Summer is in Full Swing for Athletic Camps
By Matt High, Athletic Program Coordinator, CHS
Photos by Mike Tribby

The City of Sunny Isles Beach Cultural and Human Services Department, Athletics Division, sponsored basketball, cheerleading, and soccer camps this summer. The camps were broken into different age groups that provided individual instruction. The camps ran from Monday-Friday from 9:00 am- 4:00 pm. The basketball camp was held at St. Mary Magdalen Church in the parking lot and the cheerleading and soccer camps were held at Senator Gwen Margolis Park.

The campers had to endure the hot sun, and sometimes the rain, but everyone had a chance to hone their playing skills as they received one-on-one instruction learning new skills and redefining their old ones. The camps provided a great time for the campers and at the same time a learning opportunity for the basics of their particular sport. Each week, the campers had a field trip to Quiet Waters Park in Broward County where they had a chance to “cool” off for one day.

The basketball campers got an opportunity to tour the American Airlines Arena, the home of the Miami Heat Basketball Organization. They were able to walk on the court and look into the empty seats imagining that one day they could have the opportunity to play in a stadium filled with cheering fans. They toured the VIP sections, the practice court, Pat Riley’s office, and where the players’ families sit and watch the games. The campers really got a treat being able to tour the arena.

The soccer campers got a chance to meet with professional soccer players at Miami FC’s Tropical Park Stadium. The campers experienced the essence of what it’s like to play in a professional soccer environment. They got a chance to take a tour of the facilities including the locker room. Several of the players and coaches welcomed and greeted the campers. The soccer campers had a chance to take penalty kicks on the Miami FC’s goalie. Some were even successful! The participants were given tickets to watch the Miami FC play.

The cheerleading camp spent the week practicing for their performance on the final day of each week. On the first day, the coaches had the campers learn new chants, cheers, and dances. They practiced throughout the week stunting and working on their routine for their finale on Friday. The parents were invited to come and watch their children perform. After the performance, the campers were treated to a pizza party and an awards ceremony.

Also, the instructional beach volleyball program concluded on Quiet Waters Park with a pizza party and an awards ceremony at Samson Oceanfront Park. Each participant received a trophy along with special awards from their coaches. These programs, along with the other sport camps, were in their first year of existence. The volleyball players were taught individual skills that included serving, setting, and passing. Hopefully, the special instruction will lead to some type of league play for next year.

At the end of each camp, the campers were given an award along with special awards that the coaches had chosen. The most valuable camper, the most improved camper, and a good sportsmanship award were given to the camper who demonstrated their ability for that given week in their specific sport. As the week ended, the sport campers were saddened to have to wait until next year for the camps to start again.

As for the sports staff, they did a wonderful job providing the young aspiring athletes a fun and safe environment to redefine their skills. Hopefully the participants will be able to take away something they have learned and use it for the upcoming sports season.

All of the participants had a great time and can’t wait for next summer. Hope the rest of the summer is fun and safe for everyone. Registrations for fall soccer and cheerleading will begin in mid-August. For more information, please contact the Cultural and Human Services Department at 305.792.1706.

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