20 Years Of Hoops: How MERC Camp Became A Summer Tradition For Huntington-Area Families

GREENLAWN, NY — From 13 kids in its first summer to thousands of campers over two decades, MERC Basketball Camp is marking its 20th anniversary season by leaning into the same formula that built its following: competition, community, and what founder Jason Mercurio calls an “enthusiastic” culture that makes every kid feel like they belong.

MERC Basketball Camp — often called “Merc Camp” by families and short for Merurio — began in 2006 with a simple backyard conversation.

“Me and my best friend were sitting around the fire pit in my backyard, saying, ‘Why don’t we have our own camp?’” Mercurio said, looking back at the camp’s start.

He had previously run a Booster Club camp at Harborfields and felt ready to try building something of his own, but he wasn’t sure families would show up.

“We didn’t know if we were going to be able to get campers,” he said. “The first year we had 13 kids, and we’ve built it to where it is today.”

Mercurio said MERC has welcomed more than 3,600 campers since 2006, with last summer’s season drawing more than 160 children.

While the camp’s name signals basketball, Mercurio said what keeps families coming back is a camp culture built around positivity and energy, not just skill level.

“I think that the best part of the camp is that we’ve been able to build something that is not like other camps,” he said. “All the people that are there — really enthusiastic people that bring a really good vibe. It doesn’t even matter if you can play basketball — when they come to camp, they have an awesome experience.”

Mercurio, a teacher who has worked in education for more than two decades in the Harborfields School District, said the same message shows up whether he’s in a classroom, coaching, or running camp. It’s a simple idea — and one he repeats to campers intentionally.

“One thing that I always talk to them about is that three people can walk into a room and you could either bring the energy up, you could keep the energy the same, or you could bring the energy down,” he said. “I try to teach all the kids that you want to be the type of person who brings the energy up.”

On the last day of camp, Mercurio said parents will sometimes hand him notes describing changes they’ve seen in their children over the summer.

“A couple of parents have given me handwritten notes saying how the camp has really changed their child,” he said. “If you have one kid who had a horrible year at school and then changed when they came to camp — those are the things that really matter most.”

From campers to counselors

Part of MERC’s identity, Mercurio said, is that the camp has always been built with a pipeline: campers grow into counselors, and counselors grow into directors, helping the culture stay consistent year after year.

“The staff of the camp has always been the most important thing,” he said. “We’ve always had campers become staff members. Every year, we have campers who are too old to attend who then work and eventually transition into director roles.”

One of those former campers is Alyssa Mastrantonio, who said she first attended MERC when she was about 8 years old and now serves as a director.

“Back then, it was only 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. — a very small camp,” Mastrantonio said. “Currently it’s nine to three, five days a week during the summer.”

Mastrantonio, a special education teacher at Washington Primary School in the Huntington School District, described MERC as “kid-driven” and said the camp has evolved alongside what children enjoy.

“It’s evolved with what the kids want,” she said. “Back when I was a camper, it was more skill-based and intense. Now it’s really, really fun.”

She said the energy Mercurio brings as a coach and competitor carries into camp, and she tries to maintain that same tone as a director.

“Everyone loves his personality and the competition he brings,” she said. “As a director, I try to bring that competition too. The kids love it.”

‘More than a basketball camp’

For parents, MERC’s reputation often spreads by word of mouth.

“Everyone knew about ‘Merc Camp’ in the area,” said Mia Fitsharris, a Huntington parent whose 10-year-old son, Dean, attends.

Fitsharris said her son loved the experience immediately — and the connection grew even stronger when Mercurio later became his teacher.

“He absolutely loved it,” she said. “When he got Mr. Mercurio as his teacher the following year, it was like having a celebrity as your teacher.”

She described the camp as a positive environment where kids learn more than basketball.

“They learn a lot about respecting each other,” she said. “All the counselors are awesome. My son looks forward to it all year.”

Fitsharris said the camp’s appeal goes beyond serious players.

“It’s not just for kids who like basketball,” she said. “Even if they don’t love basketball, they still love going.”

Lori DeRisi, a Greenlawn parent whose son Joey has attended for two summers, said she was initially hesitant. Her son is smaller than many children his age and has a nut allergy — factors that made a sports camp feel intimidating.

“I was reluctant to put him in a camp where he’d be playing basketball all day with kids who are bigger,” she said.

But she said the camp’s approach quickly eased those concerns.

“He gets to know the kids and who they may be matched up best with,” DeRisi said. “He’s accommodating, interested, and really truly cares.”

What stands out most, she added, is that the experience feels bigger than the sport itself.

“He makes it so much fun that it doesn’t feel like just a basketball camp,” she said. “They learn how to play with other kids, have fun, and be part of something — part of a team and part of the community.”

Giving back — and opening the door

Mercurio said community ties have been part of MERC since its earliest locations, first at the Salvation Army in East Northport and later at St. Paraskevi Church near Greenlawn. As the camp grew, he said, so did the responsibility to ensure access for families who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

“We try to give scholarships to kids that can’t afford to come to camp,” he said.

He pointed to the camp’s partnership with Family Service League in Huntington.

“Every year we donate memberships so that kids who can’t afford to come to camp can come to camp,” Mercurio said.

That mindset, he added, was shaped early in his coaching career.

“You’re really fortunate to be able to come to camp,” he said. “There are so many kids who don’t have that opportunity, and that was ingrained in me.”

An alumnus — and a believer

Joe Cavallaro, now 27, said MERC helped shape him not only as a basketball player but as a coach and professional.

Cavallaro said he started camp around age 10, attended until high school, then returned as staff, eventually becoming a director.

“He’s always been a great influence,” Cavallaro said of Mercurio. “He’s always looked out for me.”

As he moved from camper to staff member, Cavallaro said he learned the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the camp running.

“He gave me a lot of responsibilities and trusted me,” Cavallaro said. “I learned how to talk to people, run things, and understand the business side.”

Why the camp has lasted two decades, for Cavallaro, the answer is simple.

“Because of him — it’s because of Merc,” he said. “He cares about the kids. Everything he does is to give them the best experience possible. He’s built a family."

The 20th anniversary season — and a Bahamas raffle

MERC Basketball Camp will offer five weeklong sessions during summer 2026, each running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Session 1: July 6–10
• Session 2: July 13–17
• Session 3: July 20–24
• Session 4: July 27–31
• Session 5: Aug. 3–7

The camp is held at St. Paraskevi Church, 1 Shrine Place, Greenlawn, and is open to campers of varying skill levels, including beginners. A typical day includes skill-building drills, team practices, games, character development sessions, lunch, afternoon competitions and daily giveaways.

To mark its 20th anniversary, MERC is also running a Bahamas family trip raffle during the 2026 season.

Each ticket allows one guess at the total dollar amount inside the camp’s “Money Jug.” The family closest to the correct amount will win a $2,500 travel voucher toward a Bahamas trip, with the winner announced on the final day of camp.

Registration details, raffle information, and scholarship inquiries are available through the camp’s website or by contacting MERC Basketball Camp directly.