Nowadays, kids are picking up sports as soon as they put down their bottles.  With sports passion blooming earlier and earlier and children changing their minds from moment to moment, how does a parent go about picking a sports camp for the summer?

1 – Look for real sports coaches. You want your child to learn the correct techniques for kicking the soccer ball, shooting a hockey puck or swinging a golf club.  Look for coaches who coach youth sports year-round.  Also, be sure to ensure that the camper-to-coach ratio is low.

2 – Even the most avid little athlete needs some variety in their day.  While there should be skills and drills, there should also be a mixture of games and activities.  Six hours of golf can get tiring, so look for a camp that will teach technique, allow the kids to play the actual game, and also let them try additional activities during the day. 

3 – Camps that feed into fall and winter after-school programs are ideal for continuity.  Kids quickly become attached to “coach” and learn how a facility works.  As adults, we sometimes forget that new places and people can be quite scary for kids. Knowing where the bathrooms and water fountains are located makes a child feel at home and focused on learning.

4 – Why sports camp? Sports teach so many life lessons beyond the actual sport – lessons that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.  Team work, listening, waiting turns, following directions and winning/losing are all emphasized in summer camp.

5 – A camp that offers a variety of sports options may be a good choice for the budding athlete.  When your son or daughter arrives at figure skating camp on Monday and then realizes that he or she hates the ice and would rather play soccer, it’s nice to have the ability to talk to the camp director and make a switch.

6 – The facility that your child is going to occupy are important.  You should look for a clean and safe facility, also taking into account the quality of the equipment. Make sure it is well-kept and up-to-date. 

7 – Clearly, with all this exercise, it is important to make sure you pick a camp that offers a solid lunch option.  You want some variety so your child will always find something to eat.  You also want to make sure counselors oversee the lunch and make sure every kid is actually eating something.

Please click for information on Chelsea Piers Summer Sports Camp.

Chelsea Piers Summer Camp is teaming up with Operation Backpack, Volunteers of America's annual campaign to provide backpacks and school supplies for homeless children in NYC, for the second year in a row!

Operation Backpack's goal is to ensure that every child in the shelter system returns to school this fall with exactly the supplies they need. Last year, Operation Backpack's efforts resulted in more than 6,000 children receiving new, filled backpacks!

Here's how you can help:

Please drop a new backpack, schools supplies or a backpack filled with grade-appropriate school supplies in the collection box in the Field House lobby from July 26 to August 8.

To see the recommended, grade-appropriate school supply list and get the labels to place on your filled backpack, please click here.

For additional information on Operation Backpack of Volunteers of America, please click here: http://www.operationbackpacknyc.org.  If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Fischer at amandaf@chelseapiers.com.

Save the date! Parents, spring is just around the corner, but it's already time to start thinking about summer plans. Please join us for a Summer Camp Open House on Saturday, March 20. Tour the facility, meet our staff and learn about all 16 camps! No reservations are needed to attend.

March 20, 11am -2pm at Sky Rink

A second open house will be held on Saturday, April 17 from 11am - 2pm at the Field House. Hope to see you here!

Thanks to everyone for their support and participation in Operation Backpack. Chelsea Piers collected 50 backpacks overflowing with school supplies for homeless children in NYC. These 50 backpacks were pooled with donated backpacks from throughout the boroughs to produce over 4,000 fully-filled backpacks! We are extremely proud of Operation Backpack's success and the shelters were ecstatic when the deliveries arrived.

Our mission today is accomplished, but there is always help needed. For more information on ways to get involved and volunteer, please visit http://www.voa-gny.org.

Larry Hoff and the PIX 11 Morning News stepped out of the studio and onto the  ice at Summer Ice Skating Camp. Larry learned some new tricks and enjoyed a unique performance of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" by campers. This video is a must see!