Some kids were born to love athletics. Others participate reluctantly or only when heavily bribed. No matter your child’s ability or interest level, there are DC-area sports camps that are perfect for them.
Calling all jocks
For your serious soccer player, the area’s professional team, D.C. United, runs both spring break and summer camps for kids ages 5 to 16. There are full and half-day camp options, and all campers receive a D.C. United camp ball and T-shirt.
Got a kid who likes basketball? The Washington Wizards offer camps in 12 different area locations throughout the summer for kids ages 6 to 14. Along with a half-day of hoops skills and practice, camp participants receive a game-day voucher for one home game in the 2020-2021 season.
Quaker schools have a long tradition of sponsoring camps and the Sidwell Friends School is no exception. At the school’s D.C. campus, the Sidwell Summer program offers six different sports camp options: soccer, tennis, tennis and golf, basketball, field hockey and baseball.
Most camps are offered for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade; however, baseball is only offered to players in eighth through 11th grades. Some of Sidwell’s sports camps offer a morning-only option, but all of the sports are offered throughout the summer.
All sports all the time
ESF Camp in Bethesda offers a multi-sport camp called SportsLab for kids in grades one through nine. Beginner, intermediate and experienced athletes play two to three sports each day, with additional swim and recreation time. The five core sports are basketball, soccer, baseball, lacrosse and flag football. Campers can then choose sports that include European team handball (an Olympic sport), street hockey and swimming.
“Our goals are for every camper to develop their skills and build confidence while having serious fun,” says ESF’s Claire McClain, a regional marketing specialist who says their sports program was designed through the research and development of Dr. Jim Loehr, a sports psychologist who has coached more than 17 of the world’s top-ranking athletes in six different sports.
Lacrosse (of course)
George Mason University offers lacrosse camp for boys ages 6 to 16, with a half-day option for players ages 6 to 9. Campers practice stick skills, positional play and team concepts. Players can expect daily scrimmages, too.
The university runs a similar lacrosse camp for girls which is led by the school’s women’s lacrosse coach, Jessy Morgan, a former University of Virginia All-American. Both camps offer one-week sessions in June and July.
Looking for more camp ideas? Register here for our 2020 Camp Fair on Sunday, February 9th.
Individual sports
Some kids like to be active but not as a part of a team. Parents need not worry though — there are many more individual sport offerings today than in our childhood, and camp opportunities are plentiful for them as well.
Earth Treks in Rockville offers camps that mix climbing, traverse activities and group games for the younger set, ages 6 to 9. Older campers, ages 9 to 13, learn how to belay and get to climb outdoors at local crags. Earth Treks also has regular evening drop-off sessions called Friday Night Rox and guided open climbs every weekend.
Kaizen Karate in Spencerville offers camps in two locations — Northwest D.C. and Arlington. Camps run throughout the summer, include swimming opportunities (although not lessons) and also have weekly themes, such as black belt boot camp, sparring and Ninja Turtles. Kids do not need prior karate experience to participate in camp.
