Young Athletes Summer Camp recently took place at Lipscomb University hosting children from ages three to ten in a three-day event. The camp had several stations for our athletes to play from basketball to soccer to volleyball and even field hockey. The activities also included a dance break instructed by the Tippi Toes Nashville Dance Company.
Carrie Claybrooks is the parent of three camp attendees: nine-year-old Josiah, eight-year-old Nia and seven-year-old Zoe.
"I like the different sports and skills my children could take part in and the focus on my children's needs in a particular moment," said Claybrooks. "They get to be in a space already set for them with lots of people, lots of helpers, and lots of opportunities for breaks."
Josiah is an athlete who appears to be quiet until he gets in his element, between the pipes in floor hockey. Few could score on Josiah he was everywhere and was stopping the ball with a smile on his face. Volunteers could not score on him either as he tracked every movement. If another athlete made a big play in his station, he was there cheering them on and if someone did manage to score on him, he shrugged it off and kept playing.
Nia can easily be described as energetic and enthusiastic. Before the camp began, she was turning cartwheels with ease. Then, in the floor hockey game, she was determined to win against her older brother. She turned away potential scorers with the smack of a stick. She did get the win over her brother as she made one more save over him in a close 1-0 game. She is also quite the competitor and it showed in the water games where her team won the relay race with her brother Josiah alongside her.
Zoe is a great bowler and loves to encourage others. She bowled a spare and then once she was finished, she cheered on athletes younger than her. Cheering on others is an essential part of being an athlete. One of the younger athletes bowled a spare and then knocked over the rest of the pins with her feet and Zoe was there cheering alongside her.
“Even though last summer was our first summer here with State Summer Games, we've done other programs before through Special Olympics,” said Claybrooks. “It’s just been wonderful to have the different types of exposure for our children.”
At Young Athletes Summer Camp, exposure to new experiences regarding healthy lifestyles was on full display as the athletes ran an obstacle course, bowled and played floor hockey. The direction and skillsets learned at Young Athletes Summer Camp can be carried into all aspects of life.
