Fort Drum youths experience summer of fun at CYS Sports and Fitness camps

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Aug. 14, 2024) — The Olympics may be over, but Fort Drum youths are still showcasing their athleticism and developing their skills during the Child and Youth Services’ Sports and Fitness Summer Camps.

Josh Herzig, CYS Youth Sports and Fitness assistant director and camp coach, said there is no better way to stave off boredom than to engage in a fun sport with your peers.

“We’re just trying to show the Soldiers and family members here the variety we offer kids throughout the summer,” he said. “It’s a different camp each week, and that way they’ll never get bored doing the same thing too many times. And it’s an opportunity just to do something they might not normally get to do.”

Herzig said it also draws attention to the exemplary work of staff members, and the CYS Sports program itself. Coaches not only teach the fundamentals of sports, but they foster a safe environment where children can strengthen skills, build friendships, and have fun.

Every summer, Herzig coaches two sessions of archery camp where the focus isn’t on hitting a bull’s-eye.

“Honestly, the top priority is always safety,” he said. “Just like in any sport where we teach the basics, you want them to start off knowing all the safety rules.”

One of the questions Herzig asks students during a pop quiz is to name the three reasons people shoot bows. With hands raised, they responded: “Hunting, competition, and recreation.”

Students were also asked what type of bow they practiced with. Too easy, for Ladd Lambert.

“The choices are either a crossbow, recurve, or compound, and we use the compound bow,” the 8-year-old said.

They were also asked what they enjoy most about archery.

“I’m using my favorite prehistoric weapon,” Ladd responded.

His older brother, Ephraim, said he liked the challenge of learning a new skill.

“It’s fun competing, seeing what scores I get and trying to improve,” he said.

Both brothers registered for two sessions of Archery Camp, as well as Soccer Camp and Lacrosse Camp.

“The biggest lesson I learned is mainly being a good sport,” Ephraim said. “It’s always good to be a good sport.”

He also learned to be a pretty accurate shooter, taking out the elusive balloon hovering above the target for extra points during a competition.

“That was the best thing in the world!” Ephraim said. “I was the only one on our team to hit the balloon.”

“It’s really amazing to see how far they progress in just a day or two,” Herzig said. “We have the archery camps in the summer, but then we have our fall and spring weeks where they really get to display what they’ve learned if they take the opportunity.”

And just to mix things up more, Herzig took campers to an off-post archery range that features an expansive array of targets in a forest environment.

Liam Pettigrew had attended Archery Camp two summers ago, and he wanted to try it again.

“I really like archery,” he said. “I like the games we played.”

Liam returned to the CYS Sports field a week later for Lacrosse Camp, where campers practiced basic catching, throwing, and shooting techniques.

At the Golf Camp, children learned how each club in their bag serves a different purpose – from the wedge and 7-iron to the driver and putter. They practiced a proper stance, the different ways to grip a club, and how to execute a fluid swing.

“Everyone comes with different strengths,” Herzig said. “Some may be better putters or chippers than they are at their long game. That’s why I teach kids all the different aspects of the game, so they find out what they’re really good at, and also what they need to keep working at.”

The camp included longest drive and chipping competitions for campers to test their skills.

“It’s always exciting to see them get that perfect chip in, or when they figure something out and their eyes light up,” he said. “That’s as much fun for me as it is for them.”

Kids also enjoyed Mountaineering Camp, which included fishing and a high ropes course.

“We took nine kids out fishing on the first day, and every single one of them caught at least one,” Herzig said. “I think we had one catch something like 10 fish.”

The Oswegatchie ropes course features challenges set 40 feet in the air.

“That’s a fantastic trip and the kids had a ball,” Herzig said. “We took seven kids out that day and they were fearless on those obstacles. It was pretty cool to watch.”

There are still two opportunities left this summer for kids to get involved in the summer camp program. The four-day Baseball Camp starts Aug. 26, for children ages 7-9 in the morning and the 10-12 age group in the afternoon. A Punt, Pass, and Kick Football Camp is scheduled Aug. 26-29, for children ages 6-8 in the morning and the 9-12 age group in the afternoon.

For more information about summer camps, call (315) 772-6718 or visit CYS Sports and Fitness, Bldg. 10790, on Chapel Drive.

Photos from this year’s camps are available at www.flickr.com/photos/drum10thmountain/albums/72177720318642988.