What is BCAM?
June 2009
The Basketball Coaches
Association of Michigan was incorporated in the summer of 1976. The
purpose of BCAM was for the betterment of basketball in the state of
Michigan. Thirty-three years later, BCAM has shown that it is the voice
of high school basketball in Michigan. BCAM has also gained
respectability nationwide by being a leader in clinics, academic awards,
scholarship programs, websites, awards for players and coaches, official –
coach relationships, and as a policy setter for national concerns.
Our Mission Statement (1990) sums up what we are about and what
direction we want to go. The statement reads as follows: “As a
united body, BCAM exists to represent and serve basketball coaches for the
betterment of our great game!”
We speak for and represent all basketball coaches in
Michigan. Never before has an association tried to unite junior high,
senior high and college men and women coaches. BCAM now has over 3600
members including over 450 lifetime members. In 1998, BCAM applied for and
received federal tax exempt status under 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code.
The highlight of the year is the BCAM Fall Clinic / Hall of Fame
Banquet (1984) held in the fall of each year. The clinic draws from 800-900
coaches and last year’s Hall of Fame Banquet was attended by more that 600
basketball fans. The clinic is a chance for coaches to learn from the top
college and high school clinicians from around the country. We have added a
Professional Development Session (2004) to our clinic which goes beyond the x’s
and o’s. Our Hall of Fame honors four coaches annually. These
coaches are selected for their years of service, coaching record and
outstanding accomplishments in coaching and community service. BCAM also
honors up to twelve individuals who have been supportive of basketball even
though they are not varsity coaches. Our Hall of Honor (1992) falls into
four categories: Media, Friends of Basketball, Officials, and Assistant
Coaches. Our Hall of Honor has created much interest since it honors hard
working people who usually go unnoticed. The Tom Hursey Distinguished Service
Award (1994) honors individuals who have served BCAM in an outstanding manner
over many years.
BCAM believes that one of our main purposes is to honor our
member coaches. We do this by having the membership nominate regional and
state coaches of the year (1976). These coaches are also honored at the
Hall of Fame Banquet. Boys and girls coaches are nominated for national
honors (1976) sponsored by national coaches associations. Other coaching
honors include: Men and women college coaches of the year (1992) and
Century Club Awards (1983) given to coaches who have 100 or multiples of 100
victories.
The top individual award a high school basketball player can
receive is our Mr. Basketball (1981) and Miss Basketball (1981) award given to
the outstanding senior boy & girl player each year. Michigan has a
tremendous roster of former Mr. and Miss Basketball players of which we are
very proud.
Other player awards that BCAM selects are: BCAM’s BEST (all-state
teams) (1982) (160 boys & girls honored), and Top Shooter awards for free
throw shooting and three-point shooting (1995) (individual and team
awards honor approximately 80 players and teams).
Another honor high school seniors can earn is selection to the
All-Star Festival (1979) teams. Over one hundred players participate in
this one-day, four game (two girls’, two boys’) event. One girl player
and one boy player are selected, by need to be presented a $250 scholarship for
college expenses.
BCAM has always been interested in promoting academics throughout
the state. We have honored the top student-athletes with our Academic
All-State (1988) teams. Eighty to one hundred boys and girls are selected
for our Individual Academic All-State Teams. Approximately eighty high
school teams are honored with our Team Academic All-State program. BCAM
also selects men and women college student-athlete teams.
In keeping with our interest in academics, BCAM annually gives
out $6000 dollars in scholarships to sons and daughters of members
(1988). These 10-12 grants are determined by an outside source based on
academic success, not athletic success. The scholarship fund is underwritten by
the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Shock (2000).
BCAM has become associated with the "Coaches vs. Cancer" program (1999). BCAM donated
$2000 initially and with the help of individual donations from member coaches,
will continue to support the program annually. A Coaches vs. Cancer committee
(2003) has been formed that will help promote fund raising through BCAM
members.
BCAM and the Michigan High School Athletic Association has
partnered to develop the Reaching Higher Showcase (2009) for underclass
student/athletes who aspire to play college basketball. 100 boys and 100 girls
are selected to participate in a one-day clinic that includes skill testing,
speakers and games. College coaches are invited to observe and evaluate these student/athletes.
We are involved with
providing input concerning college recruiting. As a result we have
developed a Position Paper (1997) concerning the recruiting of high school
players. BCAM has also developed a College Student-Athlete Recruiting
Code (1997) for high schools to use as a guide to college recruiters.
For the first time ever, the leaders of the Michigan AAU and BCAM
came together to formulate a document that sets guidelines for AAU coaches.
This new committee adopted the name of the Michigan Youth Basketball
Advisory Council (2000). These Rules and Recommendations will help
solve problems involving AAU athletes and coaches who violate policies,
procedures and rules of the MHSAA, AAU and BCAM.
Because of the need to "Break Down the Barriers" that
exist between coaches and officials, BCAM and basketball officials have been
meeting to develop guidelines for improving relationships (2001). This
committee is called the Basketball Officials and Coaches Communications
Committee (BOCCC). It has developed a Position Paper that lists recommendations
that will lead to their objective of improving the relationship between
officials and coaches. This position paper is endorsed by BCAM, official
associations and the MIAAA. The Michigan High School Athletic Association and
BCAM have been working together to promote improved sportsmanship among schools
and individuals. The two organizations, with the help of the BOCCC, produce a
video annually (2006) to be used at the MHSAA Rules Meetings that promote good
sportsmanship between coaches, officials, players and fans.
A mentoring program (2003)
has been developed by BCAM to help new coaches deal with the many concerns that
they must face. Experienced coaches will be serving as mentors to younger
coaches. It is BCAM’s hope that this program will encourage young coaches to
stay in the profession.
Our membership was kept informed of our many activities by a
quarterly newsletter (1976) sent to all members. Starting in the fall of
2008, a Monthly Report sent via email to members will replace the newsletter.
The BCAM website (1998) (www.bcam.org)
continues to grow as a service to members. Each year more information is
available to members. The website will continue to grow as an important
communication link for BCAM members. Awards and nomination forms are also
available to members online.
Throughout recent years (1989-08) we have added corporate
sponsors to help with our finances. The companies are Rawlings Sporting
Goods, Gatorade, the Detroit Pistons-Detroit Shock, Meijer, New Balance, NOAH
and DC Sports. Their financial support, in return for our endorsement,
has helped BCAM to expand its programs while keeping our dues low.
It is the policy of BCAM to support all levels and areas of
basketball. Therefore, we have adopted a non-discriminatory policy (1991)
which states: “It is the policy of the Basketball Coaches Association of
Michigan that no person shall on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex
or handicap, be excluded from selection, be denied nomination or admission to,
or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity.”
The Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan is alive and
well. It is well respected among schools, communities, other associations
in Michigan, and other associations around the country. We will continue
to support the sport of basketball, the players, and the coaches as much as our
resources will allow.
Note: Years in
parenthesis indicate year program started.
For more information go
to www.bcam.org or contact Tom Hursey
(Executive Director) at bcamtom@aol.com or 517-580-8366.
