Nets on Fire offers summer clinics, tournaments, basketball games for hoops fans

ST. GEORGE — Local schools are empty for the summer, but the basketball action at Nets on Fire is just getting started.

This non-profit community basketball organization operates out of its facility at 1871 West Canyon View Drive in St. George.

“Our main mission is just to benefit the community,” Director of Operations Kasey Winters told St. George News. “A lot of the tournaments and events that we host in some way or form go back to benefiting the community.”

For example, Winters said, Nets on Fire hosted a 3-on-3 tournament May 13-14 to benefit Korah Kids, an organization that helps children in Ethiopia.

“We have a motto, ‘Be More,’ and that goes with our mission of challenging people to be more and do more,” Winters said.

A basketball camp at Nets on Fire, St. George, Utah, May 31, 2022 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

A camp on Tuesday brought over 100 youngsters in grades 4-7 to Nets on Fire.

PGC (Point Guard College) Basketball, a group that runs basketball camps around the country, started its Skills Academy camp with a high-energy shootaround. 

“We offer individual and group training, really for anyone that is interested. We don’t have a set age requirement on those,” Winters said. “We do have camps like this one that are going to be running all through the summer. We have Nike coming in to do a camp, the Utah Jazz are going to be here doing a camp.”

Winters said that Nets on Fire hosts tournaments, camps and games for players of all ages.

One of the main features of Nets on Fire is that it will be home to Ignite, the St. George AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) basketball teams.

“AAU started here (in St. George) last year,” Winters said. “And then it really took off this year.”

Nets on Fire held a tryout in March after the high school season ended for players grades 5-12.

“About 300 kids tried out,” Winters said. “We got nine boys teams and five girls teams.”

Competition in summer AAU tournaments takes the Ignite players to Las Vegas, Anaheim, Salt Lake and other big cities.

“It’s something that we’re really excited about and the community has taken really well to it,” Winters said. “They are really interested in it, something that’s always been in Las Vegas and Salt Lake and now it’s here in St. George. I think it’s going to really take off.”

In the older age groups, Ignite teams resemble traditional all-star teams for Southwest Utah high school players.

Former Crimson Cliffs High School basketball coach Kasey Winters is now director of operations at Nets on Fire, St. George, Utah, May 31, 2022 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

“We get a good mixture of kids, from Mesquite to Cedar and Kanab and Beaver,” Winters said. “I think we have at least one kid from every Region 10 team, plus Canyon View and Cedar kids.”

Participation in AAU leads to broader recruitment options for the most talented players.

“It is a big part of it,” Winters said. “We’ll be attending several events in July that we’re hoping to see some college coaches at. But it is a big part of the recruiting process.”

“We’re hoping kids from here and our community get some exposure and get seen by some college coaches,” he added. “And hopefully they’ll have the chance to reach their goals of playing beyond high school.”

Winters is a fixture in the local basketball community, playing his college games at Snow College, Idaho State and Dixie State.

He was the head boys basketball coach at Crimson Cliffs High School for the last three years before stepping aside at the end of this past season to work at Nets on Fire.

“It still involves a lot of basketball, which is something I really enjoy, although there’s a little bit different dynamic,” Winters said. “This will be the first time in 15 years that I don’t have a normal basketball season.”

He added that AAU allows him to still coach in some capacity, and he enjoys being on the court.

“Now it gives me an opportunity to cheer for all the Region 10 teams,” Winters said.. “You go from competing against all these teams and coaches to really trying to support them and help them in any way that we can.” 

“It’s going to be different but so far it’s been a lot of fun,” he said.

Visit the Nets on Fire website to find out more about upcoming camps and events.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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