What would it be like to have a summer business so successful that your customers keep coming back year after year, even if you stop advertising? That’s the kind of customer loyalty that has made the O’Connell Basketball Camp in River Forest, IL a five-year success. Kids keep coming back to learn the basics of basketball, and the three O’Connell brothers who run the camp — Sean, 19; Brendan, 18; and Paddy, 16 — keep making summer cash.

Team O’Connell

The surprising fact about the O’Connell brothers is that none of them played organized basketball after grade school. However, the brothers often enjoyed playing “pickup” games at home and realized they had the skills to teach grade-schoolers basketball basics such as dribbling, passing, shooting, and rebounding.

The O’Connells also excel in other sports. Sean plays football at Illinois Wesleyan University; Brendan is on the lacrosse team at Carleton College; and Paddy plays both lacrosse and football at Oak Park-River Forest High School.

What made the brothers decide to start a summer basketball camp in their backyard? “It was an aversion to physical labor, especially lawn mowing,” Sean laughs. Brendan, who now handles the accounting, liked the fact that start-up expenses would be low. “We already had a hoop and several basketballs,” he remembers.

Scoring on the Rebound

All three brothers had previous jobs babysitting in the neighborhood, so they knew where to locate kids for the camp. To advertise the first session, they printed flyers and distributed them in the neighborhood. About 20 boys and girls signed up, and the camp ran for two hours a day for two weeks.

Since then, enrollment has grown steadily. Fifty kids signed up last year, and the camp increased to two sessions. Enrollment fees are $65 for one two-week session and $100 for two. After paying for T-shirts, snacks, and prizes, the business has earned over $2,500 in each of the past two summers.

“Virtually all of our advertising is by word-of-mouth,” says Brendan. “It’s always important to be personable with parents, because they tell their friends about us,” adds Sean.

Passing the Ball

The O’Connell Basketball Camp has kept growing each year because of the owners’ business savvy and skill in working with kids in kindergarten to seventh grade.

• Sean runs the daily camp activities. During the first hour, the campers learn basketball fundamentals. After a healthy snack, they spend the second hour playing various games and practicing new skills.
• Brendan is very detail-minded, so he handles the record keeping. This includes tracking each camper’s progress throughout the week and over the years.
• Paddy is the organizer who makes sure everyone is fed, any injuries are treated, and bathroom breaks are scheduled.

Who’s the Ref?

Managing 50 young kids sounds exactly like the physical labor Sean says they were trying to avoid, but the brothers agree that, to them, it’s much more satisfying than mowing lawns. Sean feels the biggest challenge has little to do with basketball — it’s keeping that many campers under control. “There’s always one troublemaker who I try to make friends with right away,” he explains. “Once they realize they’re here to have fun, it gets easier.”

The coaching is important, too. “It’s amazing,” says Sean. “Everyone always gets better.” This past year, four of the five starting players on the local grade school team were graduates of the O’Connell Basketball Camp.

On the Road

After five years in business, the camp is now going through some changes. The basketball hoop was torn down this year when the family garage was remodeled, so the camp is moving to a nearby community center. This means extra expenses and travel time for both the brothers and their students. Sean is staying at college this summer, so Paddy and Brendan will take on additional responsibilities. A sixth-grader, who has been a camp regular since they started, will become their assistant.