Oceanside's Big Time Basketball Camp’s director, Jeff Risener, retires after 32 years at St.Anthony's

For over three decades, Jeff Risener has been known in the local basketball community as the director of the Big Time Basketball Camp at St. Anthony’s Church in Oceanside. Last week marked the end of a 32-year run, all at the same location, the Roman Catholic Church on 88 Anchor Ave.

Over the years, the camp attracted thousands of kids from across the South Shore, and the 72-year-old Risener’s retirement marks the end of an era for a program that has touched the lives of countless families.

Risener, who has lived in Oceanside since 1988, has had a long career in education and coaching, including stints at Columbia University in 1983 to 1984 and John Jay College from 1984 to 1995 and assistant athletic director from 1984 to 1998. But in 1990, by then a seasoned basketball coach, he noticed a void in summer youth sports programs.

Driven by his passion for basketball and his love of working with children, Risener approached St. Anthony’s with a proposal to start a camp. What began as a two-week program quickly grew, and now runs from seven to 10 weeks during the summer, and weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for those in kindergarten through eighth grade.

“There wasn’t anything going on at St. Anthony’s in the summertime,” Risener said. “I spent part of my adult life working at basketball camps and I thought, why not do my own here?”

The camp began with wooden baskets, which still sit in the church gym, but the facility has since been upgraded to modern glass backboards. Risener bought portable baskets himself to supplement the permanent ones.

“From 1990, I just put my heart and soul into this camp,” he said.

After Risener was a coach and director at John Jay, he became a phys. ed. teacher, in Oceanside from 1998 to 2010 and then became the District’s director of phys. ed., health, and interscholastic athletics, a position from which he retired three years ago.

“When I retired, I was in education for 48 years,” he said. “I’ve always had a motto when I was dealing with children: You never know where your influence begins or ends. I’ve been influenced in my career and by lots of different coaches and teachers that I had growing up. I have kids whose parents came here.”

Risener’s approach to coaching and camp management is as much about personal connection as it is about basketball. He’s known for his hands-on style, and though he works with as many as 30 campers in a session, he learns every child’s name, and often goes above and beyond to ensure that they feel valued.

“I call their houses at night to make sure they’re in bed on time,” he said. This personal touch has created lasting bonds, with some campers returning as adults to share their experiences.

“I’ve known Coach Risener for a long time,” said 16-year-old camp coach Josh Gamarra, of Oceanside. “He’s helped my brother, and he’s impacted the community in such a great way with his wisdom, kindness and, overall, who he is as a person helps other people become better.”

Each week, Risener gives out sportsmanship awards in memory of his parents: the Edward A. Risener Senior Little Guy Award and the Patricia Risener Little Gal Award. Jeff’s son, Edward, 37, is a social studies teacher at Oceanside Middle School who also coaches basketball there, and his daughter, Jennifer, 34, is an attorney. His wife, Sherri, who taught in Roosevelt for 34 years, handles registration for the camp.

“She was instrumental in helping me get this going in 1990,” Jeff recalled. “Every Monday when we have a registration, she registers all the kids coming in, and she’s done it for 32 years.”

Over the course of a camp day, there are a variety of activities — contests, skill-building sessions, games, electives that are games with the coaches and free play. Risener mixes trivia questions into the basketball drills to keep things fun, and regularly gives out prizes. Former NBA players Kenny Atkinson, Craig ‘Speedy’ Claxton and Malik Sealy have come to St. Anthony’s to speak to the campers.

“Basketball is essentially the same game it’s always been, but the way we engage with the kids can always be updated to keep it exciting and relevant,” Risener explained. “Basketball is a kind of game where the skills that LeBron James is practicing, these kids are practicing.”

Each summer, three or four High School or college players serve as coaches.

“I’ve been playing basketball for five years now, and I have the skills, and just teaching younger kids gives me a good feeling,” Louis Saglemeeni, a junior at the high school, said.

Risener said he has grown a lot since he began teaching. In 1998, Vantage PR published a book her wrote, “How to Raise Your Child in the World of Sports,” in which he detailed his core philosophy, which has remained consistent. The only thing that changes for him, he says, is the kids.

“Everything in my book is all about kids having fun playing sports,” Risener said. “One of the joys is watching kids grow up over the years, just like you do when you’re teaching. I want kids to think of this camp, think of me, and think of the coaches as a positive experience.”

As he steps down, he will leave behind a legacy of positive influence on children and community service. He owns the camp, and isn’t sure whether the church will continue a basketball program. His advice to any potential future leaders of a new camp? “Put your heart and soul into it.”

“I’m not in it for the money,” Risener said. “I’m in it for serving kids and making sure they have a positive experience.”