Football camp teaches lessons for life
The summer camp season is in full swing with Belizean children engaged in everything from swimming classes to computer lessons. Today Jose Sanchez stopped by to see how things are going for young footballers.
If the vast energy of children on holiday could be harnessed for electricity there would be no need for any Chalillo dam. According to Emerson Guild, President of the Berger Alumni/B.E.L. Sports Camp, they use the game of football to stimulate the mental growth of kids.
Emerson Guild, President, Berger/BEL Sports Camp 2001
“This camp is about leadership, it’s about football. It’s about creating good practices, it’s about showing these kids that there are many different ways that we can get things done. It is about developing teamwork skills, it is about developing a total set of new skills which these kids normally would not have. They would be on the corner hanging out and we are focusing their energies on what they need for life.”
Some of the kids realize that the hours spent on the field is time well spent.
Jose Sanchez
“If you weren’t in camp today what would you have been doing?”
Elroy Flowers
“Give trouble.”
Devon Banner
“I might mi di play with my neighbors, and maybe play cards and so.”
Justin LaCroix
“If I was never in this camp right now, I would have been eating and mess up my mother’s house.”
Jose Sanchez
“So what would your mother have done to you?”
Justin LaCroix
“She would have lashed me.”
Jose Sanchez
“That won’t happen now, so what do you enjoy about the camp?”
Justin LaCroix
“I enjoy how they teach me good manners, good hygiene, and I like how they teach me to develop more skills.”
Jose Sanchez
“So your mother appreciates that?”
Justin LaCroix
“Yes sir.”
Sherwin Garcia
“I would have been at home watching TV or walking about my neighborhood.”
Jose Sanchez
“So what do you enjoy about the camp?”
Sherwin Garcia
“I like the fact that they teach me new skills, discipline and they teach me new things I didn’t know before like how to play football.”
Kaya Cattouse
“I learn to play football better. I learn respect, discipline, and a number of things. I enjoy doing laps, push-ups and crunches. This camp is very interesting. It will improve your skills in football. Come and join us.”
The Summer programme is assisted by graduate students of the State University of New York.
Rhonda Robbins, Graduate Student, SUNY
“Since my focus in study is theatre, I’m using principles and techniques of theatre to build teamwork skills, to build self esteem, to build co-operative skills and self awareness. So we play games and do exercises that are common in beginning acting classes to facilitate team work.”
Anna Ortega, Graduate Student, SUNY
“For two days now we’ve been working on feeling exploration and understanding what each team member is feeling. As well as what is the group feeling and how the group feeling will affect how they perform, how they treat each other and how they can support each other. Some of the team members felt happy, some of them felt excited, some felt miserable. So what we’ve been working on and what we will continue to work on is how we can work together to support each other, develop leadership, and be able to voice our opinions without fear.”
And hopefully the lessons learned on the field will carry over into everyday life.
The football camp ends on August fourth with a nationwide youth competition. Children can still enroll through Friday.
