Benefits of Kids Participating in Summer Camps

***PARENTS***

It is that time of the year again: making plans for the summer months that are just around the corner. Family vacations take up one, maybe two, weeks of the long break from school, but what happens for the other two months? Summer camps.

Summer camps have been a staple in American childhood development for decades, and statistics show that kids can develop emotionally, intellectually, socially, and physically from participation. Enrolling children in pre-planned activities get kids away from the television and off the couch. Camps stimulate their minds and provides structure to an otherwise uneventful time of year.

Former U.S. Secretary Colin Powell once said that camp “gets them away from a neighborhood or situation that may exist in their neighborhoods that isn't healthy…It teaches them how to get along with other people – both other young people as well as adults. To give our children a safe place to learn and grow – camp does that." Camp satisfies needs of self-expression, physical activity, and a feeling of belonging, whereas many schools fail to foster the combination of these three characteristics.

When looking at different camps, consider a multitude of factors. What are my child’s likes and interests? Do not send a child to a camp where he/she is likely to lose interest in the activities provided. Consider camp size and organization. Does your child play well with others? Many parents are nervous to put their children in a camp with a large number of campers. However, also consider that he/she may be more likely to find/make friends in a camp of 60 kids than a camp with 15 to 20.

Finally, camp provides children the chance to be independent and on their own in a new, unfamiliar place while under tight adult supervision. Staff members and camp counselors keep students engaged but also allow them to make choices on their own regarding activities in which they wish to participate. So, do some research, find out what camps are offered in your area, and enroll your child in a quality program that builds character and self-reliance and develops creativity and independence. You’ll leave them with a lifetime of memories…and keep them away from the television for days at a time.

Franchise Spotlight

Overtime Athletics Franchise Spotlight is featuring our Seattle Franchisee Sean Myler. Sean’s journey with Overtime Athletics began over a decade ago; part of the “Fab 5”…okay, there might have been more than 5 of them but he was one of the original program staff when we launched OTA. Since then, Sean has literally gone through every rank of OTA: Instructor, Team Captain, Program Director, Expansion Director and Sales/Marketing Director. His passion for youth athletics, working with kids and the ability to own his own business came full circle in February 2017.

“My decision to buy an Overtime Athletics Franchise was easy. After 10+ years of being a part of OTA, I still believe in what we do today, more than ever. It feels like it’s all lead up to this point in time, so I’m ready.”

Sean, a Connecticut native for most of his life is where he found OTA. He went on to earn his B.A at West Virginia University ’08. Upon returning back to CT after college, he began full time with OTA managing the CT/NY territory, helping launch MA, PA, NC territories and years later relocated to Atlanta, GA to establish a brand-new program territory from the ground up. In addition to his time with OTA, he branched away for a few years gaining some valuable professional experience working at a marketing agency in NYC, and as General Manager of the SoNo Field House in Norwalk, CT. In-between the “9-5’s”, Sean has coached travel basketball for 8+ years, enjoys pretending to be an amateur golfer and traveling.

He now resides in Seattle, WA, excited to provide the OTA program to the PNW!

Why kids shouldn't specialize in one sport

“The more you’re exposed to, the better opportunity it is for all kids to figure out what they really want to do in life.” – Four time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady on kids

specializing in one sport.

I completely agree with one of the all-time greats. Part of growing up and being a kid is trying new things and figuring out what you enjoy most. Brady stated that he is hoping his kids are “late bloomers” who can learn to love a lot of sports throughout their childhood.

Specialization in one sport at a young age can also lead to mental and physical exhaustion, better known as burnout. As a child, I was fortunate enough to be exposed to a multi-sports environment. Nothing was more refreshing than starting a new sport at the end of another one. As much as I enjoy all sports, I couldn’t imagine just playing one throughout my childhood. The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine said that studies of college level and Olympic athletics found that the majority of them played multiple sports growing up and did not specialize early.

Let’s open the world of sports to all the young athletes out there and give them every possibility to succeed in the game of life!