UCS sports camps keep kids on the move

Utica Community Schools sports camps are helping to keep kids on the move this summer.

The district is offering more than 50 sports camps to help K-12 students polish their athletic skills and stay active during the dog days of summer.

The camps give students opportunities to develop fundamental skills in such sports as baseball, tennis, weight training, competitive swim, cheerleading, soccer, agility and conditioning. 

For participants, though, the camps serve a greater purpose than improving their game.

"I just have a lot of fun," said Amber Ren, a fifth grader at Duncan Elementary who is participating in three camps this year. 

Ren was taking part in a basketball skills camp at Eisenhower High School for fourth through sixth-graders.

Camp coach Kevin Donahue said the week-long sports camp focuses on teaching its 20 participats some basic fundamentals, such as passing, dribbling and defense.

Like all of the UCS camps, Donahue said he wants the training to spark an interest in sports and teach students routines they can use in the future to improve their skills. 

"Just as no one class makes you a good student, no one camp will make you a great athlete," Donahue said. 

Sports camps are offered by UCS Community Education and run through August 12. A listing of the camps is available in the summer Community Education program.