Play with a basketball star at youth camp

By JoAnn R. Walter —

Prove Them Wrong (PTW) Sports Training, owned and managed by Christian Sage and Kobe Bogart, invites area youth to sign up and register for a youth basketball camp that they are hosting on July 18 and 19.

The camp will be held at the Southern Tier Community Center in Endicott. Led by former college athletes Bogart and Sage, along with special guest and Syracuse basketball legend Brandon Triche, registered athletes will train for three hours over two days.

Both Kobe and Christian shared, “This is a huge opportunity to learn from a professional and former SU player.”

Triche will work directly with youth at each of the sessions. He played college basketball at Syracuse and started every game in his four-year NCAA Division I career.  Triche still holds the record at Syracuse as the only player to win 120 games as a starter and went on to excel in a ten-year professional career.  

Kobe remarked, “At PTW Sports Training, we focus on the details that elevate a player’s game. Every session is built to develop skill, confidence, and a higher basketball IQ.”

Christian added, “We strive to extend life lessons through basketball.”

Their mission statement, to empower young athletes to reach their full potential on and off the court, involves providing elite, personalized sports training grounded in Christian values. Not only are skills built, but also character, resilience, and confidence. Through hard work, faith, and community, Kobe and Christian inspire athletes to overcome challenges, defy expectations, and Prove Them Wrong.

Christian and Kobe, both 2019 Owego Free Academy graduates, played basketball at OFA and also at college. Both set college records while at Cazenovia, and Christian continued his college basketball career at Keuka and Houghton. Kobe went on to play at New Paltz, where he helped lead his team to a school championship.

A former SUNYAC MVP and conference champion, Kobe proved to be a dominant force on the court. His career stats include 1,300 points scored and 500 rebounds in both high school and college. 

Christian brings keen expertise and a professional approach to the game. A former point guard, he racked up 1,700 points during his college career and was a first-team all-conference player.  

Both Kobe and Christian completed their college academics by achieving M.B.A.s. Christian shared that his final master’s project was to basically build a business from scratch, an exercise that he said ended up being, “my calling.”  Since then, the two long-time friends have worked in the business world but are also budding entrepreneurs with their PTW Sports Training business.

For the basketball camp, Day One will focus on IQ and drills to build skills. Day Two will feature a March Madness-style bracket, where coaches will draft teams and players will compete in scrimmages.

Christian noted that several coaches with college-level experience will be on board for the sessions.

Elementary-aged youth (Grades 1-5) who register for camp will build fundamentals and confidence on the court. Middle schoolers (Grades 6-8) will develop court IQ, compete in scrimmages, and get coached by college-level athletes. High school students (Grades 9-12), receive more elite-level training and gameplay and, in turn, will receive coaching to grow their game.

The Friday, July 18 sessions are 5 to 6pm for Elementary, 6:15-7:15pm for Middle School, and 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. for High School.

The Saturday, July 19 sessions are 2 to 4pm for Elementary, 4:15-6:15pm for Middle School, and 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. for High School.

Cost is $100 per camper. Register soon to gain a spot and to be eligible to receive a custom camp T-shirt. 

Christian and Kobe have experience running basketball camps from previous camps they hosted at the Tioga County Boys and Girls Club. They also attended the recent Strawberry Festival, where their booth featured a Shoot Hoops station.

To register for the basketball camp, visit the PTW website at: https://www.trainwithptw.com/camps.

You can also reach out via email at: ptwsportstraining@gmail.com, or call (607) 972-1684.

PTW Sports Training is also active on various social media and YouTube.