Many of them would go off to work as counselors or clinicians at summer sports camps around the country. Only Basketball Coach Mac Petty took on the daunting task of organizing and conducting youth basketball camps in those days. And even those basketball camps were small and allowed coach to work almost one-on-one with the youngsters.
Indeed, our coaches are in high demand to work camps and clinics in all sports and at all skill levels. After all, they are first and foremost teachers of sport here on campus. Not only are they dedicated to their sports and to Wabash, they are very, very good instructors. Their records and accomplishments bear that out.
So it always seemed strange to me that our coaches would go off to other colleges to conduct camps and clinics. I guess I always figured that if a junior high or high school student spent any time at all on the Wabash campus, using our facilities, and learning from our coaches, they might well consider enrolling when the time came.
Fortunately for Wabash and for this community, times have changed. The Allen Athletics and Recreation Center is fully functional and just begs to be used over the summer. Most of our coaches are now on year-long contracts, meaning they remain on or around campus during the summers.
Wabash now offers a range of camps, from fundamentals and skills camps, to high-end, nationally recognized clinics for talented athletes. One of the nation's premier football camps, the Bishop-Dullaghan Passing Camp, was held on the Wabash campus earlier this month and attracted more than 100 of the state's finest quarterbacks and receivers.
Last weekend more than 200 high school basketball players participated in the First Wabash Basketball Shootout. More than 20 teams took part in tournament play in Chadwick Court and Knowling Fieldhouse, including several of the top programs in the state. More teams will return when the shootouts continue in July.
Baseball camps, for ages 6-14, continue this week, and again in mid-July. In early July, sandwiched around the holiday, there will be a high school soccer camp at Wabash. More basketball in the middle of the month, followed by a boys and girls soccer camp in early August for kids ranging from five years old to eighth grade.
Most of these programs are geared toward local youngsters, though some will attract student-athletes from great distances. Either way, the opportunity to get local children involved with talented college coaches and athletes is in every way building a stronger community.
To obtain information on Wabash's summer sports camps, drop by the Allen Athletics Center during business hours to pick up a brochure from Debbie Starnes or Brent Harris.