Ready for summer Alico Dunk will lead basketball camps this summer in the newly air-conditioned gym at the Ayden Arts and Recreation building, 4354 Lee St.
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full lineup of athletic camps coming this summer from the Ayden Arts & Recreation Department is headlined by a hometown basketball evangelist. Alico Dunk, head women’s basketball coach of Stillman College, will be leading the basketball camp offered by the Ayden Arts and Recreation Alico Dunk Department this summer. There will be two sessions July 11-14 including a coed camp for ages 6-9 from 9 a.m. to noon and a coed camp for ages 1013 from 1-4 p.m. Both camps are designed to teach participants basketball skills including dribbling, passing and shooting. Dunk stated that he wants to provide the campers a fundamental foundation of basketball as well as a space to have fun. He enjoys coaching and being able to pour into young people’s lives through basketball. “It means everything to give back to my community,” said Dunk. An Ayden native himself, Dunk is excited to return to his roots and give back. He stated, “I like that Ayden is a family town. Everybody knows everybody.” Dunk graduated from Ayden-Grifton High School in 1994 where he played both basketball and football. He attended the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship for one year then he transferred to East Carolina University. Dunk played for the ECU Pirates from
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Basketball camp highlights a full season at Ayden Arts & Recreation
1996-1999. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science. After graduating college, Dunk worked for Farmville Middle School, Ayden-Grifton High School and Hertford County High School. Following his time teaching and coaching at Hertford County High School, Dunk played basketball professionally overseas in Saudi Arabia for a year before returning to the states, where he began coaching at Elizabeth City State University. As a coach at ECSU, Dunk led the Lady Vikings in winning the CIAA Northern Division twice. “Basketball has truly been a blessing to me,” said Dunk. He is excited about coming home to work with the young people of Ayden. Ayden Arts and Recreation Director Tommy Duncan said that he is excited for the kids Dunk will be working with. He explained, “He can teach them to improve their skills. The kids will also be able to ask questions like what it takes to make it in basketball and in college.” Having Dunk lead the basketball camp has been discussed for a few years, but it was previously tabled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, this year, the town is able to move forward with all the camps. In addition to basketball, speciality camps being offered include art, soccer, tennis, football, volleyball, twirling and
SUMMER-FALL 2022
dance. Specialty camps cost $25 for residents and $35 for non-residents. Details for the specialty camps include: Sessionone oneofofart artcamp campis is ages • •Session forfor ages 6 to to 8 years andbewill beJuly held25-28 July from 25-289 86years and will held from a.m. to noon. a.m. to9noon. Sessiontwo twoofofart artcamp campis is ages • •Session forfor ages 9 to to 12and years held 1-5 89years willand be will heldbe Aug. 1-5Aug. from 9 from a.m. to noon. a.m. to9noon. Soccercamp campisisfor forages ages9 9toto1313 • •Soccer years years will be held Junefrom 20-24 old andold willand be held June 20-24 9 a.m. 9 a.m. to noon. tofrom noon. Tenniscamp campisisfor forages ages8 8toto1212 • •Tennis years years will be held Junefrom 20-23 old andold willand be held June 20-23 6:30 from p.m. to6:30 7:30p.m. p.m.to 7:30 p.m. Footballcamp campisisfor forages ages 8 to • •Football 8 to 1212 years years will be held Julyfrom 25-29 old andold willand be held July 25-29 9 a.m. 9 a.m. to noon. tofrom noon. Volleyballcamp campisisforforages ages 8 to • •Volleyball 8 to 1212 yearsold oldand andwill willbebeheld heldJune June 27-30 years 27-30 from 9 a.m. to noon. 9from a.m. to noon. Twirlingcamp campisisfor forages ages 6 to • •Twirling 6 to 1212 years years will be held Julyfrom 18-22 old andold willand be held July 18-22 9 a.m. 9 a.m. to noon. tofrom noon. Dancecamp campisisfor forages ages6 6toto1212 years • •Dance years oldand andwill willbebeheld heldAug. Aug.8-12 8-12 from 9 old from 9 a.m. to noon. toa.m. noon. Along with the speciality camps, Arts & Rec will be offering adult coed kickball and summer basketball and a number of arts classes through the summer. Visit ayden. com/departments/arts-recreation/ or call 252-481-5837 for more information and to register for all of the activities.
AYDEN MAGAZINE
