49er
Camp gives local children fun, fitness,
instruction
By
Ayana Ando
Summer Forty-Niner
This
summer, more than 640 children have enjoyed
playing sports and various activities through
the 49er Camp, which has been held at Cal
State Long Beach.
Managed
by the division of sports, athletics and
the department of physical education, the
49er Camp summer recreation youth
activity program consists of two four-week
sessions and has taken place at the CSULB
campus every summer for 39 years.
"I
am very proud of our campus for sponsoring
the 49er camps every summer for so many
years," said CSULB President Robert
Maxson. "The 49er Camp provides a wonderful
service for our community and for our own
faculty and staff by providing academic
and recreational opportunities for young
children of different ages."
"I
am personally delighted that so many young
children are exposed to our beautiful campus
each summer. I hope every single one of
them falls in love with our campus and becomes
a student here one day in the future,"
said Maxson.
The
director Bob Wuesthoff of the 49er Camp,
said that the purpose of the camp is to
provide each child with increased physical
fitness, outstanding continuity of instruction
in a variety of activities and an enjoyable
learning experience in a college atmosphere.
"Some
of their parents also have had the same
experience when they were kids," Wuesthoff
said. "They return to the camp after
they became parents and they let their son
or daughter join the camp."
Each
child is assigned to one of four groups
based on their age and skill ability, and
each group takes part in four different
activities every day.
"There
is a variety in activities, such as bowling,
indoor soccer, Frisbee and hockey,"
Wuesthoff said. "Because the swimming
pool has been closed for construction, we
don't have swimming activity this year.
We usually have 800 to 900 kids every year
with that activity. "
The
instructor of 49er Camp for seven years,
Chris Flores said, "I wish we could
have had swimming this year. I hope I can
enjoy the pool with kids next year."
Ami
Goldhammer, a senior criminal justice major,
is one of the instructors of 49er Camp.
"This camp means to me a long-running
bond between the program and the surrounding
community," Goldhammer said.
She
also said that she experienced what four
weeks of sports camp can do for a relationship
between a counselor and her children.
"There
is a positive connection that is made with
the kids and their teacher that is very
rewarding," Goldhammer said. "To
know that they look up to us, respect, and
listen to what we tell them to do while
learning about sports and having fun is
awesome."
Children
who have been participating in this camp
are from Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Huntington
Beach, Cypress and Long Beach.
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