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Post by 90rocket on Mar 6, 2014 17:13:51 GMT -6
This will be my second year at the helm of a varsity football team. I was hired just before summer last year with no staff so I had no time to run a team camp last summer. Here's the question...besides the easy stuff like scheduling of skills and drills, how the hell do you run a team camp? I was going to ask some local coaches what they do, but I figured I'd touch base with you guys first. First off, I'm from a state that does not make summer practices mandated. In our area, about 95% do a one week team camp either by themselves or with a group of 2-3 teams at some point in the summer. Most schools charge between $50-$100.
Here's my list of questions that I've came up with..
- Where does your money go? We have a booster club, but this isn't really a fundraiser. I'm not looking to make money (I've lost more money coaching than I've made) but do you pocket some for your expenses through out the course of the season?
- Do you pay your assistants? How much?
- How much do you charge? Do you tell the kids where the money goes? I know our school insurance covers our kids as long as I am there, so that isn't an issue. We are a very poor district so it's tough to tell a kid he can't come if he can't come up with the money.
Any other things I'm missing that I should think of before I schedule this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Mar 6, 2014 18:21:04 GMT -6
I've done numerous team camps. Our area is actually considering putting restrictions on them. Note: our team camp period is prior to the regular starting date in August. Thus, teams use this time to "get ahead." Colleges call them passing camps with the inference that it is all 7 on 7, but the real truth is that teams are simply practicing. Ethical, no. Common, yes. I don't want to stray from the OP, so let me share my thoughts.
Our camp was $200 for three days. Cheapest in my area. Kids stayed in dorms, cafeteria food, etc. I charged $225 and used the extra funds to pay for a few players that I knew would not be able to afford to go.
Assistants are strongly encouraged to be there, but not mandatory, and not paid. Most of the guys I knew were chomping at the bit to go. Our coaches social in the evenings were worth more than any stipend could pay. But I digress...
I didn't bother with telling the kids where the money went. At most, I told them that all the money is used for the program in one way or another.
Other things to consider: How will you get there? Can you possibly hold a team camp on your own facilities? Nominal fee and no transportation issues. How will you pay for the transportation? The bus was always my biggest expense. Is there a school within range that may take interest in some of your players? How is the food? A lot of schools roll out the slop in the summer to save costs. Just heard this from an actual college cafeteria worker. Who knew?...However, that wasn't the case at the D-1 school we went to. Is there A/C in the rooms? How far is the walk from dorm to field? At one school, we were tired once we finally arrived to the field What will the school provide for you? (water, balls, bags, etc.) Will you have a meeting room? Access to show film or the use of white boards? Room assignments: Young and Old? By class? Their choice? If you're in a dorm, as a coach request a room on the ground floor. Your knees will thank you later. What other team might be in attendance? Surely you don't want your cross-town rival on the field next to you.
Also, consider having your own itinerary that revolves around breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You're a paying customer and they can adjust to you. Don't waste time by having their staff work with your kids for any extended period of time. Odds are they don't run what you run or teach it they way you do, so keep it quick.
*Be advised: The NCAA may have certain rules that they have to coach the kids for a certain period of time. If that's the case, roll with it. This happened at our last camp.
Consider some team bonding activities at the end of each night. We did skits and the players usually reenacted something that the coaches did during the season or off season. It will have you in stitches. Coaches acting like the kids can be funny too. Let's them see you in a different light.
And for goodness sake, make sure you pack some talcum powder.
If you decide to go, I strongly encourage that you talk about hazing. I always printed and read a couple of articles where teams had to forfeit games or suffer consequences due to hazing incidents. Charge your seniors with taking care of the young bucks.
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Post by joker31 on Mar 7, 2014 1:14:24 GMT -6
We run one, charge $80 bucks a kid for a 3-day Team Camp that has a morning and afternoon session, by far cheapest in the Pacific Northwest. We provide only lunch, 3 different sponsors (pizza company, sandwich shop, and a pasta company) and eat in our cafeteria. Local schools must commute each day, teams further get to stay in our gym.
We do not have a booster club, so this is our fundraiser. We do not charge our own kids for participating.
Coaches volunteer during the camp, but not mandatory. Since we practice ourselves, our coaches will be there.
Each school must provide their own insurance for their players and sign a waiver.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Mar 7, 2014 7:33:55 GMT -6
We run one, charge $80 bucks a kid for a 3-day Team Camp that has a morning and afternoon session, by far cheapest in the Pacific Northwest. We provide only lunch, 3 different sponsors (pizza company, sandwich shop, and a pasta company) and eat in our cafeteria. Local schools must commute each day, teams further get to stay in our gym. We do not have a booster club, so this is our fundraiser. We do not charge our own kids for participating. Coaches volunteer during the camp, but not mandatory. Since we practice ourselves, our coaches will be there. Each school must provide their own insurance for their players and sign a waiver. This is by far one of the more productive ways to run a camp. Pros: revenue, opportunity to work with your kids exclusively, no travel, coaches ability to attend,...among other things. Cons: paperwork, leg work to find sponsors, minor organizational issues. I've always like the idea of a home camp. Some people want to get away and there is certainly a benefit in that. But, this concept is certainly a solid idea.
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Post by nickferguson58 on Mar 7, 2014 19:45:13 GMT -6
When you guys talk about the team camps, are they usually on a college campus? I heard of a local school near me that used to just go to a State Park or something and basically stayed there for several days in tents and got permission to paint lines on a field to make their own football field. Basically, Remember the Titans style. Anyone else do anything like that or is that pretty much what you guys are already talking about? Forgive me for my ignorance. None of the programs I have been around does a team camp unless you count just basically a week of practice at your home field in the middle of summer.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Mar 7, 2014 20:33:13 GMT -6
When you guys talk about the team camps, are they usually on a college campus? I heard of a local school near me that used to just go to a State Park or something and basically stayed there for several days in tents and got permission to paint lines on a field to make their own football field. Basically, Remember the Titans style. Anyone else do anything like that or is that pretty much what you guys are already talking about? Forgive me for my ignorance. None of the programs I have been around does a team camp unless you count just basically a week of practice at your home field in the middle of summer. I actually did this type of camp when I coached in Michigan. We went to a Boy Scout camp in northern MI. I had an assistant coach who's parents ran the camp. They allowed us to paint lines on a huge open field. The mom cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us. Plus she put out snacks for the kids in the evening. We practiced three times a day for three days. Everyone was gassed when we were finished. I charged the kids $75 for the camp. Our school provided the bus. The kids stayed in open cabins with bunk beds. There was a lake out back and they swam in the evenings. Much of the money collected went to the mom who cooked for us. She was awesome. We also used some of the money to buy grass seed to replant as we tore their field all to crap. One of the best experiences in my coaching career. All the camps I've taken my teams to now are all on college campuses. If I ever found a set-up like the one in MI, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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