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Greencastle campers get double the fun with volleyball, basketball camp combination
As has been the case for the past several years, Greencastle offered its volleyball skills camp during the first week of June, spanning three days for girls in grades 3-8.
Unlike previous years, the camp added basketball into the mix, running both camps during morning and afternoon sessions with girls divided between those in grades 3-5 and 6-8.
With more than 60 participants throughout the three-day event, Greencastle volleyball head coach Denise Meyer said the camp once again accomplished its goals of teaching skills in both sports while making each day enjoyable for attendees.
“It’s been really fun,” Meyer said. “We’ve had 60-some kids here throughout the course of each day and probably over 20 here for both.
“We’re excited to be able to use this beautiful brand new space and get kids out and excited for volleyball and basketball.”
The camp was the first event to take place in the recently finished auxiliary gym at Greencastle High School, a space that now features two full-length basketball courts and connects the high school to McAnally Center.
“It’s great,” Meyer said. “To have two full course and generous space is working really nicely.
“Now, when the camp grows in the next couple of years and the numbers get bigger, then we’ll have to look to use McAnally and this, but this is great.”
Meyer added having both camps run at the same time helped ease some transportation issues that might have caused problems before.
“This gives parents a full-day option for their kids,” Meyer said about the format of the camp. “It can be tricky sometimes during the summer trying to get kids to a camp while parents still have a normal day work schedule.
“We’re excited to be able to offer families that option for three days. The kids are learning the game and having a lot of fun.”
Meyer ran the volleyball camp while a mix of coaches, including longtime Greencastle scorebook keeper Larry Vaughn and boys’ basketball assistant Caleb Camacho, assisted on the basketball side, along with several members of both the Tiger Cub high school volleyball and girls’ basketball teams.
Meyer said it was important for the players to be involved with the camp to not only be teachers but to create connections with the campers.
“The nice part is that we really rely on our high school kids to be the counselors and us coaches be the directors,” Meyer noted. “I try to direct traffic and assign counselors jobs to keep the kids moving.
“It works out really well. The kids come in, work hard and it’s nice that they get a taste of two sports. We have a lot more in grades 3-5 that are doing both in the morning.
“For out first year doing it like this, it’s going well,” Meyer added.
While many of the high school participants were underclassmen, Meyer said the drills were done in a way that allowed for them to lead by example.
“Some of the girls are friends, so they have a healthy banter and the ones that are close in age are good about hopping in a drill with the groups,” Meyer said. “Sometimes, we even set it up that way.
“Instead of putting them in charge of a drill, we tell them to hop in so the rest of the girls see that they’re doing what everyone else is doing, not just being in charge.”
With the camp complete, Meyer said she hoped to continue building the program as some of the earliest attendees of the volleyball camp were now coming into high school and helping to continue an upward trend in participation in both sports.
“Both programs are going to benefit from a large number of participants in this upcoming freshman class and we’re excited to have them,” Meyer pointed out. “That’s the goal down the road, to build both programs and help build a rich tradition of women’s sports in our school.
“Swimming has a great history here; girls’ tennis had an amazing season and softball won a sectional this year. We want to be a part of helping that continue.”