PROFILE, N.H. – Hazen Union varsity boys’ basketball head coach Aaron Hill capped off a busy week of welcoming over 100 children to his 23rd installment of Hazen Hoop Camp by taking his varsity team across the Vermont-New Hampshire border to the Profile Team Camp over the weekend.
Ivy Demers (left), 10, of Hardwick and Edson Foser (right), 7, of Hardwick, participate in a drill during the 23rd Annual Hazen Hoop Camp held July 15 to July 19 directed by coach Aaron Hill. In the morning, 55 boys and girls attended in grades three through sixth and in the afternoon 52 attended in grades seven through nine.
The Hardwick community has seen Coach Hill win over 400 games in his illustrious coaching career, bringing six Division III state championship banners back to the Cat Den.
Exactly 107 eager hoopers from a wide array of ages squeaked across Hazen’s hardwood floor over a five-day period last week, soaking in the tutelage from Hill, his coaching staff, along with current and former players that have come through the Wildcat program. Almost all of the Wildcat greats have started their journey at Hill’s camp. With the recent graduations of Hazen’s second-leading scorer in school history Isaiah Baker, the first 1,000 point-1,000 rebound player in school history Tyler Rivard, the program’s all-time triple-double leader Xavier Hill, and recent state champion Caitlyn Davison cementing her name alongside the great Penny Libercent and Jen des Groseilliers, the enthusiasm for basketball in the Hardwick community isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
“It was so amazing seeing a record number of kids come out for the camp. I’ve been doing this a long time, but it definitely reinvigorates you as a coach. When you are around young people who are so enthusiastic and hungry, it feeds your own fire!,” said Hill.
Coach Aaron Hill takes attendance during his 23rd Annual Hazen Hoop Camp held from July 15 to July 19. A total of 55 students participated in the morning from grades three through sixth and 52 students in grades seven through nine in the afternoon.
The Wildcats traveled to New Hampshire over the weekend for Profile’s team camp, ending in a round-robin tournament that included Woodsville, Groveton, Canaan-Pittsfield, and Littleton. Senior Brendan Moodie pumped in 24 points in a 55-54 overtime win over Woodsville, with Lincoln Hill and Sully Laflam chipping in with 10 apiece. Hill led all scorers with 18 points in a 49-42 win over Groveton and Laflam added 10. Damien Morrison poured in 22 and Laflam added 12 in a 70-35 shellacking of Canaan-Pittsfield. Littleton ended a perfect weekend for the Wildcats 63-42, with Moodie and Laflam scoring 12 apiece in the loss.
“I thought the Profile team camp was a great experience. Woodsville and Groveton have very strong programs and we had to fight hard in those games. We were a little shorthanded in our last game against Littleton and they wore us down at the end. They have an exceptional sophomore in Mikey Rodriguez. Remember his name because he is going to be something else. We had the privilege of facing three New Hampshire coaches who are legends in the game. They’ve been doing it even longer than I have, and it was fun to be the young guy again,” said Hill.
