Good Sports: Valley students team up with Fresno State athletics for second annual Camp of Champions
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Good Sports: Valley students team up with Fresno State athletics for second annual Camp of Champions
Fresno State Basketball analyst Marc Q. Jones has used his bulldog connections to host the Camp of Champions. Students from Golden Plains and Washington Unified Districts team up with Fresno State Athletes. Water Safety Council of Fresno County also teamed up to educate students in and around the pool. Some students coming from rural communities with little access to public pools, some are learning to swim for the first time ever., “We all want to have a fun, happy, safe summer but we all know it gets hot here so we want to stay safe,” coach Natalie Benson said. “Might as well enjoy it in a safe environment,” chairman Mark Simonian said.
The Camp of Champions has returned for a second straight summer.
The Camp of Champions has returned for a second straight summer.
The Camp of Champions has returned for a second straight summer.
The Camp of Champions has returned for a second straight summer.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Hundreds of valley students are splashing into summer.
For the second year in a row, Fresno State Basketball analyst Marc Q. Jones has used his bulldog connections to host the Camp of Champions.
a month-long program created for students from Golden Plains and Washington Unified Districts to team up with Fresno State Athletes.
“Nothing that we can offer will top swimming with our kids, because they want access to the pool they want to learn how to swim,” Golden Plains Unified superintendent Felipe Piedra said.
One of the host sites, the Fresno State aquatics center.
“The mission is to serve a bunch of kids that wouldn’t otherwise have access to a pool facility,” Fresno State head water polo coach Natalie Benson said.
Benson and her bulldogs have also teamed up with the Water Safety Council of Fresno County to educate students in and around the pool.
“Might as well enjoy it in a safe environment,” chairman Mark Simonian said.
With the majority of students coming from rural communities with little to no access to public pools, some are learning to swim for the first time ever.
“So when they do decide to go out on a family outing, out to the lake we want to make sure they’re not a statistic,” Piedra said.
and who better to help than Fresno State water polo.
“Teach them how to be safe around water, how to respect the water, and make sure they know the consequences of not knowing how to swim,” Water Dogs’ junior defender Susanna Martinez.
“1-on-1 work with the kids. deep dive into some of the fears that they’re having,” Water Dogs’ assistant coach Cecilia Leonard said.
Outside of the pool, students are also getting a first-time feel for life on a college campus.
“Making our kids feel like they belong like this is their second home,” Piedra said.
“It starts boosting their confidence to say ‘Hey mom and dad, I want to go to college,” Sitalic Luna with the Washington Unified School District said.
With the Water Dogs’ keeping safety top of mind, they’re also hoping to gain some new fans along the way.
“You are nothing without the people around you. We all want to have a fun, happy, safe summer but we all know it gets hot here so we want to stay safe,” coach Benson said.
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