While Penn State basketball players could be enjoying the sandy beaches, or playing in the sky blue waters of the shore, they are actually sweating, panting, and gasping for breath while chasing around their second- through eighth- grade campers.

The Nittany Lion basketball team is serving as host to an individual skills camp this week at the Multi-sport Facility.

Throughout the week, campers learned the fundamentals of basketball and today, the day will be spent playing a five-on-five tournament.

"We will have championship games, one-on-one, three-on-three, and five-on-five," said Jon Perry, a coach at the camp. "It gets the kids really excited and more competitive."

Aside from playing basketball, the campers have afternoon activities that include touring the men's locker room, visiting the All-Sports Museum and Beaver Stadium, and even stopping at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

"On Monday, we went to the basketball lounge and we watched a Larry Bird highlight film," said Joonas Suotamo, a junior forward for the Lions.

As a resident of State College, Drew Friberg, 8, is a huge fan of Penn State basketball and has been following it for most of his life. His said his favorite player is Danny Morrissey and is enjoying the basketball camp because he gets to meet the players and compete in tournament games.

"We have relay races everyday that are really fun," Friberg said. "We do a lot of shooting and passing and the first team that makes 10 baskets don't have to do push-ups."

Though many kids from the local area frequent the camp, members of the Penn State family tree from all across the globe are leaving their marks. Tommy Sekunda, 8, the son of former Penn State standout Glenn Sekunda, is attending the camp all the way from Treviso, Italy.

"I don't have much to do during the summer, so I like to come here," he said. "The drills are a lot of fun, and I'm learning a lot from the coaches."

For the players, getting the opportunity to help pass on their skills to a younger generation proves rewarding.

"I like to see them have fun and they look up to us too," said Stanley Pringle, a junior college transfer. "I've only been doing this for two days, but it's fun."

First time camper Matthew Tomczuk, 7, said he wants to attend Penn State and play baseball for the Nittany Lions. He heard from a friend that the basketball camp was really cool and
decided to try it out.

"So far, it's been a lot of fun and I've learned new drills," he said. "I'd like to come back."