The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR the third consecutive year, the College of the Bahamas' Athletic Department will provide an avenue for young Bahamians to participate in wholesome activities, also giving them some exposure to college life.

It's the COB Summer Sports Camp scheduled for 9am -2pm June 25 to July 20 on the college grounds. And it's open to boys and girls between the ages of seven and 15. Participants will engage in various sports, including swimming, soccer, basketball and track and field.

"What we try to do is encourage these young people to focus on their self esteem, self confidence, sportsmanship, team concepts and just have a positive attitude on and off the court and the field," said camp director Sean Bastian.

"We have the four disciplines - swimming, basketball, soccer and track and field. Each sport has certified coaches and our assistant coaches are our student athletes here at COB."

For those parents interested, Bastian assured them that their children will be getting the best of both worlds. "What is so significant about the camp is that the children will be exposed to the college environment while they are here for the four weeks. I have them take tours through our state-of-the-art library, our classrooms, our labs, just so that they can get a feel of what our college life is all about."

Bastian, a former outstanding basketball player who now serves as the head coach of the COB Caribs men's basketball team, said that he didn't get the exposure to college until he went off to college at the age of 18.

"These kids have an opportunity to grow up every summer on COB's campus through our sporting programme, so this is an opportunity to get the young people used to what a college environment is all about and hopefully they will see COB as that viable institute when they finish high school," he said.

"As a matter of fact, I've seen over the years, I've seen some of our athletes who came through the summer youth camps that I used to have at COB because we started this one. So I've seen the value of these kids wanting to come back to COB."

During the camp, Bastian said the campers will rotate every hour at the four disciplines depending on their age brackets, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-17.

"We try to keep the groups to a maximum of 12 because we want the kids to really get a good opportunity to get a good exposure," he said. "So every hour, they will rotate to each discipline.

"At the end of the five hours, they would have an opportunity to get exposed to those disciplines."

For good measure, Bastian said the campers are engaged in a field trip once a week either to Mario's Entertainment Centre, Galleria Cinemas, Ardastra Gardens or the Bahamas National Trust.

"This summer camp is really catered to young men and women who really want to improve their skills during the summer break and, at the same time, have an opportunity to be exposed to the college campus."

Bastian said he's hoping to maintain or at least improve on the average of 80-plus students that the camp has been able to attract over the past two years.

For those persons interested in obtaining more information about the camp, Bastian asked that they contact the COB's Athletic Department office at 302-4349 and 302-4591 or e-mail sbastian@cob.edu.bs