What Does a Week at Orangeville Prep Summer Basketball Camp Look Like?
Parents ask us the same question every spring: "What does my kid actually do all week?" It's a fair question. You're investing real money and real time into your athlete's development, and you want to know exactly what that week looks like — not the marketing version, but the real one. So here it is.
A genuine look inside a week at the Orangeville Prep Summer Basketball Camp at Athlete Institute in Orangeville, Ontario. What happens each day, what your athlete will work on, and why the week is structured the way it is.
Before We Get Into the Schedule
A few things worth knowing upfront. The camp runs out of Athlete Institute's campus — the same 20,000 sq ft Dome and 12,000 sq ft Fieldhouse where Orangeville Prep trains year-round. Three FIBA regulation courts, ten NBA regulation baskets, sprung hardwood. This is where Jamal Murray, Luguentz Dort, and Thon Maker trained. Your athlete is stepping into that same environment.
Every camper is evaluated and grouped by age and skill level on the first day. That grouping carries through the entire week — skills sessions, Shot Lab, and league play are all calibrated so athletes are challenged at the right level. A 10-year-old playing house league and a 13-year-old on a competitive rep team will have completely different experiences at camp, and that's by design.
We run each camp week across 5 full courts with a maximum coach-to-camper ratio of 1:10, so your athlete is on the court and getting coached — not sitting on a bench waiting for a turn.
Both day camp and overnight options are available. Day campers are on campus from roughly 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Overnight campers get the full experience — meals, evening programming, residence life, and a lot more basketball.
Sunday — Arrival Night
Overnight campers check in on Sunday evening between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. Athletes get settled into their rooms, meet their roommates, and start getting familiar with the campus.
The night kicks off with a Fieldhouse shootaround — music playing, balls bouncing, and a gym full of athletes who are about to spend the week together. It's loose. No coaching, no pressure. Just basketball. It sets the tone for everything that follows and it's usually the moment when athletes realize this isn't a typical camp.
Everyone is back in residence by 8:30 p.m.
The Week, Day by Day
Monday — Set the Standard
Morning
Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m. for overnight campers. Everyone is in the gym by 8:30. The first morning begins with introductions — athletes meet their coaching staff, get assigned to their teams, and learn how the week is going to run.
Then they get right into it. Skills Session 1 is a station-based training format: athletes rotate through six stations in eight-minute blocks, working on ball handling, footwork, finishing, passing, and other core skills with their skill group. This isn't standing in line waiting for a turn. Every athlete is moving for the full session.
After skills work comes Shot Lab. This is a dedicated, structured shooting session that runs every single day of camp. Mechanics, repetition, and form — coached and tracked. By Friday, every athlete has been through five Shot Lab sessions, and most parents tell us the improvement in their child's shooting is visible.
Before lunch, the first league game tips off. Camp is built around a week-long competitive league where teams play through a full regular season, with playoffs and a championship on Friday. Game 1 happens Monday. By the end of the week, athletes have played eight regular season games plus playoff rounds.
Afternoon
After lunch, Monday afternoon is built around team shooting competitions, leadership activities, and team-building exercises. Then teams move into their first practice, followed by their second league game.
Day campers head home at 4:00 p.m. Overnight campers hit the showers, have dinner, and spend the evening at a campfire with s'mores.
Tuesday Through Thursday — Build, Compete, Repeat
Morning Structure
Each morning starts with a warmup and ball handling session, then moves into the day's skills stations — progressive, building on what was taught the day before. Shot Lab follows. Then a league game before lunch.
By midweek, coaches start to see real growth. Athletes who were tentative on Monday are attacking drills with confidence by Wednesday. That's not an accident — it's the structure doing what it's designed to do.
Afternoon — Where the Week Gets Special
Afternoons bring in guest coaches and specialist programming that athletes wouldn't get anywhere else:
- Guest coaching sessions with coaches like Bikram Gill, who runs a 3x3 workshop alongside AJ Lawson, and Cavell Johnson from Wilfrid Laurier University. These are working coaches at the collegiate and professional level sharing their knowledge directly with your athlete.
- Mental conditioning with Naomi, our performance specialist. A dedicated session on focus, confidence, managing pressure, and competing with composure. Most camps don't touch this. We think it's one of the most important sessions of the entire week.
- Outdoor strength and conditioning that builds athleticism, agility, and endurance outside the gym walls.
After the specialist sessions, teams run practice, and the day's second league game goes off in the late afternoon.
Evenings — The Overnight Difference
For overnight campers, the evenings are where the bonds form. The schedule rotates through campfires, a movie night (Coach Carter, naturally), yoga and recovery sessions with Sangeeta, field sports, and time in the common areas with teammates.
It's structured enough that athletes are supervised and engaged, but relaxed enough that it actually feels like summer. Parents consistently tell us the friendships their kids build during evening programming are one of the most valuable parts of the week.
Friday — Championship Day
Friday has a different energy. Everyone in the building knows what's at stake.
The morning still includes the final Skills Session and Shot Lab — athletes get their fifth and final shooting session, capping off a week of tracked development. But after that, it's all competition.
Quarter-finals tip off before lunch. Semi-finals run in the early afternoon. And the championship and consolation games close out the week.
Then comes the awards ceremony. Individual and team recognition, standout performances, and a closing moment that gives the week a real finish line. Every athlete walks away knowing exactly where they stood and what they accomplished.
Day campers and overnight campers are all picked up at 4:00 p.m.
What Makes This Week Different
There are a lot of basketball camps in Ontario. Here's what separates this one.
Day Camp vs. Overnight — Which One Is Right?
Both options give your athlete the full on-court experience. Skills sessions, Shot Lab, league play, guest coaches, team practice — all identical.
The difference is what happens before and after.
Day campers arrive at 8:30 a.m. and head home at 4:00 p.m. It's a full, intensive day of basketball with high-level coaching.
Overnight campers get the full immersion. Meals are included. Evening programming — campfires, movie night, yoga and recovery, field sports — builds the relationships and the culture that athletes talk about for years. They wake up and go to sleep in a basketball environment, surrounded by athletes who are all working toward the same thing. The buy-in is different. The experience is different.
For athletes who are serious about development and ready for that level of commitment, the overnight option is what we'd recommend.
What Parents Are Saying
"The Summer Academy offered a unique, immersive opportunity for our son to be exposed to the rigorous schedule and physical demands placed on elite players. They gathered top-quality coaches and trainers, had special guests, and invited past and present players from Orangeville Prep. They were challenged and encouraged to develop in every way. Athlete Institute is very professionally run but you feel like family there."
"My son enjoyed the intensity and seriousness of the training, he loved all of the meals (usually he is a very picky eater), and he was very comfortable with coaching staff. My son did not have happy experience with previous big-named summer camps and was very hesitant to go to Orangeville. I am so glad he tried and I am very thankful that your academy gave such a great experience for my son and gave him happy memories."
"Our son Atticus, 11, has been involved in Athlete Institute programming for the past 4 years, including the Summer Basketball Academy. It's been a place where he has not only grown his skills and love for the game but also made meaningful relationships with fellow campers, counsellors and coaches. I recommend Orangeville Summer Basketball Academy to any parents who have children looking to foster their love of the game."
"I'm thankful for the 4 weeks my son spent at Orangeville basketball camp. He developed immensely as a player and enjoyed every minute of it. The staff were all wonderful so I felt my child was in good hands for an extended period of time. Highly recommend this camp for any parent hoping to give their child a leg up for the basketball season."
"My husband Tim and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the wonderful experience our son had at camp over the last three weeks. We are of the mindset that it takes a village to raise a child — we are fortunate to have individuals in our lives that contribute to the raising of our sons. We now consider the staff at the Athlete Institute to be part of his village."
"Daniel had a wonderful time at AI camp last year. He learned a lot of basketball skills with the pros and had so much fun with his friends. The coaches are world-class and great role models. Alex and all the staff were simply amazing and accommodating. I am very grateful for this inspiring and amazing experience. We are coming back."
Frequently Asked Questions
We may host up to 100 campers per week. Regardless of the number of campers, we make sure our coach-to-camper ratio stays at a maximum of 1:10 to ensure each child receives an unparalleled development experience. We also run each camp across 5 courts, making sure your child is on the court for as much time as possible.
Our camps vary in recommended skill level. Within each camp, groups are divided by age and skill level, which are flexible and allow us to find the best situation for each camper. We offer personalized instruction that allows campers to improve specifically in the areas they need, whether they are new to the game or highly skilled.
At the top of the camp page we've outlined the recommended experience and skill level for each program, however our staff and coaches always strive to ensure that each player receives quality training appropriate to their ability.
A non-refundable deposit is collected immediately upon registration. An Athlete Institute team member will follow up with you to finalize your dates, package option, and final invoice. From there, you have two ways to pay:
Pay in full online: Submit total fees using Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. We also accept Interac e-transfer at billing@athleteinstitute.ca (please include the camper's first and last name and reason for payment).
Monthly payment plan: The remaining balance is divided into equal monthly instalments based on your registration date through to July 1st. Each payment is automatically debited on the first of the month. Your payment schedule is outlined with an Athlete Institute team member after registration. Payments accepted via Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.
Day camp runs from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Your athlete receives the full on-court experience — skills sessions, Shot Lab, league games, guest coaching, and team practices. Parents drop off and pick up each day.
Overnight camp includes everything in day camp plus on-campus residence, all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and evening programming such as campfires, movie night, yoga and recovery, and field sports. Athletes are supervised 24/7 by our coaching staff on a secure, camera-monitored campus. The overnight option is designed for athletes who want the full immersive experience — living, training, and competing in a high-performance basketball environment for the entire week.
Yes. We offer two-week programs at a bundled rate — for example, the U13 and U18 Boys two-week programs run July 13 to 24. Each week has a different training theme (Week 1 focuses on Shooting and Playmaking, Week 2 on Decision Making and Scoring), so athletes who attend both get a more complete development experience rather than a repeat of the same content.
Overnight campers attending consecutive weeks can stay on campus through the weekend for an additional fee, which includes additional basketball instruction, meals, and off-campus activities. This makes the multi-week option seamless for families travelling from out of town.
Start with age. We run separate programs for U13 (ages 9–13), U18 Boys (ages 14–18), U17 Girls (ages 12–17), and a U12 Co-Ed (ages 7–12) camp. Within each, athletes are grouped by skill level on the first day, so the right camp is primarily about age fit.
If you're unsure, call us at 519.940.3735 or email info@athleteinstitute.ca. We'll ask a few questions about your athlete's experience level and goals and recommend the best week and format for them.
Absolutely. Athlete Institute is a secure, remote campus with 24/7 coach supervision and camera monitoring throughout. Overnight athletes stay in semi-private residence accommodations with rooms sleeping up to four. All meals are provided from local food providers, and our coaching staff is on-site at all times — there is no unsupervised time during the camp week.
For families flying in, Pearson International Airport is approximately 40 minutes south of our campus in Orangeville. Overnight check-in begins the Sunday evening before camp starts.
Registration Is Open for Summer 2026
Orangeville Prep Summer Basketball Camp runs across multiple weeks in July and August. Day and overnight options available. Payment plans offered. Spots are limited and fill each year.
View Camp DatesQuestions? Call 519.940.3735 or email info@athleteinstitute.ca