HINSDALE’S MADISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOSTS SUCCESSFUL CAMP IN REPRESSIVE HEAT
You can’t beat Mother Nature. But Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps were able to score lots of points against her and her repressive heat this past week.
Eight different locations, including Hinsdale’s Madison Elementary School hosted Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps this past week—the hottest week of the summer. And that heat can really cramp a program that is based on movement, speed and outdoor activity. Bears Youth Camp managers believe their off season huddle is the key for success during these extreme weather days.
“We plan for situations like this.” says Tom Finks, Executive Director for Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps. “We acquire full service facilities so we can operate indoors and keep the kids safe. We hire highly qualified staff, including a Certified Athletic Trainer from Athletico Physical Therapy for each camp. And most important, we change the program so we operate safely but the kids still have a productive football experience.”
Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps, sponsored by Gatorade, are non-contact camps for kids ages 6 to 14 years old. With the non-contact format, campers wear only t-shirts and shorts, regardless of the weather.
Finks concedes that it is tougher to have a wildly successful camp under such conditions. “No question that everyone gets fatigued a little faster. But the kids and parents have been great. They understand that our program must be altered and they appreciate the measures we take.”
Instruction and football competition were front-loaded in the “cooler” morning hours. Hinsdale’s Madison Elementary School provided indoor gymnasium and classroom space for additional program instruction. Interactive class room games such as Eat Like a Bear, The Franchise, Chief Scout and Playmaker were huge hits and kept the kids engaged and cool.
“If we did play football in the afternoon, it was brief and hydration breaks were taken every 5 to 10 minutes,” say Finks. “We had hoses and sprinklers going and the kids loved it. We still had to cut things short and take Gatorade breaks because sometimes the kids don’t know when to stop.”
The hot weather also gives coaches and Bears Camp Heroes like Mickey Pruitt, Robin Earl and Jim Morrissey a great teaching platform. While they would prefer cooler weather, it becomes much easier to teach the kids about hydration when it’s so easy to break a sweat.
“Hydration becomes part of the conversation. They go home talking about the importance,” says former Bear Mickey Pruitt. “It’s something they will always remember and a good life lesson.”
Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps are managed by Pro Sports Experience of Chicago, IL. Learn more about Bears Youth Football Camps at www.BearsCamps.com or call 312-226-7776.
