When the final whistle blows and the crowd goes home, for most students, that’s the end of their training until the next season rolls around. But for others, they’re just getting started. While the off-season may be a time to rest, for some it’s a different kind of grind–one that often happens at training camps.
What exactly goes on at these camps? What do they do, does it make them better, and how do you sign up? Students at SPA have the answers.
Freshman Naomi Mann plays both school and club volleyball year-round except in July and August, but even during those two months, she doesn’t fully stop training. Before the school season starts in late August, Mann typically participates in a pre-tryout camp at Kokoro Volleyball at Lake Elmo. The camp doesn’t focus on one specific skill and instead, practices every aspect of volleyball, along with preparing participants for the school season. There are camps for each age group and skill level.
“[Sometimes] I come back not having touched a volleyball in like two months and I’m like, wow. I am really rusty”, Mann said. “I think [the camp] really pushes me to play better and practice in the off-season”. Mann recommended the camp to both players who want to try volleyball for the first time and to players who have played for a while and just want some extra training.
Freshman Magarsaa Mullataa plays basketball for SPA but also plays in basketball camps year-round to prepare for the season and stay in shape. He participates in multiple camps and the main one is at SPA. The SPA basketball camp has camps for each specific basketball skill: ball handling, shooting, etc., as well as just generalized skills and camps for all levels of experience.
Submitted by Magarsaa Mullataa
“Physically and mentally, it helps me with confidence, strength and quickness,” Mullataa explains. “I really enjoy the work and seeing all of my friends and [also] like, improving during the off-season.”
Junior Lucia Gonzalez plays school soccer in the fall and the club season in the winter and spring. In the summer, she does Crush Camp in Blaine, MN. Crush Camp specializes in shooting drills, fast-break games and improving speed and endurance at the Training Haus. Crush Camp has options for all ages, as well as multiple different times for the camp throughout the summer.
Gonzalez explains how the camp has made her confidence grow, both with the ball and mentally. “The camp makes you feel really good taking players in and [builds] a confidence that is important going into high school”, she says.
Whether you’re an athlete or someone who has never touched a ball, there are camps throughout MN that will help you improve your mental and physical game during the off-season, or just allow you to try a new sport.
