VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — In Hampton Roads basketball, a summer is never complete without the Paul Webb Basketball Camp.
"When I wear this shirt around town, I'll have old men come up to me and say, 'I went to Paul Webb's camp,'" said Mark Butts, former First Colonial coach. "It's a testament to who he was."
The 58th edition of the camp returning on Monday afternoon, with more than 100 youth players working on their skills at Salem Middle School.
It's a week that connects generations, like current Old Dominion graduate assistant Jason Wade. He grew up coming to the camps to play for Webb, who coached his father at ODU.
"I was in these kids shoes, running around enjoying myself playing basketball," Wade said. "To be able to come back and coach an event like this for Coach Webb, it's special."
"Dad would be at the front door to greet the kids and say goodbye when they left," said Eddie Webb, who's now the director of the camp. "Many of the kids come up to me with their fathers who say, 'I remember when Coach Webb would meet me at the door everyday.'"
They are bittersweet memories to share. It's the first camp without the legendary coach, who passed away in December of 2023.
"It's a little surreal, having camp without my father here for the first time in 49 years," Eddie said.
"He never came in right at the beginning of the camp, but he always showed up," said Butts, who started working at Webb's camp during the 1980s. "So you look up at the door thinking he'll be walking in at any time. It's tough."
After so many years working side-by-side, a week of lessons without Webb's presence just doesn't feel the same.
"I know what he expected, and the product that we're putting out is the same product," Eddie said. "But you look over on that sideline and you see an empty seat."
Despite the emotions of losing his father, Webb never considered putting the camp on hiatus. The drills are now going beyond teaching skills for basketball, becoming more of a tribute to his dad's legacy and vision.
"The relationships he had with these kids and these coaches and how much he loved seeing them," Webb said. "I just thought it was a simple decision."
"This is kind of just my way of giving back and showing appreciation for what he's done for me," Wade said. "It's hard, but I think he's looking down and smiling on us for carrying on his tradition."
The Paul Webb Basketball Camp runs through the end of the week at Salem Middle School, then returns for a second week from July 22-26.
It will be a summer of adjustments without the legend in the gym, but the coaches and former campers say they're determined to make sure his legacy is honored.
"Everyday, that's something I think about," Eddie said. "But he would've wanted these to go on as long as possible, and that's what we'll do."
