Yuma Catholic offers summer basketball camps and Cactus League for kids

Yuma Catholic is lining up two basketball programs that keep children on the court while school is out, with a $100 Cactus League for younger players and a $200 Shamrock Skills Camp for older grade levels.

The Cactus League is open to boys and girls entering fourth through sixth grade for Fall 2026 and will run June 2 through June 25, with games scheduled two times per week. The league is built around team play, skill development and player growth, and the school is looking for volunteers to help coach. Families can pay by cash, check or Venmo.

For children entering third through eighth grade for Fall 2026, the Shamrock Skills Camp will take place June 23-25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Yuma Catholic High School, 2100 W. 28th St. in Yuma. YC staff and players will teach the camp, which will emphasize fundamentals, drills, mini-games, 5-on-5 competition, coaching instruction, teamwork and sportsmanship. Campers are asked to bring their own basketball, water, lunch and a great attitude. Lunch and snack items will be available at the concession stand.

Thurman Schaetzle, Yuma Catholic’s head basketball coach, is the registration contact for both programs. Families can reach him at tschaetzle@yumacatholic.org or 814-882-0407. Registration can also be mailed to Yuma Catholic High School, Attn: Thurman Schaetzle, 2100 W. 28th St., Yuma, AZ 85364, and checks should be made payable to Thurman Schaetzle.

Schaetzle was named Yuma Catholic’s boys basketball head coach in June 2024 after six seasons as an assistant at Canisius College. At the time, Yuma Catholic had reached the state semifinals in each of the previous two seasons, a stretch that underscored the program’s rise under his watch. AZPreps365 currently lists Schaetzle as the head coach and places the Shamrocks in 3A West.

Yuma Catholic’s athletics page continues to post both registration forms, signaling that the school is actively filling summer slots for families who want structured, local options. In a city where summer heat can make outdoor play harder to manage, the camps give Yuma County parents two organized choices that combine coaching, exercise and supervision without leaving kids to fend for themselves all summer.