A free summer camp in Jefferson County is bringing kids, coaches, and the community back together and reigniting a legacy left behind by a local legend.
Jefferson County coaches and community leaders are reviving a free athletic summer camp for youth. The camp aims to fill gaps in summer programming Watch the video below to learn about the legacy that inspired this camp. JEFFERSON ATHLETIC CAMP
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A summer spark returns to Jefferson County with a free camp bringing kids, coaches, and community together.
The same rules that you apply on this field are the same rules you apply in life, Jefferson Camp organizer Lamar Hughes said.
I’m Lentheus Chaney, in Monticello where a group of mentors and educators is reviving the kind of youth program not seen here in years.
At Tiger Track and Field, young athletes from across the county spent the day jumping, running, laughing and most of all learning.
The free one-day camp, open to youth ages 6 to 16, is designed to build speed, strength, character, and community.
Its led by certified fitness trainers, educators, and mentors including Coach Kelvin Frazier, Shaundala Brown, and Lamar Hughes all successful business owners from Jefferson County, now joining forces to reignite a tradition once championed by the late Robert Wilson.
Wilson was a beloved coach, mentor, and advocate from Jefferson County who ran tutoring programs for Title I students and summer camps for years.
Being Jefferson County natives, we thought it was important to show the kids that, you know, theres not a lot here right now, but no matter where you go, no matter where you come from, this is always home and this is the first investment that you should make, Jefferson Camp organizer Brown said.
“Being able to bring something like this and bring in some more professionals down to help out, man, is an enlightenment for the community, Jefferson Camp organizer Kelvin Frazier said.
Girls ran drills alongside the boys, while some practiced cheering routines. Students rotated through stations focused on agility, teamwork, leadership, and mental toughness.
And for many parents like Ervin Lewis, its a welcome opportunity to keep kids engaged in something positive.
To see some of these young guys who I coached when I was a head coach here back in the day in high school, to see them take the initiative to try to bring the community and the kids back together to build it up where it once was its an awesome experience, Lewis said.
Camp participant Lamar Hughes Jr. says the camp was a perfect opportunity to meet new friends.
You can basically make friends out here, do stuff that youve always wanted to do in football and stuff, and basically get your exercising in, Lamar Hughes Jr. said.
Organizers say this is just the beginning their goal is to turn this camp into a tradition, just like the one Robert Wilson started years ago.
In Monticello, Im Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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