The last time Jordan Brown had been in F.H. Collins Secondary School's gym he helped the Vanier Crusaders win another Yukon Basketball Championship.

Brown, who was in Grade 11 at the time, finished with around 40 points and was named as an MVP.

This past weekend, the former Yukon basketball star added to his list of memorable moments at F.H. Collins, using it as a venue for the first-ever 'Passion Sports Basketball Academy' camp held outside of B.C.

"I'm really appreciative of the community and their response and the people behind the scenes at Sport Yukon," he said. "For this to come together it takes a lot more people than just ourselves and that is something that we're really grateful for."

The 22-year-old taught the camp along with Cyril Indome, who is the captain of the University of Victoria Vikes men's team, Cyril Indome and Greg Wallis, a former Simon Fraser University captain.

Brown, who is a two time Basketball Yukon Athlete of the Year, played on the Camosun College men's squad as a player and a captain. He had not been in the Yukon since leaving five years ago in his senior high school year to play basketball in B.C.

The first installment of the Yukon camp was held over a three-day period and featured a wide variety of skills, drills, competitions and games. It included two different age ranges: seven to 10 and 11 to 13, who each took part in three two-hour sessions.

Brown said the camp will continue tonight with the 14-plus age group. Registration is still open and can be done at F.H. Collins before it begins at 5 p.m.

The 14-plus sessions run tonight through Wednesday. Each of the three clinics will go from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Brown said the around 50 participants in the three age groups is a good starting point for the basketball academy's first outside camp.

"We would like to be able to build it up (in the Yukon)," he said. "You can do a lot when you have large numbers. It gives you a lot of flexibility to be able to play a lot of five-on-five stuff, but we knew it was a building process.

"The first time we came up here to offer something different, and we're really happy with the response and the way it turned out for sure."

Brown, along with Wallis, formed the basketball academy a couple of years ago after their post-secondary playing careers had ended.

Since then they have held camps primarily around the Vancouver Island area.

However, Brown is hoping the academy can build partnerships with other communities in western Canada, which includes Whitehorse.

Brown said he was impressed with the enthusiasm, energy and willingness to learn displayed by the kids this weekend.

"When you are at a young age you see that natural ability in some youth."

He said he's looking forward to working with some of the older age levels tonight through Wednesday.

"I know Tim Brady (president of Basketball Yukon) has just put in a ton of time with Basketball Yukon and has created good players," Brown said. "So we can just show them a few things and build on what he's doing up here."

The camp is about progression, Brown said when asked about the differences between the various age groups. He added and the 14-plus group will go as far as talking about basketball concepts and theory.

"It all builds, it's just like anything in life, it's just putting layers on the cake, basically," Brown said. "You are not building a team in two hours, you are building a player.

"There's a great quote that 'teams are built in the season and players are built in the off-season and so that's what we are here for."

Brown said it has been a surreal experience coming back to the Yukon.

"I haven't been here for five years and I grew up here for so many, but I have enjoyed it," he said. "I have enjoyed showing the other guys I came up with around the town.

"You can really feel that sense of community here, that's what I felt right off the bat."