WS Chronicle

Josh Howard lit it up on the NBA hardwood for well over a decade.  Now the head coach of the men’s basketball team at Piedmont International University (PIU) Howard uses his knowledge of the game to teach others.  Starting Aug. 8, Howard will hold his third annual Triple Threat Training camp at PIU.

Howard holds several free camps throughout the summer at local recreation centers around the city.  This camp however, is geared toward the serious ball players, in middle and high school,  looking to take the next step in their game.  Howard started the camp when he took over as head coach at PIU.

“This is more for the advanced ball player looking to get the real live professional work out, to get an understanding of what it will take from being a mediocre player to an advanced one,” he said. 

“We will do a lot of agility work, work with the ladder, footwork, technique and situational training.  It will be more of a teaching and grind session for those kids who want to take that opportunity to develop and see if they are ready for the next level.”

Howard stated he has seen growth over the past two seasons but wants to keep the number of kids low so he can give them all one on one guidance throughout the camp. 

“There are many players that have come both years, which has made the group bigger, and I am thankful for these kids that want to come and learn from an old pro that is right in their backyard,” said Howard.

The camp is designed for both young men and women.  Howard says the camp is great because it shows the young kids of the city that with hard work, they can fulfil their dreams as well.

Seeing kids come back year after year is one of the biggest thrills Howard gets from the camp, he said.  To have the opportunity to see kids eager to hone their skills means the world to him.

“Being around kids that really want to learn is the enjoyment I get out of it,” he continued.  “I can see that they want to get better and even if they don’t make it, they get the whole point of continuing to work hard for what they want.  Those attributes will carry over in life with them.”

As he has transitioned into the coaching realm, Howard says he approaches the camps differently than when he was a player.  He says he focuses more on what he wants each player to get out of each individual drill and what message he wants to convey.

“I put a lot more thought into what I want to get across because those things stuck in my mind from my coaches when I was a player,” Howard said. 

Howard says he will separate the kids into age groups ranging from 10-12 and 13-16.  The younger kids will train in the morning while the teenagers will train in the afternoons. 

For more information on the clinic, call PIU at (336) 391-5952, visit

www.Joshhowardfoundation.com or email Steve Nivens at steve@joshhowardfoundation.com.