My kids have never been to camp.” I almost spewed out my drink when the mom of seven told me she doesn’t see the value of sending kids to camp. “Really?” My answer was short but my mind was reeling as I assessed what her kids miss each summer by never experiencing camp. I couldn’t help myself as I began to pontificate on the value of camp. Summer camps have a unique way of teaching kids their value while giving them opportunities of fun they would never experience at home. Sports camps, in particular, offer new adventures as kids explore hidden abilities or build on already developed skills while making new friends and learning life skills in the process. Summer sports camps offer benefits that extend far beyond the basics of practicing a sport.
Character-building opportunities
Sports camps teach kids what perseverance feels like and what it means to reach outside their comfort zones. Eric Fromm, tennis pro and managing director of SPORTIME tennis club in Mamaroneck, explains the valuable benefits their tennis camps offer. “We think tennis is a great option for summer sports camps because kids develop skills they can use their entire lives. These skills carry over into school work and life skills – dealing with adversity, problem solving, overcoming obstacles, focusing, learning how to lose and pick yourself up.” Matt Davanzo, director of Squire Camps, an all-sports academy recently relocated to Hartsdale from Dobbs Ferry, mentions other character-building skills kids acquire. “Sports themselves are great for the physical aspect but also teach sportsmanship, camaraderie and discipline,” he says.
Exercise
Childhood and adolescent obesity rates continue to climb and lack of exercise contributes significantly to the problem. Technology seduces kids to stay indoors and in front of a screen. Summer sports camps offer a great alternative as kids choose what sports they’re interested in and reap the rewards of exercise in the process. Fromm lists the number one reason to send kids to tennis camp is because “kids are meant to be active over the summer.” Regular exercise through the summer doesn’t happen naturally, however; there must be planning, intentional effort, and encouragement from parents.
Fun
The fun of summer wanes if days drag on with nothing to do. Jordan Snider, site director at Future Stars Summer Camps that offers sports and specialty camps in Purchase says, “Summer camp needs to be fun!” Sports camps often include high school and college students who work with kids in a playful and energetic manner, creating a natural atmosphere for fun. Davanzo also emphasizes that their camps seek to impart fun and learning at the same time.
New friends
Kids find new friends at sports camp who share similar interests and sometimes go to the same school. When our family relocated to another state recently during the summer months, our elementaryage son found new friends through a baseball camp that helped him acclimate to his new school in the fall. Kids experience natural and friendly camaraderie with others through sports camps.
Focus on specific skill-building techniques
Snider emphasizes that by working on the mechanics of a sport repetitively, an athlete gains more confidence and greater ability in his sport. Playing a sport through the school year doesn’t incorporate everyday skill-building repetition like camps do. As kids move through middle school and into high school, it’s particularly important for them to continue to improve in their sport to stay competitive.
Find new sports of interest
Summer sports camps are the perfect place to explore sports that a child hasn’t tried before or aren’t always offered at school, such as tennis or soccer. With a friendly camp staff and encouraging environment, kids are less intimidated and more likely to seek new interests. Fromm notes that tennis is a sport in which skills are meant to be learned at a young age but then can be played for the rest of one’s life.
Develop healthy life-long habits
Through regular exercise at sports camps, kids also develop accompanying habits of discipline, commitment and responsibility. These habits translate into leadership skills and strong work ethics when kids begin to move into career-minded opportunities in their middle and high school years.
Give parents a break
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, work-at-home dad, or in the workforce outside the home, sports camps give parents a chance to take their mind off their child and focus on their own needs and wants for a change. Every parent deserves a break from the 24/7 parenting responsibilities summer warrants.
As a mom to five children, I’ve watched our kids emerge from summer sports camps with enthusiasm for a new sport, rediscovered selfconfidence, like-minded friendships and regular exercise habits that propelled them into a new school year. While unplugged from technology in an active environment, sports camps offer friendly competition and valuable life lessons for kids.
Camp counselor Jamie Newman says camp increases kids’ self-esteem as they try new things, taking them outside their comfort zones and forcing them to work through their fears. Newman also says kids at camp get acquainted with those who come from varying home situations which allows them to see the world through different eyes.
Sports camps create life-long memories amidst fun, learning and exercise. What are you waiting for? Have you signed your child up for a sports camp this summer?
Gayla Grace seeks out sports camps each summer for her five children and loves to spend her time writing while they’re playing.
