Plymouth Whitemarsh Boy's Basketball

CAMP HISTORY: 21 Years and counting…

Original Vision

When head coach Jim Donofrio took over in 1998 one of the first things he did was to start the PW Basketball Summer Camps. That first summer in 1999 the camp was run at the Fellowship House. Since there was only one court with 6 total baskets he thought it best to keep the camp at a total of 28 participants so that each could receive as much personal attention and skill work as possible. The theory was simple - when doing drills, there should be no more than 7-8 kids at a basket, each with his or her own counselor to guide them. Each team at the camp should have no more than 7-8 campers, so they can all get optimal playing time.

Larger Venue; Same Vision

The summer of 2000 saw the camp shift to Plymouth Whitemarsh high school, which provided 3 gyms and 6 full courts. They have been there ever since, and last year we celebrated our 20th anniversary. Despite the larger venue, however, the camps have always tried to stay true to the original concept of roughly 28 players to a gym and a coach to player ratio average of no more than 8:1. We want our campers to be active and learning throughout the week.

Typical Day

A typical camp day includes fast moving drill work to improve skills; coaches’ clinics to improve knowledge; and competitions from 1 on 1 up to team games to teach competitive drive and teamwork. Through it all our camp staff is trained to maintain an ultra-positive approach while at the same time motivating the kids to play hard, play smart, and play together.

Specific Goals

Coach Donofrio has one primary goal in mind with each camp that he oversees, and that is that each camper leaves at the end of the week saying he or she learned new concepts, had a ton of fun, and is definitely tired!! We try to give them the ingredients for what it takes to compete to win, develop a work ethic, and understand the value of teamwork.

Whatever skill level your child is at, we look to recognize it and simply encourage him or her to improve by showing the proper method to perform the fundamentals - from footwork to screening and cutting; ball handling to shooting and defense.

The PW coaches and players look forward each year to our summer camps and fall clinics. We have met so many wonderful campers over the years. We particularly love to hear the kids say what a great time they had at the end of the week. Many campers attend both camps each summer, and return year after year. More than one has ended up growing into our PW uniform, proudly representing their family, school, and community.

TEAM HISTORY

Plymouth Whitemarsh High School officially opened its doors in 1952. In 1958 the school joined the Suburban I league, and just 5 short seasons later, in 1963, won its first state championship. Immediately a standard of basketball excellence was established. Under the

direction of Pennsylvania and Montgomery County Hall of Fame coach Henry Stofko, the program grew to be recognized as one of the most respected in the state. Coach Stofko oversaw the Colonials for 32 seasons, leading his teams to a total of 559 wins, 8 league titles, 4 district titles, and the ’63 state title. The incredible success of those early days sparked a passionate fan base of students and community members that exists to this day.

When one of Coach Stofko’s most impressive performers as a player, Albert Angelos (’76, Textile), took over the coaching helm starting in 1990 the results were just as impressive. Over a 7-year run Coach Angelos’s teams won 170 games against just 37 losses for an intimidating 82% winning percentage. The program collected 4 more league titles, its 5th district title in 1998, and its 2nd state title in 1997. The success paved the way for the Angelos era teams to reach national prominence as both the 1997 and 1998 teams earned top 20 rankings in USA Today.

By the time Jim Donofrio took over in 1998, Plymouth Whitemarsh had earned the well-deserved reputation as one of the premier high school basketball programs in the state. Now entering his 22nd season, Coach D’s teams have continued the tradition of excellence, having accumulated 449 more wins that include 14 league titles, 10 trips to the district semifinals, 5 district final appearances, 4 state semifinals, the 2010 state title, and the 2016 district title. There are 19 total 1000 point scorers in PW boys’ basketball history; 11 have played under Donofrio.

Since Coach Stofko’s time we are proud of how much our players look to work on their games year round to become the best players they can become. We do our best to share that passion with each one of the kids who join us during our camp weeks. We look forward to seeing you there!