Whether you want to pack the kids off for days of fun sporting activities this summer or you’re looking to encourage aspiring athletes as a counselor or camp leader, it’s time to find the best youth sports camp facilities for the summer.
You have a few excellent options to choose from, so take a little time to go through them before deciding which will suit your needs best. These are the five most notable summer youth sports camps in the country.
1. Summer Camps At Spooky Nook Champion Mill
If you’re anywhere near Hamilton, Ohio, there’s a summer sports camp that’s perfect for young ones at Spooky Nook Champion Mill. Kids who attend one of the best youth sports camps over the summer might end up playing alongside the A’ja Wilsons or Nikola Jokićs in years to come.
With a range of camps for kids from four to 18 years old at one of North America’s largest sports complexes, Spooky Nook offers options to suit everyone. If you’re further away, Spooky Nook also hosts summer camps in Central Pennsylvania.
Spooky Nook Champion Mill offers camps for many ages, with the option for real sports enthusiasts to progress through specific camps for the 10-week duration of summer should their parents allow it. Summer co-ed sports include basketball, lacrosse, soccer and volleyball. Kids can also enroll in sports performance or youth programs. Here’s a rundown of the types of available camps this summer.
Jump-Start Preschool Camp
This five-day sports camp for four to six-year-olds starts at 9 a.m. and runs every two weeks through the summer. Kids are introduced to basketball and baseball and the fundamentals of softball, kickball, lacrosse, soccer and fitness. Children are taught the art of teamwork and sportsmanship by their camp leaders, who keep them occupied with loads of fun activities. By the time the camp ends at noon, kids will be ready to wind down for the rest of the day.
Nook Kids Camp
Catering to five-and-a-half to 12-year-olds, this recreational summer camp focuses on sports instruction, arts and crafts, and other fun activities, including a trip to the pool on one of the five days and a field trip. Participants should come with a packed lunch and snacks to this camp, which begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Extended care is possible from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and attendees can also opt for a three-day camp week. The camp fee includes a free t-shirt.
Youth Sports Training Camps
Nine to 14-year-olds can join the camp leaders on Mondays to Thursdays for full-day training camps targeting individual sports instruction. The basketball, lacrosse, soccer, sports performance and volleyball camps feature different skills coaching by certified professionals. Dates, times and types of tuition vary.
Other Summer Camps
Spooky Nook Champion Mill also offers experience camps for older preteens in the mornings and afternoons. These camps are full of general sports instruction for those kids interested in several sports. The Future Leaders camps are perfect for teenagers wanting to learn about being camp counselors. Attendees can look forward to plenty of activities, group games and sports instruction. These campers will also assist the existing staff in running the Nook Kids Camp.
2. IMG Academy Summer Camps
IMG Academy is a leading sports education brand with summer camps at its Bradenton, Florida, campus. It offers customizable camp options for sports enthusiasts of all ages, which take into account a child’s age, proficiency level and goals. Camp lengths vary between one and three weeks, and there are live-in options available for aspiring athletes.
Sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. The camp also offers exclusive baseball and football for boys and softball for girls. IMG Academy also provides a coed performance summer camp. The basic level summer camp is open to kids from nine years old until they end their teenage years. There are various upgrades on offer.
Total Athlete Training
The Total Athlete Training upgrade specifically assists children in building their speed, strength, sporting mentality and other focal performance areas, with a custom daily performance specialization session in addition to the entry-level camp. This upgrade affords a youngster one different specialization per week of their time at camp.
Breakthrough Training
For 10 to 19-year-olds wanting to fine-tune specific areas of their summer camp sports training, the Breakthrough Training upgrade gives budding superstars a customized and targeted sports coaching session to hone their performances and help them achieve.
Game Changer Training
Game Changer Training is a combination of the two other summer sports camp upgrades. Eleven to 18-year-olds receive a high-class training experience that will help transform all aspects of their performance and development in their favored sport.
3. The St. James Summer Camps
For 12 weeks over the summer, The St. James offers a variety of summer sports camps to campers from four to 16. Based in Springfield, Virginia, this sporting, entertainment, performance and wellness venue is among the most recognizable in the country. With most individual sports camps lasting four to five days — from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — there’s enough time for children to acclimatize to the surroundings and give their all to their chosen sports.
There are numerous available sports, including baseball, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, ice skating, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming and volleyball. The St. James also offers camps for aspiring cheerleaders and dancers. Besides the specialty sports camps, some multi-sport alternatives are available for preteens to help them discover their favorite sports.
Ultimate Sports Camp
During the Ultimate Sports five-day camps, which the organizers divide into three separate age categories, kids will enjoy several team sports, such as basketball, soccer, pickleball, spikeball and volleyball. They’ll get to give frisbee, ice skating and rock climbing a go while also using up energy at “The Super. Awesome & Amazing” ropes or ninja course and the indoor water park. Activities and sports types are age-dependant. The Ultimate Sports & Adventure camp for kids from four to seven years old finishes at noon every day.
Super, Awesome & Amazing Camp
Offering daily adventures designed to grow confidence levels and resilience while building teamwork, this week-long camp will allow six to 13-year-olds the chance to try basketball, ice skating and soccer. They’ll also get to climb the high rope courses and tall structures before cooling off at The St. James waterpark.
4. Next Level Sports Summer Camps
Next Level Sports works in conjunction with school and university partners to provide kids of all ages with action-packed, healthy entertainment. With multiple locations across California and one each in Missouri, Nevada and Texas, these summer sports camps encourage kids to thrive and grow their love for sports — all in safe, supportive and inclusive environments.
Primarily based at high school locations in California, Next Level Sports summer camps feature a wide range of sports, including athletic performance, basketball, beach volleyball, flag football, field hockey, girls’ lacrosse, indoor volleyball, padded football and regular volleyball. For now, only flag football training is available at the locations outside of California.
Age levels, times and durations vary for each camp. With over 60 camps available this summer, you should investigate the different options to find the best camps.
5. Riverside Park Conservancy Sports Camps
Riverside Park — positioned on unceded Lenni-Lenape land covering portions of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey — plays host to eight different weekly sports camps for kids. There are half or full-day options and another four camps are hosted at nearby Fort Washington Park. The camps run for over two months across the summer, with an on-site medical trainer present and uniforms or t-shirts included for participants.
Offered sporting codes include baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, tennis and volleyball, with a rookie camp available for young boys and girls aged four to six. These kids can enjoy fun multi-sport relay activities that focus on sportsmanship, teamwork, and friendly competition. Activities include kickball, dodgeball, obstacle courses and relay races, among others.
Full-day camps start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m., with half-day campers released to their parents or guardians at noon, depending on their ages. Most of the individual sports camps cater to ages up to 14 years old, with 16-year-olds able to join the tennis camp.
Summer for Sporting Kids Has Never Been This Good
With summer fast approaching and the seasonal sports camps open for booking, excitement levels among youngsters are probably growing fast. The best youth sports camps always have professionals who offer invaluable training, guidance and motivation for budding sportspeople.
Encouraging children to pursue sports as extra-mural activities provides them with valuable opportunities to learn teamwork and sportsmanship. Summer sports camps also encourage perseverance and resilience to get through trying times. These camps help kids build essential social skills, make lifelong friends and gain confidence — all while having loads of fun.
Author Bio
Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about health and fitness. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for regular updates on his work, and subscribe to Modded Minute for more!