Summer Camp Season Off and Running

More than 60 youngsters attended the first week of Westmont’s youth summer athletic camps, developing motor skills for a variety of sports. An additional, third week of Sports Skills (June 10-14, June 17-21 and June 24-28) targeted for children 5-10 years old, has been added due to its popularity. Director Jill Wolf oversees the camp that focuses on skills for soccer, basketball, volleyball and softball as well as many coordination skills.

Westmont has added a new Girls Rhythm and Moves Camp (July 22 – 26) that features dance, tumble, cheer, balance and stretching to fun music. The camp is codirected by Wolf and Chrissie Velazquez, a long-time physical education teacher at Dos Pueblos High School.

Kristi Kiely, Westmont head women’s soccer coach, oversees all the Westmont summer camps with Jeff Azain, Westmont men’s assistant basketball coach. “I’m most looking forward to working with our veteran staff this summer,” she says. “We have longtime, successful coaches working with our campers this summer. At least three of our programs this year have athletes who participated in camps when they were younger.”

All camps, which began June 10 and run through July 26, start at 9 a.m. and cost $225 or $250. Most camps end at 1 p.m., though several camps (basketball, soccer and tennis) last until 3 p.m. with aftercare offered until 4:30 p.m.  The price includes a camp T-shirt, photo and instruction by Westmont coaches as well as current and former Westmont student-athletes. Campers also have the opportunity to swim in the Westmont pool throughout the week.

Azain says with so many wonderful camps in Santa Barbara, he’s thankful Westmont has one of the longest running and most successful camps in town. “We have state-of-the-art facilities and tremendous coaches and staff, most of whom are our current athletes or local students who create a safe and fun environment while providing sport-specific instruction,” he says. “Most importantly, we love the kids we get to work with.”

Registration and information about age restrictions are available at http://blogs.westmont.edu/athletics/summer-camps/. Space is limited, and all camps are expected to fill up quickly. For more information, please call the athletics department at (805) 565-6010.