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Local youth learning new things at Summer Hoop Camp

School's out for summer and parents are looking for things to do for their kids.

School's out for summer and parents are looking for things to do for their kids. 

Local youth, as young as the age of four, filled the gymnasium at St Joseph Scollard hall secondary school for the week long Summer Hoops camp offered at the school every summer around this time. 

The camp teaches kids the fundamentals of basketball and also gives them a chance to stay active.

Rhondi Synnott is one of the mothers who was in attendance and she and her five-year-old son have both benefited from the camp.

“The camp gives the kids a opportunity to make new friends,” said Synnott at the Summer Hoop Camp.

“They can also learn how to interact with children that and younger and older, develop those skills, how to take turns and how to follow instructions. It's almost like the school year is continuing.”

She also noted that due to the fact her son was participating at the camp, her schedule isn't as scrambled.

“It helps because there's no question what we're doing each morning,” said Synnott.

“And for kids that's also very important, because routine is very important for children. My son is also a very athletic child and he would not be a very happy guy if he didn't get to come to this camp”.

While Synnott's son was occupied at the basketball camp she was also able to get her daughter to her swimming lesson.

The Summer Hoop camp has been around for 14 years now. Jim Davidson is the camp director and he was the one who came up with the idea for the camp.

He started the camp when his own kids were young and he wanted them to stay active and also learn the sport of basketball.

He realized there was a need for more camps as well.

“Parents are always looking for things for their kids do in the summer,” said Davidson who has gotten great responses from parents from the past years as well.

“And most of the parents have been very happy it seems. They say their kids are really excited when they go home in the afternoon and they shoot the basketball in their driveways. And they're looking forward to coming back in the mornings as well.”

The camps run throughout the first two weeks in the month of July. In the second week Davidson mentioned that in the afternoons, kids in grade 7-10 can attend to try and improve on their skills as well. Mean while the younger kids go to the basketball camp in the morning until noon.


Tommy Wong

About the Author: Tommy Wong

Tommy has lived in North Bay for more than 2 years now, but was born in China and lived there half his life. He's passionate about sports and can be found reporting at a majority of the junior hockey games in North Bay and Powassan.
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