By MYRNA FOSTER
Moapa Valley Progress
Clark County Parks and Recreation (CCPR) offers a six-week Sports Camp every summer for children 8-13 years old. This year’s program filled up quickly. According to CCPR Employee Cristine Johnson, there are about 50 kids signed up for the program this summer.
Recreation Specialist Elmer Lopez runs the program with the help of Garrett May, Jeremy Waite, and Justin Johnson. In addition to the three staff members, Lopez utilizes four Leaders of the Future, youth leaders that CCPR trains. The Leaders of the Future who assist with Sports Camp are Tanner Johnson, Chase Traahsdahl, Nathan Waite, and Rebecca Muhlestein.
Sports Camp meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30-4:30 in the Fine Arts Building. Anson and Grady Call, sons of Logandale residents Adrian and Lisa Call, said this is the third or fourth year that they’ve participated in the program. They both said that playing dodge ball was their favorite part of Sports Camp. Anson said his favorite version was called Super Ultra Mega War Ball.
Lopez said that he uses variations of different sports that require the highest number of kids to play. “We try to please the younger kids and the older kids,” he said.
On a typical day, they start out playing four square or basketball for the first half an hour. Then they play sharks and minnows.
Grady Call said, “The winners get to be team captains or ‘it’ for the next game.”
They play various activities and games that are led by Leaders of the Future or CCPR staff.
On Thursdays, the kids go to the Logandale Pool for the last hour and a half.
Grady said playing water polo is one of his favorite things to do. He also likes to jump off the diving board and play keep away with a football.
Alicia Conger, another participant, when asked what she likes best about Sports Camp, said, “We go to the pool on Thursdays.” She likes to play colors and Marco Polo in the shallow end.
Her mother, Vicki Conger said, “My kids love it! It gives them something to do. They get to run around and play with their friends.”