The Rocky Mountain Sports Camp is returning for the summer of 2011, marking the camp’s tenth year in the Valley.
The camp is open to boys and girls ages six to 12 and runs during the weeks of July 11-15, July 18-22, July 25-29, August 8-12 and August 15-19.
Monday through to Friday at J.A. Laird Elementary, kids can take part in a variety of sports and activities, such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee and much more.
Kristi Denby and Owen Everhard have been running the camp since its start in 2001. This year Denby will be joined with Dan Everhard to help get kids active during the summer months, as Owen is currently overseas, teaching in Singapore.
“We’re travellers, so we’re never 100 per cent if we’ll be back again for the summer,” Denby, who will be pursuing her Masters in Norway later this year, explained. “But if I could make it happen for one more summer at least, I’m happy.”
Denby and Everhard both have a strong athletic and coaching background, and first came up with the idea of the camp while working at one themselves.
“Owen and I play tons of sports, and we loved to come back to the Valley in the summer,” said Denby. “We worked for a guy who ran a camp once, and one day we said ‘We could run a camp!’, and that’s how it got started.”
Denby went on to say that the camp’s wide range of indoor and outdoor activities helps keep kids motivated and active throughout the summer, and several participants from earlier years come back for the camp again year after year.
“It’s been really rewarding, seeing kids make improvements, and it’s nice to know they can learn skills properly for sports at the camp,” said Denby of running the camp. “You build really good friendships and make life-long friends. This is the best summer job you can ask for.”
Sign-up forms are currently available at DR Sports in Invermere and at school offices. Kids are asked to come prepared with a hat, sunscreen, water, a bag lunch, and a good pair of non-marking gym shoes.
The cost of the camp is $125 a week, or $30 a day for drop-ins.
For more information about the camp or to register, call Denby at 250-342-1421 or Dan Everhard at 250-581-0455.
Those interested can also email at rockymountainsportscamp@gmail.com or check out the Rocky Mountain Sports Camp page on Facebook.