WAG college summer camps

[tomtnt]

Was wondering if any of your gymnasts participated in these summer camps offered by various NCAA programs?

If so, was it worth it?

-did they learn new skills/techniques which they were able to bring back to their home gym?
-did it help in the college recruitment process?
-what age/level were they when they participated?
-did their home coaches have any objections?

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 14190]

I encourage all my athletes to attend at least two college camps each summer. But most kids attend none or one. Anytime a child can establish a relationship with a college coach it's a plus. So, Yes, Yes, 12 and up, no.

 

[mommyof1]

My daughter went to a college camp last summer at age 8, L3. Her coach did not object. She did not bring back any new skills and was too young to care if she was noticed by the college coach. She had a blast, got to live in a dorm, stayed up late every night, and ate a lot of candy, so by her standards it was totally worth it.

 

[shelovestoflip]

More about fun and the experience. Less about new skills. One thing to be aware of is that the camps are generally way less supervised than other camps are (gymnastics or not). College students are the supervisors and the kids have way more freedom than they would at other camps. Something to consider.

 

[wgagym]

I would disagree with the post above. At least in my experience. They are supervised very well. I have gotten to shadow as a coach so I got to see the inter workings. Yes it is the college kids supervising but they take it seriously, and the focus of camp is gym at these college camps .much more so then the "big " gymnastics camps. My daughter has come home with a few new skills and a new sense of passion for her sport. She usually has a big jump in skills coming off of camp because she is re inspired. I would highly suggest a college gym camp over any other.

I don't know how much it can affect college recruitment but I do know that my daughter does have a relationship with these coaches and if that is a goal then it can't hurt to have the exposure.

 

[mommyof1]

At the college camp my daughter attended, there was less supervision *outside of the gym* than there was at other sleepaway camps she's attended. Unlike a college campus, a traditional camp is a closed environment. At Girl Scout camp, the girls are lined up and counted before they move anywhere, the group is kept together and contained in a specified area, there is very little free time, and the counselors make sure every child eats meals and showers and brushes her teeth. At college gym camp, my daughter managed to go an entire week without showering, the kids did not have to count off and moved in a loose group instead of a tight "buddy line," and they had a lot of downtime in the dorm. It would be a lot easier for a kid to get lost or get into trouble at a college camp.

In the gym it was another story. They seemed to get plenty of supervision and coaching there.

 

[skschlag]

Oh, at my ds' college camp, they counted off, made sure the ate/showered, made sure they were in the rooms at night, put tape on the doors (because there were girls there too). They were appropriately supervised.....with appropriate freedoms.

 

[MaryA]

My DD was more supervised at the PSU camp than she was at Woodward. Of course, Woodward is a more "contained" environment so less supervision is probably needed there. But if she was one to look for trouble, I think she would have had an easier time finding it at Woodward. Luckily, she isn't.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

My DD had a great time at the ASU camp she attended -- which sadly is not offered any longer due to coach's retirement. She was 10, an experienced sleep-away camper and a level 4. She had a great time meeting lots of new friends, thought it was really great to be with girls who were serious about gymnastics. She got a couple of needed skills during the week- she said having a different coach who explained it differently made a difference. I felt she was appropriately supervised the entire week and they had very little free time in which to get into mischief on campus. The year she went the coach didn't care but he subsequently started discouraging gymnastics camp after that.

 

[poodlemomma]

My DD has gone twice as a L4 and L5. She hasn't yet come away with a "new" skill. She has always come away with new inspiration and rekindled passion for gymnastics. She has a blast and tries new things she didn't have the courage to try in the gym. I think it is because the college gymnasts are young and excited and really make it a different kind of fun. To me that new passion, has always been worth it. I noticed this last year there were older girls there that seemed to be trying to feel out for a spot at the school. We didn't really pay much attention to that aspect of college camp. Not yet, anyway.