Every summer, we hear from hundreds of families across Orange County, from Costa Mesa to Santa Ana to Laguna Niguel, who are trying to figure out if basketball camp is the right fit for their child. Most of them have the same five questions. Here are answers to all of them.

1. My kid has never really played. Is this camp for beginners?
Yes, and we mean that genuinely, not as a marketing line. The camps at Rain Basketball are designed around skill tiers, so a first-timer and a kid who plays club ball are both being challenged at their own level. Coaches don’t assume everyone walks in knowing what a pick-and-roll is. They start with the basics and build from there.

Some of the most rewarding weeks we have are the ones where a kid from Orange or Santa Ana shows up on Monday having never dribbled a basketball with purpose, and by Friday they’re running plays in the scrimmage. That arc is real. We see it every summer.

2. What are the coaches actually like?
All Rain Basketball coaches hold USA Basketball Gold licensure, which is the highest certification level available in youth basketball. Average coaching experience across the staff is 12 or more years. But if you’re a parent, what probably matters more than credentials is: are they good with kids?

They are. They know players’ names by Tuesday. They notice the quiet kid and make a point to include them. They bring genuine energy without being over the top. That matters a lot when you’re dropping your 8-year-old off with strangers for four hours.

“My son began at the end of September and I have seen his confidence SOAR! The skills he has gained in a short two months is wonderful. We love the coaches. They are moving and training the whole time.”
— Missy M., OC Rain Parent  

3. What does my kid actually do all morning?
Camp runs Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 1 PM at Momentous Sports Center in Irvine. The mornings are structured and high-energy. Ball handling, shooting mechanics, defensive footwork, basketball IQ work, conditioning, and scrimmages. It’s a full half-day of focused reps, not just free play with occasional instruction.

Kids from Tustin, Newport Beach, and Mission Viejo who’ve done other camps often tell us this one moves faster and pushes harder. In a good way.

4. My daughter wants to do it. Are the camps coed?
Yes. Boys and girls train together for portions of camp and are separated by skill level for others. Lady Rain, Rain Basketball’s girls program, has its own dedicated coaches and a strong track record of developing female athletes. The OC chapter is one of the originals, running since 2010, and has helped a lot of girls go on to play at the high school and collegiate level.

“My son has been at OC Rain for several years and feels right at home. They make him feel part of the sports family. The coaches push kids to improve while considering each child’s developing personality.”
— Oliver H., OC Rain Parent

5. How do we know if it’s worth the investment?
Honestly, the best data point we can give you is this: families come back. Not just to another camp week, but season after season. Kids who started in summer camp end up on year-round teams. Parents from Anaheim and Lake Forest who signed up skeptically have become the most vocal advocates in the community.

 The investment is in five mornings. The result tends to last a lot longer than that.

2026 summer camp registration is open now. Sessions run June through August at Sycamore Magnet Academy in Tustin.

Choose your location below to lock in your spot today before spots are gone.