"Dream Big" Basketball Camps Offered By UConn Legend, Women's Hall Of Famer Kara Wolters

EAST GRANBY, CT — An old cliche, "to be the best, learn from the best," is still very much evident today. In Connecticut, very few women have ever exceeded the accomplishments Kara Wolters achieved on the basketball court.

Known as "The Big Girl," the 6-foot-7 Wolters was a major contributor in the rise to prominence of the University of Connecticut women's basketball program. Her historic 31-point performance in the 1995 national semifinals against Stanford placed her permanently in the sporting spotlight.

There are three ways to reach the top in women's basketball: winning an NCAA championship, an Olympic gold medal and a WNBA title. Wolters, a 2017 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of just a dozen women who have accomplished all three of those feats, and she did it in just a five-year span from 1995 to 2000.

Since retiring from the WNBA in 2002, the Somers resident has become an icon in her community. She has played an instrumental role in organizing the annual Somers Scarecrow Festival each fall, and for 25 years, her basketball expertise is passed on to future stars during a pair of camps she runs yearly.

The Dream Big Basketball Camp has two week-long sessions coming up from mid-July through early August. From July 14-18, a camp will take place at East Granby High School, and another is slated for July 28 through Aug. 1 at Rockville High School in Vernon.

On her website, karawolters.com, Wolters writes, "Our philosophy is simple. Give girls a basic understanding of the game of basketball while instilling in them life’s lessons and the qualities and characteristics that will enable them to be successful as young women in today’s world. We strive to create an atmosphere that is educational but at the same time one that embodies a social, friendly and entertaining atmosphere. In others words “FUN”!! Our camps offer on-court drills and off court skills to not only make you a better basketball player but help develop confidence, character, and self-esteem."

Camp hours for both sessions are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The camps are open to any girl entering fourth through 10th grade as of Sept. 1, 2025.

Registration is through the East Granby Recreation Department for the July 14-18 camp, and the Vernon Recreation Department for the later session. Cost per camper is $385, and sibling discounts are available.

The camper experience is not limited to just the on-court time with the hoop legend. Camp attendees are honored at a Connecticut Sun WNBA game, and MVPs get to participate in a ball exchange at center court.

A unique aspect of the Dream Big camps is some players who otherwise would not be able to afford the cost may be sponsored by a local business.

"We take kids in need from all over and grant scholarships based on how many business or individuals sponsor," Wolters told Patch.

Sponsorship information and more details about the camps may be found here.