Transcript of our interview with Stephanie, True North Sports Camps: Parent Interview with Stephanie Rogers

What’s unique about the program at True North Sports Camps that made you want to enroll your children there?

My eldest kids started True North Sports Camps when they were four, and so a big part of it was that they had designated programming for younger kids. They had sports camps dedicated to baseball at the time, which is what they were doing, for kids aged four to six, which was actually really difficult to find. Typically, at that younger age, it’s often just a multi-sport camp or a general camp, and I really liked that it was targeted to them from a young age.

True North Sports had programming that the kids could grow into. Ultimately, that’s why they’ve continued to go there each year: they were able to grow into the older years and graduate into the next level of camp and the next group of campers.

Their younger brother was able to join in and start when he was just four. He started with the soccer camp that was tailored specifically to that younger age group. I really felt that the camp was very well organized to bring quite young kids into the day camp process. That was the first camp they’d gone to, and it was really nice for them to be able to start going at the age of four and continue to grow with the camp.

Was this your children’s first experience with True North Sports Camps?

They hadn’t done a full-day camp until they joined True North Sports Camps. They had done some previous drop-in sports programs, an hour or two at a time.

It’s tough dropping your little ones off for the first time for the full day and knowing they’re going to go off for the full day, but it really worked for them. They’ve been really successful there, and that’s why we’ve stuck with it. They’ve continued to go back every year other than 2020, the pandemic year, but every year that there was programming offered, they were there.

I found out about the camp through neighbours posting signs, and another thing that I think is really compelling about True North Sports Camps is that they’re very involved in the community and the neighbourhood where they host their camps and where the business is based. They’ve even done activities and sports days, participating in our kids’ fun fair.

They do all of those things to really help grow a spirit and love of sport within the community that isn’t necessarily tied to a paying camp member or a paying clinic member. They’re happy to welcome anyone to these events that they’ve held at Memorial Park, for example, which is very close to our house. It just goes to show that they really believe that if you foster a love of sport in kids, ultimately that builds confidence, makes them feel welcome, and makes them want to be part of the programs.

Was there any change or noticeable personal growth in your children after time at True North Sports Camps?

More than anything, it’s that confidence piece that grows every year. It sticks with them through the year. They know that when they go back to baseball camp next year, they think, “Oh, I think I’m big enough this year. I think I might win in the home run derby, or I might be able to outrun my coach or beat them in one of the relay races.”

They grow from a skill-set perspective, obviously, in terms of the sports that they’re playing. They’re growing a lot in terms of their baseball skills, their basketball skills, and that sort of thing.

This summer, one of my sons ended up being the oldest kid because of the way that his grouping worked out. He ended up being a couple of years older than all the other kids in his group. True North Sports Camps immediately looked at it and said, “Okay, well, we can move him to another group.”

By the time I picked him up at the end of the day, he explained to me that Coach Sarah had made him her personal leader, and he was helping to coach the other kids. He really wanted to stay in this group because he was having the opportunity to be a bit of a mini-coach himself.

She just took that and spun it in a way for him. Instead of being disappointed that maybe he wasn’t going to be able to play tough basketball against other kids his age who were as big as him, he was now going to spend the week teaching some younger kids and making them stronger. It was just awesome. She couldn’t have handled the situation better. And I just thought the whole thing was outstanding.

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of True North Sports Camps?

Getting them ready to spend full, hot days outside is important. Make sure that they’re really ready to spend the day playing outside in the sun all day. Provide those kinds of physical supports and make sure you’re sending them with lots of food, snacks, and water.

Emotionally, getting them ready means reminding them that the coaches are there to take care of them and that they’re so excited to be there. I feel like True North Sports Camps is so successful in recruiting coaches who have such a huge energy level.

You wonder how your 10-year-old is going to have enough energy to play all day. It’s because their coach has enough energy to keep them going all day, right? Their coach is maybe a university student or a late high schooler. They’re all in that kind of age group where they’ve got tons of energy and tons of enthusiasm themselves for what they’re doing. And I just think it keeps the kids really motivated.

Remind the kids that the coaches really are there for them, that they’re super nice, they’ll be super welcoming, and that the groups are small. There are always going to be friends to be made and other kids to play with.

I really think you should reinforce that they will have a great time because, in my experience, my three kids, who are all quite different from each other and who’ve attended basketball, soccer, and baseball camps through True North Sports Camps, have all really enjoyed all of their weeks.

What do your children say about True North Sports Camps, either to you or that you may have heard them say to friends or others?

They love True North Sports Camp, they look forward to it, they remember the names of their coaches, and they hope that those people are there again. What’s amazing is that often those coaches remember their names too, which is incredible when a year has gone by.

What I find they say is, “When’s camp? When does camp start? When am I registered? When do we go?” To their friends, they would, of course, say, “You should come to the camp that I go to. True North Sports Camps is so fun.”

There aren’t a ton of specifics that a 10-year-old or a seven-year-old will play back to you. What they play back to you is that they’re happy, and that’s what ultimately matters, right?

For me, as I think about summer camps, what’s really important is that they get outside, they enjoy being outside, get lots of activity, and come home at the end of the day looking forward to going back the next day. And that’s what I hear from them. It’s like, “I’m up, I’m ready to go. When are we leaving?”

Do you have any final thoughts about True North Sports Camps?

I think True North Sports Camps is a great fit for any kind of kid. I say that because I have three kids, and they’re all quite different from each other.

It really is a great camp for the kid who’s looking, for example, to improve in baseball. The coaches are there, and they can really coach them and help them improve their skills.

For the kid who just wants to go outside, run around, and enjoy being in a field, and maybe isn’t the most attentive or isn’t necessarily going to want to follow along all the time, I also think the coaches do an absolutely outstanding job. They’re happy to find a little game and keep them entertained, and whatever makes their day great really seems to be what drives the coaches in the program.

There’s tons of good programming and content there for any kid, any type of kid, and any skill level. They really just do an exceptional job of catering to all those differences, and I think that makes anyone feel welcome, right?

Their kids are going to get better at the sport if they really want to get better at the sport and if that’s what they’re super interested in. But I know a lot of parents who get intimidated by sports camp because they worry that it’s going to be a really competitive environment, or they worry that their child needs to have a lot of skills going in or else they’re not going to have fun. The truth of the matter is that they’re going to have a great time, whether they’re already super awesome at it or they’re just figuring it out.

The coaches are prepared to take the time and have the patience for the ones who are learning. And they know great skill games and great activities to give to those other kids who are already maybe further along, to keep them feeling like they’re challenged and moving forward too.

I don’t think it’s that common that you find something your kids were so excited to go to when they were four and are still super excited to go to when they’re 10. I hear a lot of people now that our kids are older and in Grade 6, and parents are starting to say, “Oh, well, they’re over day camp.” But my kids are not over day camp because they go to a great day camp.