Established in 2013 by Jay Bilas and John Searby, the Jay Bilas Skills Camp sprung from a vision to meet a need that the founders saw in the competitive basketball landscape for high school boys. While coaching Jay's son, Anthony, for several years together in AAU Basketball, John and Jay felt that the young men they were coaching and coaching against were lacking a place outside of their high school teams where they could get concentrated basketball skill teaching that would help them improve their game.

While much of the competitive basketball world for high schoolers has devolved into summer club teams that are over-coached by under qualified individuals, the only opportunities for individual improvement have become "showcase events" with little or no instruction of the game or the skills required to be a good player. The Jay Bilas Skills Camp aims to provide an alternative.

Both Jay and John desired to establish a camp that followed the format of the camps they grew up with as they were preparing for their collegiate playing and coaching careers - skill focused, team focused, residential, and disciplined. The camp had 55 attendees in the inaugural year of 2014 and grew to 72 attendees in 2015. The camp's success has continued with sell outs every year since 2016. The camp has a maximum capacity of 110 campers to ensure the individualized instruction and hands on teaching by Jay, John, and the other camp coaches.

While we can't change the entire game of basketball we can influence the small corner of the game that we have been given to look after. The game has given both of us so much that the least we can do is give back to the game as our talents allow. Basketball is a great game that has made us the people we are today and we hope that campers at the Jay Bilas Skills Camp will feel the same way about the game by being around our staff.