Below you will find a basic description of our sports camps, our purpose, and details outlining our intent in partnering with churches. As you read, keep in mind that we are flexible, offering a variety of options, hoping to be able to partner with you.
Description
Time frame
- Summer – June, July, & August
- Monday – Friday
- Full-day – 8:30am-2:30pm
- Half-day – 8:30-11:30am
Sports – Push The Rock has experience planning and running a wide variety of sports camps. Each camp is selected and designed to fit the needs and interests of the surrounding community. The camps that we are currently running or have done in the past include:
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Volleyball
- Flag Football
- Baseball
- Softball
- Golf
- Martial Arts
- All-Sports
Age groups – Push The Rock camps serves a wide variety of age groups from pre-kindergarten through middle school. Age groups and genders are selected based on the needs of the community.
- Kinder camps – ages 4-6
- Elementary – ages 6- 11
- Upper grade levels – ages 12-16
Activities – For the past 14 years Push The Rock has been improving the daily schedule of our camps, adding, changing, and adapting various activities to provide a quality, jam-packed schedule. Some of the activities include:
- Skills training
- Team Competitions
- Individual Competitions
- Fun Competitions
- Recreational activities
- Water games (for the outdoor camps)
Spiritual Content – Each summer, a Biblical theme is selected to incorporate throughout each of our camps. From that theme, a 5 day curriculum is developed that communicates the message of the Gospel, the importance of our relationship with Jesus Christ, and how that relationship shapes our character as a Christian athlete. The spiritual content of each camp includes:
- A focus on prayer
- Daily Bible verses
- Sportsmanship thoughts
- Chapel
- Team Time devotions
- Gospel presentation
- Play for Christ commitment
Staff – Our goal is to provide not only staff members of the highest quality and character, but also to provide a high level of athletic instruction. Therefore, each staff person is selected based on their relationship with Christ, their desire to share His message with others, their love for kids, and their athletic experience. Our camp personnel consists of a director, team coaches, assistant coaches, and an administrative assistant trained in first aid and CPR. Push The Rock coaches are:
- Quality Christian role models
- Adult, college, and high school athletes
- Focused on individual attention and training
Prices – Our desire is to make our summer camps as affordable as possible so that they are made available to every kid that desires to come to camp. The price of camps covers the cost of staffing, marketing, equipment, and other administrative costs. A scholarship fund is set up to help families needing assistance.
Purpose
- To bring the church into the community – summer sports camps are a way for the church to provide a program that is respected and admired from people in the community. With the combined efforts of excellent athletic instruction and character building, it is well-received by individuals and the community as a whole.
- To build relationships – Throughout the week of camp, Push The Rock staff are taking time to build into the lives of the individuals coming to camp. They take time to focus on individual training, to notice individual needs, and to share the love of Christ with each kid that comes to camp.
- To draw people through a common interest – Sports is a great way to meet kids right where they are at. It provides an avenue to interact with kids who have never set foot through the doors of a church. Through a shared interest, coaches have the opportunity to build into kids lives, showing and sharing the love of Christ with each individual.
- To provide platform to share Christ – During our sports camp, coaches earn a respect with their players through their God-given talents, their dedication to the sport, and their love for the kids. Our coaches shift that admiration and glory away from themselves and toward the cross where the Gospel is presented to an audience, ready to listen and hear what is most important to every coach.
- To teach and encourage Biblical values in all areas of life – Sports provides us with a unique opportunity to teach kids the importance of having Christ-like character in all areas of our life. Through the devotions, chapel, and sportsmanship thoughts, the players learn principles straight from the Bible and then have an immediate opportunity to practice them during competitions and interaction with others.
Partnership with the Church – It is Push The Rock’s desire to partner with the local church. While seeds may be planted during a week of camp, we believe that is through the local church, that individuals are discipled in God’s Word and encouraged in their faith as they grow with other believers. Below is a brief list of potential partnership expectations for the church to consider:
- Promotion of the camp and camper registration
- Provision of facilities (if church has access)
- Additional staff such as coaches, speakers, admin, etc.
- Chapel presentations
- Promotion of other church activities
- Offering additional scholarships
- Follow-up with campers/families