I am writing to congratulate, as well as to thank, Powercamp for providing such an incredible learning experience to so many young athletes. I attended Powercamp for two weeks in the summer of 1995. At the time I was living in Barrie, Ontario but the distance was more than compensated by everything I learned and the friends that I made. Before attending the camp I was a dedicated player with relatively good fitness but was not starting for my high school team. I went to Powercamp in hopes of realizing the goals I had set for myself. Although I knew it would be hard, my goals were to earn a spot on the starting line up for my team and to play in the Simcoe County all-star game. In the two weeks of camp I made countless friendships with others who were attending camp as well as the coaches. I have stayed in contact with two of the coaches to this day, which seems typical of the Powercamp focus towards constant improvement. I was amazed at how quickly my ability and athleticism were improving. Not only had my dribbling, defending, and shooting fundamentals improved but also my deeper understanding for the game had already developed considerably. I may have been too young to realize it at the time, but I strongly believe that the lessons learned at Powercamp translated into several other aspects of my life. The benefits of hard work, determination and keeping myself motivated were common subjects communicated by our coaches and guest speakers that frequently visited us. We learned about performing well under pressure, handling intense competition and how to stay mentally and physically prepared for challenge. Furthermore, we learned the power of pride and respect. As I saw myself improving in all of these aspects, my self esteem was lifted and only furthered my motivation to excel. I volunteered to help with the camp on various events throughout that summer and attended several clinics held over the following two years. I am very proud to say that I earned a starting position on my highschool team, I was voted captain, and lead the team in point, assists, and steals. I was later awarded the team's Most Valuable Player and was invited to play in the all star game. Although I never played basketball at a University level, I can honestly say that I may not have completed my University education without the life lessons that I learned through Powercamp over the years. My athleticism, education and career have all benefited a great deal from what started as a couple weeks at summer camp. Thank you Powercamp. I appreciate everything I have learned, the friendships I have developed, and the memories I have kept. All the best in the future.