Bill Self won’t be working morning, noon and night at his Kansas University youth basketball camp.
But the Jayhawk first-year hoops coach also won’t be a stranger to the 1,080 youths assembled in town for the four-day camp at Allen Fieldhouse, Horejsi Center and other gyms around town.
“I think I’ll be around all the gyms in the morning and at night. There will be a couple things I can’t do because of speaking engagements here or there, but I’ll be around camp as much as any head coach in America is around camp and I really want to do that,” said Self, whose camp officially opened with check-in Sunday.
The repeat customers — and there are many — won’t witness drastic changes from the KU camp sessions run by Roy Williams the past 15 years.
“Nothing has changed,” Self said. “We’re going to run the camp basically the same way as Roy ran it, because it was all organized and the enrollment was intended for his format. If we make any changes in the future, it will be down the line.”
The camp won’t be Self’s first at KU. He was a graduate assistant on Larry Brown’s staff in 1985-86 season.
“I like how Roy ran his camp here,” Self said. “I like the way they ran it when I was here, back when coach Brown was in charge. Kansas’ camp was big when I was here. People may look at us differently, but I don’t think it will be because of camp.”
Self hopes to corral former KU players to serve as guest speakers this week and maybe even get some current and ex-Jayhawks to play a pick-up game for the campers.
“I don’t know the exact numbers yet,” Self said of ex-Jayhawks around town. “A lot of guys who are working will not be working full time. I don’t know if we can get Scot Pollard or Jacque Vaughn here 12 hours a day,” he added, grinning.
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Team player: Self has been featured speaker at some fundraisers for the Williams Fund where folks pay thousands of dollars for the opportunity to dine with the coach.
“I am not a fund raiser,” Self said, “but I do like to talk, so if it helps raise money if I talk, I’m happy to do it. I am not great about asking people for money, but there are so many things that have to happen and I don’t think the iron will be sharper or hotter than it is now (with new AD and head hoops coach).
“I think we have to strike now, and I’ll basically do anything I’m asked to do.”
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Jennings applauded: Self is enthused about the hire of Lew Perkins as KU athletic director, but he’s also sad to see Drue Jennings leave his interim AD post.
“He’s as close to a perfect gentleman there is,” Self said. “He sees things through a businessman’s eyes, sees the strengths of the department and weaknesses. He has a true love for this place. He will be looked at in the future as one of the most respected alumni to come out of Kansas, not only because of his business success, but he basically volunteered his time in the most difficult situation.
“Can you imagine hiring a basketball coach at Kansas and athletic director at Kansas where you are not basically a full-time employee and you are responsible for many things? I think it’s remarkable what he’s done and we ought to continue to utilize his skills as long as possible.”
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Popular camp: Self’s camp had a waiting list this year with some youngsters unable to get in because of lack of live-in accommodations in town.
“All it does is show people are interested in Kansas and it’s much bigger than one person,” Self said. “Roy did a great job with camp, but the school, the program is bigger than one person.”
