Our Camp

Back in 1973, Whitey Johnson and John Meslow had an inspiration: create an overnight basketball camp for girls.

The first year: Whitey and John sent brochures to every high school coach in the Twin Cities. That first summer brought 46 campers for one week to Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer, MN. The staff featured five area high school coaches and three college-aged counselors.

At the time, Arrowood was one of the first overnight camps to serve girls basketball players. The next year, Arrowood doubled in size and continued to grow prompting Whitey and John to find a new site. They came across Chi Rho Center on Lake Sylvia near Annandale, MN. It has been "home" to Arrowood since! Early on, the cabins on "the hill" were the only cabins available and meals were served in the Lodge. Most of the campers were high schoolers searching for more playing opportunities.

Arrowood Today: Run by Whitey's daughter, Jenny, and Dee Dee Deeken, Arrowood now brings in over 200 campers during the two week-long sessions. Cooperative learning, the Arrowood Olympics, and hot chocolate chip cookies have been added over the years. The camp features approximately eight area high school and college coaches, ten college-aged counselors, and a full time health professional.

Our Camp is located at the Chi-Rho Center on Lake Sylvia, which is seven miles from Annadale, MN and approximately 60 miles west of Minneapolis. In addition to the rustic cabins and dining hall, there is a sandy beach with canoes and rowboats. There are three basketball courts where we spend a large part of the day. In the event of inclement weather, alternate activities will be provided. However, we do play our basketball outdoors to the extent possible.

Features

  • Free Camp T-Shirt
  • Free Arrowood Camp Basketball
  • 9:1 Player/Coach Ratio
  • Individual Instruction
  • Emphasis on Offensive Skills
    • proper shooting form
    • individual offensive skills passing
  • Emphasis on Defensive Skills
    • on the ball and denial defense
    • team defense
    • defending screens/picks
    • rebounding and blocking out
  • Grouped By Age & Ability
  • Personal Evaluation
  • Camp Awards & Prizes
  • Fun-Filled Learning