LSSU offers a diverse slate of summer sports camps

SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State offers a variety of sports camps throughout the summer months. The tennis and track and field camps are new this year. After the success of last year’s inaugural boys and girls basketball elite camp, another elite camp is scheduled to begin July 19.

The Laker men’s and women’s basketball programs offer the elite camp for high school boys and girls who are looking to take their game to the college level.

“The camp is designed to give these high school kids a look at what the current college athletes at LSSU go through to be ready to compete at this level,” said LSSU women’s basketball coach Jamie Pewinski. “This includes advanced basketball drills, some strength and conditioning stations, and an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the men’s and women’s basketball teams for the entire camp. All of the seniors who attended camp in the summer of 2009 will be continuing their athletic careers in college, and that is something that we are extremely proud of.”

The basketball teams will also run their traditional individual and team camps. These very affordable and varied camps benefit players who want to work on specific skills or experience a wide range of learning opportunities.

Coach Tom Linhart’s tennis camps are held weekly beginning June 21. They are open to youngsters and adults.

“In our first year of running a summer camp here in the Sault our real overlying goal is to promote the game of tennis at all levels and to offer opportunities for those who are simply taking a recreational interest to those who are avid competitors and want a more involved camp,” he said. “With there being little organized tennis in the Eastern U.P., I
really want to lay the foundation for those who want to take a greater interest. We will have lessons for the young true beginners as well as for students in elementary and middle school. We will have weekly drop-in classes for adults twice a week where we will work on everything.”

LSSU’s second cross country camp will be held July 25-30. An inaugural track and field camp is scheduled for June 27-July 1. Both camps provide housing, meals and specialized training.

"Last year was the first year for our cross country camp and it went extremely well,” LSSU cross country coach Steve Eles said. “This year we are looking to build off last year's success. I believe we have something different to offer high school runners. We have beautiful trails in the area surrounding campus and we want to expose high school athletes to not just LSSU but what we have to offer in the surrounding area. Last year we ran at Tahquamenon falls, Monocle Lake (Brimley), the Pine Bowl (Kinross), Algonquin, Brady Park, Ashmun Bay, and Sherman Park. We also have the opportunity to swim and do water activities almost every place we run. We also have the opportunity to do normal camp activities such as form analysis, working on drills, games, eating in a campus facility. But other camps do not have the access to trails that we have in our area and that makes our camp unique." 

LSSU’s hockey camps for mites, pee wees and bantams will be June 21-25, while a camp for squirts, pee wees and bantams is scheduled for June 28-July 2. Both hockey camps are for commuters only, and a special rate is offered for players interested in attending both weeks.

A Laker volleyball camp for girls in grades 7-12 is scheduled June 8-10.

To register for the camps, go online to www.lssulakers.com/information/Camps or www.lssu.edu/summercamps/.