. Having encountered some dark clouds during the months when he couldn’t play, his belief in self waivered. However, a simple question from a young admirer changed his outlook.
“When I tore my patellar tendon back in November I was so down on myself and I thought everything was over for me. I kept telling myself, "How are the kids going to look forward to coming to the second camp if I might not even be able to play again?” It sucked because I had so much hype surrounding my name coming out of high school. For that to happen, literally a week before my first collegiate game, was so unreal to me.
Even though I was always smiling, I was in a very dark place mentally for months. It took a minute before I regained that confidence in myself and told myself that my purpose in life is bigger than what I realize. I did rehab every morning at 7am for about six months. Once I started to get back on the court and work out, I regained that passion. I was still unsure about having a second camp until one day a kid in Lexington tapped me on the arm and asked if I was doing another camp. That moment right there just made my whole day and from that day forward I told myself it's only right we run it back another year.”
The camp will be hosted along side LSHS boys’ basketball head coach Adrian Lee. Additional volunteers include Tim Holt, Jr., Javien Reid, Maury Gilley, Kimoni Small and Cliffton Huntley. Greensboro College men’s basketball head coach Jim Boone and Liles’ teammate Amilia Huggins (who is a 2019 3A state champion) will serves as speakers.
Although the road to get back to this place was tough, Liles believes it’s all worth it.
“This year's camp will be even more exciting than last year's for me. Overall it will just be a beautiful day for the city of Lexington and a day that the kids will hopefully remember forever.”
The camp is open to students in grades third through twelfth. There is a $10 registration fee. To sign up, email thematthewlilesbasketballcamp@gmail.com. The email should include the camper’s name, age, grade and t-shirt size.
