Vernon Hills High School is letting its young athletes loose this summer in a wide variety of sports camps, and sign-ups are being accepted now.
Among the sports and activities covered are baseball, basketball, cross country, cheerleading, crossfit, dance team, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, weight training and wrestling. These camps will be open to students of Vernon Hills High as of the upcoming school year.
While Brian McDonald, athletic director of Vernon Hills High School, said that summer camps have been around for years and it wasn't an original Vernon Hills idea, he thinks the camps could carry huge benefits over into next season.
"This program gives kids an opportunity to improve their skills in their respective sports," McDonald said.
These camps were created in part not only to help athletes stay in shape and refine their abilities but also to keep kids productive and social during their school-free months.
There are 39 camps based on grade, gender and skill level. Athletic coaches often talk about the benefits of these programs in terms team building, social skill development and body conditioning.
"Often the greatest gains an individual or team can make are made during the off-season," McDonald said.
The only problem these camps seem to run into is having the kids find the space to slide it into their already packed schedules.
"Our biggest challenge is time," McDonald said. "Our kids have so many things going on with summer school, camps, leagues, family time, college visits, etc. The high school summers are tough for kids that are heavily involved, which most of our kids are."
A majority of the camps run weekly, with the number of sessions per camp ranging from three to 15. Most camps meet for around two hours, with sign-up fees ranging from $50 to $200.
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