Archive for April, 2009

It is crunch time for choosing the right summer options for your kids this summer. Camps are filling up, registrations for summer events nationwide are starting to swell and summer is right around the corner.   Many parents make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to choose their summer programs, and often, as a result, are left out of their preferred choices.

“It’s never too early to start looking,” said Cheryl Clemens, editor of Maryland Family magazine, which published its yearly Camp Guide last week. “People talk about summer camps year-round, and now is the time to get serious.”

With this in mind, it is highly recommended that each parent sits down and begins to finalize their summer plans with their children and choose the types and specifics of the programs that they hope to be involved with these coming months.

The American Camp Association has posted some tips about getting the most out of the summer camp season.

Camp tips

How to maximize the camp experience:

•Share aspects of the camp selection process with your child (what kind of camp, how long to stay, whether to go with a friend)

•Allow your child to assume some responsibility for camp preparation (help shop for necessities, pack, fill out registration forms)

•Consider a camp that offers programs for a specific strength you have identified in your child

For more information about choosing the right camp, visit the ACA website at:  http://www.acacamps.org/

Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter are words common in most conversations nowadays. The growth of social networking sites, such as these, is gaining popularity at an impressive speed. Though there are lots of issues dealing with the safety and security of users, one must not count out the advantages these sites provide.

How many of you made a best friend at tennis camp, lacrosse camp or any type of summer camp when you were younger and ended up losing their address? Those days of worrying are over thanks to social networking.

In regards to tennis camps, sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter allow campers to communicate with one another after camp. They provide a faster and more convenient way of keeping in touch with all types of friends. More and more camps are getting involved in the social networking world. Each of these sites provide ways for information to be displayed at a rapid pace, instead of the slow pace of traditional “snail mail.” It’s an ef?cient and effective way to send out updates on upcoming events or news dealing with camps.

“Facebook is a great way for campers and staff members to communicate once camp is over. It’s helps on the camps end to build these strong friendships with campers to keep them coming back year after year,” says one AATC staff member.

In addition, for many parents, a camp may be the first time they are away from there kids for an extended period of time.  Social Networks offer a great way to keep up to date on the goings on of their children, without interfering in their experience.

“We have always tried o be ahead of the curve with regards to technology. In the 80’s we used videotape to show kids their strokes, in the 90’s we were among the first camps to post pictures live from camp and now in the 2000’s we use social networks, photo streams and blogs to communicate with parents and to help the campers stay in touch with the tennis camp, the camp staff and their new friends.”  Camp director, David Schilling, remarked.

Be sure to check out the Premier Sports Camps website frequently for updates and new technologies!

The problem with most lacrosse camps these days is that there is very little instruction going on. Players and their parents attend a lacrosse camp in order to see their games raised to the next level, or at the very least, pick up some tips and techniques that they will be able to add to their skill set.

The summer is a valuable time for skill enhancement, and with high school, middle school and club teams spread across the country during summer break, many young players turn to lacrosse camps for this development. The problem is, many camps don’t offer solid, first-rate lacrosse instruction.

According to Peter Tumbas, Univ. of Pitt lacrosse player and author of the blog “True Life: I’m an MCLA Lacrosse Player”,

“There are hundreds of general lacrosse camps and recruiting camps but few camps offer advanced instruction that could especially benefit a middle of the road player i.e. the MCLA caliber player or the D3 player.

You either spend $600 on a day camp to watch the Powell brothers do stick sticks or spend $600 to play in front of coaches worn out from a summer on the recruiting trail.”

Because of this, it is essential that each prospective camper and their parents research the camps that they are interested in, find out the level of instruction, the amount of time each day devoted to skill development and even ask for references. A lacrosse camp can be a great resource to helping a young player improve their game, but a poor or unorganized lacrosse camp is nothing more than a summer “vacation”.

Here’s an update on what AJ, Brad and Jamie have been up to this tennis season:

Jamie Nelson….Jamie has been switching between #4 and #5 singles. Her singles record up to now is 14-12. “My season has been a lot of fun so far. We just got back from Spring Break in Hawaii. The season started out a little rough because we had an entire coaching staff change as well as three girls transferring to different schools. But other than that it’s been a great senior season and I’m hoping I will end my career on a good note.”

AJ Nelson…AJ has been playing either #3 or #4 singles. His singles record is 11-13 for the year. The Richmond Spiders as a team have only come up with 2 wins this season, but are looking to finish the season strong with a few more wins. This upcoming weekend they will be playing matches down in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It was hard starting over at a new school this year after being at Rhode Island last year….but i’m learning a lot and having a great time playing tennis down here.”

Brad Noel…The Western Michigan Broncos are 12-8 this season and are only 3 matches away from clinching their 4th straight conference title. Brad was unable to provide me with his record….probably because he is too busy studying up on his interesting facts and planning the new stretching routine for this coming summer.

Check back for more counselor updates!