The Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) is currently staging three summer camps in Kingston, Manchester and St James, running from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm each day.

The summer camps are being held at Irwin High School in St James; at the Police Officer’s Club, Hope Road in Kingston; and at the Manchester High School in Manchester. Those at St James and Kingston started on August 3 and will end on August 28, while the other started last week Monday and will end this Friday.

The camps saw some 100 boys and girls between the ages of six and 12 years old participating.

The INSPORTS summer camps were discussed and agreed on between the Local Government Ministry and the Ministry of Sports and were granted permission on condition that they do not breach any of the Government’s COVID-19 protocols.

INSPORTS’ Sports Officer Sylvester Campbell, who is the co-ordinator of the camp at Irwin High School in St James, said the campers are really enjoying the disciplines they are learning.

He said this is the first time INSPORTS is staging a summer camp in the parish and outside of Kingston.

Campbell also stated that the campers were updated on the protocols set out by the Government in regard to the wearing of masks, hand sanitisation, washing of hands with soap, and social distancing.

He said all the campers are from basic, primary and prep schools in the parish of St James. Physical education teachers from the school system, who are familiar with the students, will be the instructors conducting the training programmes.

Meanwhile, the sporting disciplines being taught at the camp are football, cricket, netball, and volleyball, along with music, art and craft, and sign language.

Kingston’s summer camp is being held with a small number of participants — 19 campers comprising 14 boys and five girls.

It is co-ordinated by Anthony Gibbs, who said before any session begins the campers all have to follow the protocols by wearing their masks, wash their hands, maintaining social distance.

“These protocols they have to follow throughout the summer camp, so when they return to the new school term next month [September] they are well accustomed to these procedures and guidelines laid down by the Government,” Gibbs said.

He added that before the start of any practical sessions he has a rap session with the participants, allowing them to ask various questions about the camp and the instructors who are conducting the various disciplines.

According to Gibbs, the summer camp is for the learning of tennis (lawn), but only a few boys wanted to participate. “However, the boys did not want to play tennis and only 14 boys and five girls decided to participate.

“We have introduced football so that they [boys especially] can play their regular game that they are already accustomed to playing, but they still have to attend the tennis sessions, and sometimes we allow them to play dominoes,” he added.

Gibbs said they are being taught the basics of football technique and the proper way of passing the ball and controlling, while the boys and girls are taught the basics in playing tennis.

The camp is scheduled to end on Friday, August 28, with a prize-giving and closing ceremony.

Sports officer of INSPORTS, Kevin Morrison, is the co-ordinator of 100 boys and girls who are participating in several disciplines, ranging from football, cricket, netball, volleyball, to music, dance, art and craft, and personal development.

Morrison said this is also the first time INSPORTS will be having a summer camp in Manchester and the participants are very happy to be involved.

The two-week INSPORTS summer camp caters to children ranging from ages eight to 12 years old, and they will have as their instructors coaches who are qualified and certified to conduct the training sessions each day.