Sports Skills to Start Summer Camps

Westmont summer sports camps, a more than 25 year tradition, begin Monday, June 16, with Sports Skills, developing motor skills of co-ed campers from ages 5-10. For the next six weeks, about 700 youngsters will develop in a sport in a safe and fun environment on the idyllic campus. Parents can register their children for half-day camps, which cost $230, or full-day camps that are $260 at http://blogs.westmont.edu/athletics/2014-summer-camps/.

“The best part is introducing sport to kids of all ages,” says Kristi Kiely, co-director and women’s soccer head coach. “We love working with youth to show them how they can be successful in a sport. We hope to model how fun sports can be, but the most fun is watching a kid develop over the course of the week. For someone to master a backhand, a 3-point shot or even the pogo stick — there's nothing like watching a kid grow and develop in an encouraging and fun environment.”

Fresh off the program’s most successful season, head baseball coach Robert Ruiz and pitching coach Tony Cougoule lead a co-ed camp for players ages 7-12 from Monday, July 28, to Friday, Aug 1, at Carr Field.

For the second year, Westmont offers Girls Cheer and Dance, directed by camp staff veterans Jill Wolf and Chrissie Velazquez, for girls ages 5-12 from Monday, July 21, to Friday, July 25.

Other camps include archery/badminton, track and field, basketball and soccer.

“We hope to introduce the youngest of our campers to sports as well as meet our more advanced campers where they are at, providing them with instruction for continued growth and development,” says Jeff Azain, co-director and men’s basketball assistant coach

“Most of our collegiate athletic programs have had at least one Warrior come through our sports camps. The introduction to our programs, combined with a positive experience, has brought student-athletes back to Westmont nearly a decade later to participate in our collegiate programs.”