Football camp kicks off summer series

HUDDLE UP:
Anderson Union High School football coach Lance Gosch will be in charge of the youth football camp for the third year. The football camp and other summer day camps are sponsored by the Anderson Parks and Recreation Department.

Whether a child wants to learn how to be a rough and tumble tackler, a dancing queen, or wants to get the scoop on disc golf, they’ll have plenty choose from this summer.

The youth football camp on July 14 kicks off a string of summer day camps through August. The camps are designed to offer more activities for youth in the community, and get kids involved in sports programs and activities at an early age.

Coach Lance Gosch of the Anderson High School Cubs football team is heading up the football camp for the third year in a row.

“The last two years it has kind of taken off. So this year, hopefully, it will be even better,“ he said.

The Anderson Parks and Recreation Department organizes the day camps, but most of the camps are taught by high school coaches and instructors.

“I think it says a lot about the instructors that they are willing to take that extra time during the summer to teach the kids,“ Pam Lewis of the Parks Department said.

The youth football camp will cover the basic fundamentals of football, including proper running technique, footwork, stance, blocking, form tackling with bags, and more.

Gosch said he takes a different stance coaching youth than coaching his high school football players.

“For youth, to me it’s all about having fun. There’s no hollering and screaming,“ he said. “We bring some of our varsity players out to help coach and we try to teach some fundamentals. But it’s more about having a good time,“ Gosch said.

Lewis said getting kids involved in sports activities at a young age is a good way to get them involved with a sport they could potentially stick with throughout high school and beyond.

“It helps build the high school programs up, and introduces the youth in the community to who is going to be their instructor,“ she said.

“To me, it starts down at that level,“ Gosch said. “Those kids that are 8- and 9-years-old are going to be the future Cubs.

“A kid might be 4-foot, 98-pounds now, but when the time comes he’s a freshman in high school, he might be 6-foot, 200-pounds. You never know how kids are going to grow, and you just want them to enjoy the game and keep playing,“ he said.

Camp registration is at the Anderson Parks and Recreation office. For more information, visit www.ci.anderson.ca.us.