Toros to host camp and hoop shoot

The Matilda Torres boys and girls basketball teams are playing in their first varsity seasons, but that hasn’t stopped them from planning their annual Lil’ Toros basketball camps.

“We are so excited about our camp,” said Toros girls basketball coach Jose Villalobos. “The response from everyone has been great. We have a feeder program in our third year. We have 47 kids in fourth through eighth grade. The beauty of that is our camp is from K-8 and they all signed up, plus they are bringing people We signed up 80-90 kids in the first week. I’m anticipating 180 girls for the camp.”

Registration dates for the girls camp are Dec. 18 and Jan. 8 with camp dates going for four weeks every Saturday, beginning Jan. 22.

“We charge $50,” Villalobos said. “We run the camp like a league. it’s four Saturdays with an hour of instruction. The first 20 minutes is skills and drills and the last 40 minutes is games. We run two full courts. Our goal is to have 40 kids per session and we have four sessions right now. We will have four stations of skills and drills. The last 40 minutes will be games. Everybody will get the same amount of playing time. They will get to play about four games every Saturday.”

In addition to getting valuable court time, Villalobos’ players will be the actual coaches of the camp.

“Our players are the ones that will coach the little ones,” he said. “Our eighth grade group is strong. They will be there and they are excited about the next years.”

Online registration is available at www.torosbasketball.com. For information, contact Villalobos at 917-5007.

Meanwhile, the boys basketball team will host their camp for K-6th grade boys every Saturday from Jan. 15-Feb. 5. Cost for the camp is $75 and can save $5 off for sibling enrollment. Each participant will receive a game jersy and a Toros’ basketball, along with instruction and live games.

To register, visit torresbasketball.com/liltoros. For questions, contact head coach Charles Rigby at crigby@torrosbasketball.com.

Hoop Shoot

For years, the Madera Elks hosted the Elks Hoop Shoot. While falling on hard times recently, Villalobos is determined to get the Hoop Shoot back to where it was.

“A few years ago, their Hoop Shoot wouldn’t average five people per event,” he said. “I said I could build that around. I talked to all the coaches. We went from three to 30 to 50 to 60 two years ago. COVID shut us down last year.”

Villalobos is hoping to get about 100 boys and girls players between 8-13 years old.

“I’m on the phone with all the coaches to get players out here,” he said.

The Hoop Shoot will be Jan. 8 at Matilda Torres High School from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Players do not need to pre-register.

“They just need to come to the door,” he said. “I’ve talked to all the head coaches in the area. This is a whole Madera County thing from kids.”

The players will be separated in three age groups, boys and girls, and are awarded prizes from first through third place.

“The Madera County winner will play in the next round against other Elks Clubs in the region and then keep going to the State level,” Villalobos said. “The Elks Club pays for transportation to the next level and then pays for room and board and transportation to the State level.”