I recently had the opportunity to touch base with Coach Ron Insinger. We had a fun chat before a summer league game on Monday. I wrote a great piece on 50 years of the CI CAMP, but… Steph just called and asked for my stuff. Wait? What? My email never went. My article was gone. Something about an IOS server update on my iPhone 12. Nothing saved. You seriously can’t make it up. Back to the drawing board.
I will have to share one of my favorite tales. This was back in the summer of 2018. Fast forward to now, and Coach Ron Insinger is still doing his thing. My man has 1,140 wins. 24 District Titles. 1 State Title. 50 years of CI. So many memories. Apologies Coach. I will have to try again another time. CTRL ALT DELETE. I quit.
A Summertime Staple
My nine-year-old son and I just had a great conversation. He was telling me all about his first few days of camp. Jensen was having a blast, and he explained everything that took place in that little gym. We talked about free throws, hot shot competitions, full-court dribbling, and no-look passes for an hour and a half.
Jensen went on and on about how much fun he and his young friends were having. He even dropped a few names of ballers who went to different schools in the region. It was great, and he was so excited. Jensen loved all of his coaches who were teaching him the fundamentals, but he didn’t understand how the camp director already knew his name. The poor kid had no idea who this guy was.
I started by sharing a few stories about how Coach and I’s relationship originated. I attended the very same basketball camp when I was a few years older. True story. Jensen looked puzzled and didn’t seem to comprehend. I then showed him a camp evaluation and a few pictures that were in an old scrapbook downstairs. Artifacts. My mom must have sold my trophies.
Our dialogue continued, and Jensen was now intrigued. I explained how I played against Coach and his teams back in high school and even became a counselor for two summers while in college. He taught me a great deal about hoops and even helped get me into coaching, too. Jensen couldn’t fathom that this was the same guy who sold him a slice of pizza a few hours earlier. WAIT. I’M CONFUSED. YOU GUYS ARE FRIENDS?
The tales continued, and I mentioned how Coach and I faced off on the hardwood on many occasions. I admitted that his teams were always the heavy favorites. They usually came out on top, and I can take full credit for 13 of his all-time victories. I only got him once, and I still have the newspaper clipping in a frame. I then told him how I was fortunate enough to call a few of his many District Championships on the horn and how I always got nervous when he was a guest on our weekly show. #spencetagradio. Jensen was quite impressed, and his jaw immediately dropped when I told him a few of his camp director’s unprecedented accolades.
We already know that Coach Ron Insinger is a legend. My man is one of only two Pennsylvania coaches to ever reach 900 wins in a lifetime. He has 976 total when you combine the victories he had with the girls. CI has been the head basketball coach at Loyalsock Area High School for the past 43 years. Insinger has also led the Lancers to the state tournament in 16 of the last 19 seasons. This is off the charts in this day and age.
Coach Insinger is already in the West Branch and Pennsylvania Sports Halls of Fame. We sometimes forget that he has led Loyalsock to 20 District IV crowns, 27 league titles, and an incredible 36 20-win seasons during his lengthy campaign. I apologize if I miscounted. Fuzzy math. This isn’t fake.
My man isn’t slowing down, either. CI still has that bounce and a great smile. You should have seen him slapping high-fives to every youngster as they walked through the doors. It was so good to see Coach when I stopped with Jensen the very next morning. We chatted it up immediately, just like old times.
“We’ve been at it for 43 summers now,” CI remembered. “I can still picture that first CI Basketball Camp. Man. It was a long time ago. The format has changed quite a bit, but I still get excited to work with these kids. It’s also a great experience for my current players.”
Youngsters were everywhere, and everyone was having a ball. Jensen didn’t say goodbye, and he immediately ran to one of the racks. I was all alone and reached out to a few of the camp counselors who were standing nearby. I introduced myself, but none of them knew who I was. I’m officially out of the loop. They didn’t remember me as a player or a coach, and not many high schoolers read the Webb Weekly. But they all knew who Jensen was, and I have just been replaced by a nine-year-old kid.
I then looked around and recognized several other faces. I couldn’t believe it, but the Spencers weren’t the only ones with ties to CI’s Basketball Camp. I counted five other father-son combos that were also in attendance. Two generations of campers. Paul and Logan McGinn. Adam and Leo Kinley. Jeremy and Cole Deitrich. Ryan and Brayden Cioffi. Ron and Ronnie Emery. CI’s son-in-law and grandson still count. This is amazing. OMG, DAD. WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?
Upon leaving, I tried to explain to CI how different it was being here as a parent and not as a coach.
“Seeing you and Jensen together is very rewarding,” Insinger continued. “On the very first day, I usually ask the kids if any of their parents or siblings ever came to this camp. You wouldn’t believe the number of hands that go up. Talk about being humbled. I seriously never thought I would be doing this for so long, but the thousands of faces over those 43 years is what it is all about. I am very proud of the successes and longevity of this camp.”
Special thanks to Ron Insinger and his entire staff for another fine year and a great session of the 2018 CI Basketball Camp. Jensen and his mates had an absolute blast. We are already making plans to return next summer. Just another tradition and summertime staple in the backyard. Much love, Coach. Cheers.
