Volleyball
Gonzaga Boys Volleyball, 502 E. Boone Ave. Campers (grades 5-12) will learn the fundamentals of the game Aug. 9-11. $50. Visit: gozags.com Call: 313-5787
Gonzaga Volleyball Camp, 502 E. Boone Ave., Campers (grades 9-12) will learn the fundamentals of the game Aug. 16-18. Visit: gozags.com Call: 313-5787
Vandal Skills Camp, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. Campers (grades 7-12) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 13-16. $240-$330. Visit: vandalvolleyballcamp.com Call: (208) 885-0243
Vandals Youth Camp, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. Campers (grades 3-6) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 14-16 from 9 am-noon. $75. Visit: vandalvolleyballcamp.com Call: (208) 885-0243
Vandals Team Camp, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. Campers will improve their team play July 16-19. $200-$300. Visit: vandalvolleyballcamp.com Call: (208) 885-0243
Eagles Individual Camp, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Wash. Campers (ages 12-18) will improve their overall game July 9-11. $220-$340. Visit: ewuvolleyballcamps.com Call: 359-6045
Eagles Team Camp, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Wash. Campers will run practices, do drills, practice in-game situations, have tournament play and more July 16-18 from, 9 am-1 pm and 3 pm-9 pm. $175-$225. Visit: ewuvolleyballcamps.com Call: 359-6045
VolleyKats, various locations throughout Spokane and Spokane Valley. Campers (4-8) will learn basic volleyball curriculum, motor skills and more. Dates and times vary. $96. Visit: kidssportsspokane.com Call: 534-5437
Eclipse Volleyball Camp, Hub Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Campers (ages 9-13) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 23-25 from 6-8 pm. $50. Visit: eclipsevbcspokane.org Call: 927-0602
Eclipse Volleyball Camp, Hub Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Campers (ages 14-18) will improve their individual and team skills July 30-Aug. 1 from 6-9 pm. $60. Visit: eclipsevbcspokane.org Call: 927-0602
Volleyball Camp, Gonzaga Preparatory School, 1224 E. Euclid Ave. Campers (grades 4-12) will improve their skills and learn the fundamental of the game July 9-12. Times vary. $50-$70. Visit: gprep.com Call: 483-8511
Volleyball Day Camp, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Campers (grades 7-12) will learn from Whitworth coach Steve Rupe Aug. 14-17. $125. Visit: whitworth.edu Call: 777-4391
NBC Volleyball Camp, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Campers (ages 11-18) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 22-26. $490. Visit: nbccamps.com Call: 466-4690
Volleyball Intro Camp, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Campers (ages 8-12) will be introduced to the game July 29-31. Visit: nbccamps.com Call: 466-4690
Volleyball Power Camp, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Campers (ages 14-18) will learn to attack and more July 29-31. $314. Visit: nbccamps.com Call: 466-4690
Volleyball Defense Camp, Spokane Falls Community College, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Dr. Campers (ages 12-18) will learn defensive body positioning, blocking strategies and recovery skills July 16-19 from 1-3 pm. $65. Call: 533-3140
Middle Hitters Camp, Spokane Falls Community College, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Dr. Campers (ages 12-18) will learn attack options, blocking, and movement July 16-19 from 8-10 am. $65. Call: 533-3140
Outside Hitters Camp, Spokane Falls Community College, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Dr. Campers (ages 12-18) will learn attack options, blocking and movement July 16-19 from 10:30 am-12:30 pm. $65. Call: 533-3140
Setters Camp, Spokane Falls Community College, 3410 W. Fort George Wright Dr. Campers (ages 12-18) will learn movement; front, back and jump sets; transitions and strategies July 16-19 from 8-10 am. $65. Call: 533-3140
Eagles Volleyball Camp, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Wash. Female campers will learn the fundamentals of the game July 9-11. Team camp July 16-18. $220; $340 residential. Visit: ewuvolleyballcamps.com Call: 359-2463
Cougar Youth Camp, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (grades 1-6) will learn the basics of passing, hitting and setting June 14-15 from 9-11:30 am. $60. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/volleyball Call: (509) 335-4290
Cougar Skills Camp, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (grades 7-12) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 8-11. $295. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/volleyball Call: (509) 335-4290
Cougar Team Camp, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers will learn to play together, have tournament play and more July 11-14. $300. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/volleyball Call: (509) 335-4290
Gymnastics
Summer Camp, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers (ages 3-12) will play on jumping castles, play games, do arts and crafts and learn gymnastics skills June 25-29. $100-$165. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Fun Camp, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers (ages 6-12) will enjoy a week of gymnastics events, contests and games and more July 9-13 or Aug. 27-31. $119-$219. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Preschool Gymnastics, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers (ages 3-5) will play games, have story time, do crafts and learn about gymnastics July 9-13 or Aug. 27-31. $119-$225. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Extreme Gymnastics, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers (ages 6-12) will learn handsprings, flips, twisting skills and break dancing stunts July 16-20 or Aug. 6-10. $119+. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Pirate and Princess Camp, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers (ages 6-12) will play themed games and structured gymnastics rotations Aug. 20-24. $119-$225. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Gymnastics Training Camp, Spokane Gymnastics, 5615 E. Broadway Ave. Campers will learn all the Olympic events to perfect skills and learn new routines July 23-25 from 8:30 am-3 pm. $95. Visit: spokanegymnastics.com Call: 533-9646
Gymnastics Camp, Mountain View Gymnastics, 1100 S. Garfield, Airway Heights, Wash. Campers (ages 3+) will learn about gymnastics July 16-30 and July 30-Aug. 2. $75-$125. Visit: mountainviewgymnastics.com Call: 244-7061
Tennis
Junior Tennis, Spokane Club, 1002 W. Riverside Ave. Campers will play tennis-like games, do drills, compete and learn the fundamentals of the game June 18-Aug. 16. Ages 4-7: 9-9:45 am, $96-$120. Ages 8-12: 10:30 am-noon, $140-$170. Ages 13-18: 1-2:30 pm, $140-$170. Call: 535-3554 Visit: spokaneclub.org
Tennis Camp, Spokane Racquet Club, 1903 S. Dearborn St. Campers will swim, do organized water activities and learn the fundamentals of tennis during five-day camps from June 18-Aug. 10. Elementary school: from 9-11 am. Junior high: from noon-3 pm. High school: from 8-11 am. Advanced: from noon-4 pm. $130+ Visit: spokaneracquetclub.com Call: 535-1239
Tennis Day Camp, Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. Campers will learn the fundamentals of the game June 18-28, July 9-19 and July 20-22. TBA. Visit: whitworth.edu Call: 777-1000
Tennis Camps, Saint George's School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd. Campers will learn the fundamentals of the game. Grades 6-8: June 11-15 from 9 am-noon, $150. Grades 9-12: June 18-22 from 9 am-noon, $150. Visit: sgs.org/summer Call: 466-1636
Cougar Resident Tennis, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (ages 8-18) will learn the fundamentals of the game June 24-28. $495. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/tennis
Cougar Tennis, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (ages 7-18) will learn the fundamentals of the game June 25-28 from 9 am-4 pm. $295. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/tennis Call: (800) 402-0847
Cougar Tennis, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (ages 4-18) will learn the fundamentals of the game June 25-28 from 9 am-noon. $195. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/tennis Call: (800) 402-0847
Pee-Wees Tennis, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (ages 3-6) will play games, run drills and more June 25-28 from 9-10:30 am. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/tennis Call: (800) 402-0847
Swimming
Teeny Tiny Swim, Community Colleges of Spokane. Campers (ages 3-5) will play water games and learn to swim July 9-19, July 23-Aug. 2, Aug. 6-16 from 9:30-10:05 am. $25 Call: 533-7062
Beginners Swim, Community Colleges of Spokane. Campers (ages 6+) will play water games and learn to swim July 9-19, July 23-Aug. 2 and Aug. 6-16 from 8:40-9:25 am. $25. Call: 533-7062
Intermediate Swim, Community Colleges of Spokane. Campers (ages 6+) will learn deep-water swimming and stroke technique July 9-19, July 23-Aug. 2 and Aug. 6-16 from 10:10-10:55 am. $25. Call: 533-7062
Advanced Swim, Community Colleges of Spokane. Campers (ages 6+) will improve their strokes and increase endurance July 9-19, July 23-Aug. 2 and Aug. 6-16 from 11-11:45 am. $25. Call: 533-7062
Aquaducks, Various locations throughout Spokane. Campers (ages 6+) will learn all four Olympic strokes and competitively swim June 25-Aug. 8 from 7:30-9 am or 10-11:30 am. $75. Visit: spokaneparks.org Call: 625-6200
Other Sports
Jackson Sports Academy, 2525 E. 29th Ave. Low-income campers will play sports, games and more Mon-Thu June 19-Aug. 16 from 8 am-6 pm. Visit: jacksonsports.com Call: 979-4564
Cougar Track, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. Campers (ages 12-18) will weight-train, learn about nutrition, track and field events and cross-country July 8-13. $450. Visit: wsucougars.com/camps/track Call: (800) 402-0847
Golf Camp, locations vary throughout Idaho. Campers (ages 8-18) will improve their game June 29-July 1, June 15-17, June 24-28 and June 17-21. $595-$695. Visit: johnmeansgolf.com Call: (612) 382-7820
Skyhawks Sports Camps, various locations. Skyhawks sponsors sports camps across the Inland Northwest for campers (ages 4-14). Camps include soccer, baseball, football, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, golf, volleyball, track and field, cheerleading and more. $110+ Visit: skyhawks.com Call: (800) 804-3509
Badminton Camp, Saint George's School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd. Campers (grades 6-9) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 23-27 from 1-4 pm. $155. Visit sgs.org/summer Call: 466-1666)
Multi-Sports Camp, Hub Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. Campers (grades 1-6) will play basketball, volleyball, soccer, kickball and more June 25-29 from 9 am-noon. $120. Visit: hubsportscenter.org Call: 927-0602
If you’ve played badminton at any point during your life,
it’s all but certain that you did so in the comfort of a back yard,
perhaps barefoot and almost certainly with leisurely effort and in the
comfort of friends or family. Likely, you didn’t even keep score.
Well, that’s how we think of badminton here in the United States. That’s not the case elsewhere. In other countries, like China, South Korea, Indonesia and Denmark, the sport is fast, highly competitive and played by skilled athletes.
When the 2012 Olympic Games open in London this summer, we’ll see the see the sport played at its highest level. This is no backyard frolic — competitors have been known to hit the shuttlecock (if you can’t stop giggling, you can call it a “birdie”) at speeds in excess of 200 mph. That’s double the speed of even the most blazing major-league fastball.
Shane Kangas, an eighth-grade math teacher at St. George’s School in Spokane, is a fan of the sport. He’s never going to hit anything close to 200 mph, but he wants to share badminton with youngsters.
“No, it’s not like I’m a pro or anything. I’m not heading to the Olympics or anything, but I do want to pass on the skills and rules of this game,” says Kangas, the instructor of St. George’s badminton camp in late July.
During the morning, Kangas will be in a classroom instructing one of the school’s summer math camps, but in the afternoon, he’ll welcome about 32 middle-school-aged students (registration is first-come first-serve) into St. George’s air-conditioned gym, where they can escape the mid-day heat while learning a sport that’s likely foreign to them. He says it’s also a great supplement for kids already enrolled in St. George’s academic day camps.
“It’s hard to do math all day,” says Kangas, “I wanted something for kids to be able to blow off some steam.”
Kangas is also teaching another oddball racquet sport, pickle ball, this summer with a camp running from July 9-13, but he’s excited that the new badminton camp was instituted during an Olympic year. He expects kids to be able to learn badminton’s rules and techniques and compete in tournaments at the camp before watching the sport played in the Olympics, which begin on the final day of the camp.
Kangas is not expecting aspiring Olympians at the camp — although he certainly wouldn’t turn them away — but rather welcomes anyone who wants to learn how to better his or her backyard game. Or maybe just, as he says, blow off some steam.
“I was anticipating kids who are new to the game have an opportunity to have some fun,” he says.
Badminton Camp • Grades 6-9 (exceptions made for younger students) • July 23-27, 1 pm to 4 pm • $155 • Saint George’s School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd • sgs.org/summer (466-1666)
Weight Camp, Gonzaga Preparatory School, 1224 E. Euclid Ave. Campers (grades 9-12) will improve their fitness and learn to properly weight train June 25-Aug. 2 from 8:30-11 am. $75. Visit: gprep.com Call: 483-8511
Speed and Agility Camp, Hub Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Campers (ages 8-12) will learn proper warm-up, training and cool-down techniques July 9-11 from 10 am-noon. $75. Visit: hubsportscenter.org Call: 927-0602
Speed and Agility Camp, U-District PT, 730 N. Hamilton St. Campers will learn proper warm-up, training and cool-down techniques. Ages 8-12: July 16-18. Ages 13-17: July 23-25. $75. Visit: udistrictpt.com Call: 536-1800
Cross-Country Training, Saint George's School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd. Campers (grades 5-8) will train for the cross-country season July 9-13 from 9 am-noon. $150. Visit: sgs.org/summer Call: 466-1636
Lacrosse Camp, Saint George's School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd. Campers (grades 5-8) will learn the fundamentals of the game June 25-29 from 9 am-noon. $150. Visit: sgs.org/summer Call: 466-1636
Pickleball Camp, Saint George's School, 2929 W. Waikiki Rd. Campers (grades 6-9) will learn the fundamentals of the game July 9-13 from 1-4 pm. $150. Visit: sgs.org/summer Call: 466-1636
Akido, Roshinkan Aikido Dojo, 2209 N. Monroe St. Campers (ages 6-14) will practice in a safe, non-competitive environment June 5-28, July 3-26 and Aug. 8-30 from 5:15-6:15 pm. $59. Visit: spokaneparks.org Call: 625-6200
Backpacking Adventure, Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education. Autistic campers will go
backpacking July 15-20. TBA. Visit: soleexperiences.org Call: 928-351-SOLE
