Summer Sports Camps at Colonial Forge

It is imperative over the summer for kids to keep moving, get exercise, and interact with their peers. One of the most effective (and fun) ways to do this is athletic camps. This summer, Colonial Forge continued the county-wide tradition of hosting an array of student-run sports
camps for a variety of ages and skill levels.

These camps include cheer, cross-country, tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Especially at the cheer camp, many of the younger girls felt inspired by the older athletes and made an impression over the week.

"They especially loved stunting because I think it made them feel like 'big girl' cheerleaders, like us in a sense," said Ruth Chung, a varsity cheerleader.

And by the end, even in just the short week, a lot of the student-athletes felt like they were able to teach their little campers a big lesson on cheerleading.

"I think a lot of the time people think of cheerleaders as just pretty girls who stand on the sideline, cheering on the boys, but in actuality cheer is so much more than that," said Chung. "I think seeing how we practice, tumbling, stunting, jumps, showed them how even though some people may just see us as girls on the sideline on Friday nights, we are strong and hardworking young women."

Two weeks later, Forge would welcome runners ages 7-14 to its cross-country camp. Although running long distances can be a daunting idea, especially for younger and inexperienced athletes, luckily, dedicated counselors were there to coach them through it.

"Sometimes kids will come and start with running and walking, and it's fun to help them be able to run the whole time by the end of camp. Seeing them fall in love with the sport you play every day is really rewarding," Emily Hicks ('25) shared.

Cross country is a sport of the mind, so when dealing with children, it can be difficult.

"We make sure at the end of the day that everyone is smiling and doing the best they can. We hope that every kid leaves with the motivation and encouragement knowing that they can do hard things such as running. We want them to learn how to persevere while having fun," Hicks continued.

It seemed that keeping the fun was a common factor in all of the camps, a factor probably influenced by the coaches' and counselors' engagement in teaching.

"Coach Spinelli and the high school students that run the camp are so passionate about the sport. This makes it such a fun experience for the kids because the energy is so energetic and there are so many great activities," Jordan Schiffrin ('25), a member of the CFHS field hockey
team said.

Check the Colonial Forge High School website for more summer camp opportunities.