Since he was 8 years old, Bill Beilein has spent the better part of his summers camped out in the gym.

Now, after a quarter century of playing, coaching, instructing, lecturing, and channeling the enthusiasm of an 8-year-old, Beilein will finally be able to run his own basketball camp.

The Newfane native and third-year Niagara County Community College men’s basketball coach will host a camp for boys ages 7 to 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week. The camp will focus on offensive skills and team play, Beilein said, and will also include swimming and lunch. Walk-up registration will start at 8 a.m. Monday.

“I’m excited to finally run a camp,” Beilein said last week while working Mike MacDonald’s camp at Medaille College. “I’ve got 25 years of experience, but Monday I’ll be a rookie as far as running a camp.”

Beilein’s first basketball camp experience came when his uncle, John, was the head coach at LeMoyne College. When his uncle moved back home to coach at Canisius College, Beilein followed him to that camp, among other local offerings.

“That was what the summer was all about,” Beilein said. “It was the highlight. I go back with cousins and friends now and we always say, ‘Remember when we were at summer camp.’”

When he turned 18 and was no longer eligible to play at camp, Beilein began working his uncle’s camps at Canisius, and later at Richmond, West Virginia and Michigan. Eventually, he was working six to eight camps every summer.

“We were on that camp tour every year, trying to learn as much as he could,” Beilein said.

As soon as Beilein got his first head coaching job, he started looking into having a camp at NCCC.

“NCCC is always trying to involve the community in all aspects and that includes teaching basketball skills,” he said.

A planned overnight camp last summer was canceled due to lack of interest. Beilein determined that the price was too high for the local campers he targeted, and set out to make this year’s camp the most affordable one in the area.

“That’s what NCCC, junior colleges, are about, value and affordability,” he said. “At $99, I really think our camp is the best value for area kids to really improve their skills, bring their basketball IQ up, and have fun.”