MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. -- The whole of something is greater than the sum of its parts.
That is the lesson children from the Exceptional Family Member Program aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River learned at a weeklong soccer camp at the air station fitness center, July 9-13.
The camp was a joint venture between EFMP and several coaches from the air station youth sports program, explained Ginger Booth, EFMP director.
Booth said the goals of the camp were to help develop the children physically, provide for socialization with youth with similar difficulties and allow their parents the opportunity to network and find support.
“This was a chance for them to feel like regular kids,” said Booth.
She said the camp was a success, but it could not have been done without the coaches who worked with the participants.
Tammy Jaffers, youth sports coach, said the camp worked almost the same as one for normal children, except at a slower pace so everyone could understand and learn.
The coaches taught the same skills and strategies they usually teach, and the children soaked up the information fairly easily, said Jaffers.
Caleb Sing, soccer camp participant, said he enjoyed the activity. With the group sport, the six-year-old boy said he learned a valuable lesson about the importance of working as a team.
“It’s better to pass it to a teammate than to try to kick it by yourself,” said Sing.
Along the lines of working as a group, the camp was not limited to enrolled EFMP children but also their siblings as a way to bring families closer.
At the final night of the camp, the children played a soccer game as a team against their parents, said Booth. Some parents had a blast with the opportunity of having fun with their offspring.
After the game, everyone lined up for pizza, chips and cookies. To teach the children the meaning of a balanced diet, broccoli, cucumbers and carrots were also available.
Each of the 19 children received a certificate and a gold medal for their participation in the camp. Jaffers said the awards made them feel no different than other children by winning games and receiving prizes.
Booth said she is trying to organize a basketball camp in the winter. Along with sports camps, the EFMP also does workshops and field trips to help the participants and their families. For more information, call Booth at 910-449-4894.