GREENFIELD — Local youth will soon have a chance to work on their basketball skills with the Greenfield Recreation Department, which will host a four-week basketball camp starting Dec. 5.
The camp is an additional offering by the department, as it currently runs a day camp Monday through Friday. Attendees to that program receive help with their schoolwork and get a structures day with activities, including arts and crafts, physical activity and meditation. The basketball camp will be a chance to work with an athletic focus for youth ages 5 to 11.
“Having basketball, and more importantly, physical activities for our youth in Greenfield is critical as it helps them with their physical fitness and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression,” said Adam Barsenas, assistance recreation program coordinator. “All our young Greenfield residents are in distance learning, and some may not have a play area for them to get a lot of movement, so we want to give them that by hosting our basketball camp.”
Sports during the Covid-19 era come with safety guidelines, which the department is recognizing in order to keep participants, staff and volunteers safe.
“Temperature checks, constant sanitation of our building and equipment are vital in keeping our participants safe from any exposure,” Barsenas said. “Safety and fun have always been our No. 1 goal for our day and sports camp participants.”
The guidelines do mean scrimmages and games won’t be part of the program.
“Unfortunately, we cannot have any games, but we will have our basketball campers compete in other ways that the CDC guidelines allow us to,” Barsenas said. “We will be in cohorts with seven to 10 players per pod and one to two volunteer coaches per pod.”
After the basketball camp concludes at the end of the year, the recreation department is planning more activities for area youth.
“We are working towards a soccer camp for January, and after that is done, we will be rolling out flag football again in hopes that we can have a league with competition,” Barsenas said. “Our flag football four-week camp was very successful, and our campers were eager to keep going, so that is something we would like to bring back in a full league scenario.”
Registration is ongoing through Dec. 5. For information, contact Director Jesus Perez at jp****@ci.us or call 831-236-1230.
