Athletics department hosts summer camps

Wayne C. Moore
Ross Rabalais participates in the Savannah College of Art and Design triathlon summer camp June 18 at Daffin Park.

By: Ronnie Hiers

Published: Friday, July 9, 2004

For the third consecutive year, the Savannah College of Art and Design athletics department conducted summer camps.

“Summer camps serve several purposes,” said Athletics Director Jud Damon. “They increase awareness of the athletic program and are great for community relations. The camps also provide quality instruction at an affordable price.”

SCAD coaches led the summer camps and the focus was on proper mechanics and fundamentals of each sport. The department offered summer camps in sports such as baseball, basketball, softball, tennis and volleyball. However, for the first time, the department also offered a triathlon camp.

The triathlon camp involved the three disciplines of swimming, biking and running. The camp also focused on proper equipment maintenance, good nutritional health and transitional training from one discipline to the next. The triathlon camp was not only unique for the Savannah area, but for the entire country as well. Most triathlon camps are geared toward the older adult population, however SCAD’s triathlon camp was geared toward the 8-12 year old range.

“We had a great time teaching them to enjoy the triathlon,” said swimming head coach Scott Rabalais. “The kids and the parents were both satisfied with the camp.”

Rabalais and cross country coach Gabi Hauck were instructors at the triathlon camp.

Each of the summer camps this year has seen an increase in participation.

“This was our best year ever for camps,” said Damon. “The increase in attendance can be attributed to the foundation that was laid the past two summers.”

The camps are not only exciting for the coaches, but for the campers as well.

“It was fun, kind of hard but I learned a lot,” said 13-year-old Catherine Su of Savannah, who participated in one of the volleyball camps.

The department will be offering two more summer camps this year. The volleyball team will hold a four-day fundamental skills camp/team camp July 19-22 at Savannah High School while the softball team will hold a fastpitch team camp July 19-23 at the Paulson Softball Complex. Children of SCAD employees receive a 10 percent discount to each camp. Information and application forms for these summer camps can be found on the athletics Web site at www.scadathletics.com.

Hiers is assistant sports information director at SCAD.