NORMAL, Ill. – The back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Program of the Year is hosting two summer camps from July 19-22 on the Illinois State campus. The Illinois State track & field camp and cross country camp are for students entering grades 6-12 and campers will have the opportunity to register individually or as a team.
The camps will be run by the Redbird track & field/cross country coaching staff, including Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee and assistant coaches Jon-Michael Brandt, Rodney Burkes, Daniel Gooris and Jeff Rebholz. Additionally, Redbird track & field student-athletes will be on site assisting with the camp.
The cross country camp will cover a variety of topics, including nutrition, training methodology, running mechanics, running tactics, team building, strength training and injury prevention. At the conclusion of the camp, athletes will compete in a three-mile race at Maxwell Park (site of the IHSA Cross Country Championships and several IHSA Sectional Cross Country meets).
The track & field camp will cover a wide range of topics across multiple events. Participants will be able to choose an area(s) of focus (sprints/hurdles, throws, pole vault, horizontal jumps and high jump) on the camp registration form. In addition to event specific training and techniques, campers will also learn about strength and conditioning and nutrition.
Each track & field event group will focus on the following:
Sprints/Hurdles - For each discipline of sprinting and hurdling the emphasis will be placed on the technical fundamentals as well as the psychological aspects of training.
Throws - Events covered in detail will be shot (glide), shot (rotation) and the discus. Introductory stages will be taught in the hammer and the javelin. There will also be sessions in mental training.
Pole Vault - The pole vault will be limited to the first 20 campers that register. Beginning progressions and intermediate drills will be covered along with video analysis. Vaulters are encouraged to bring their own poles.
Jumps - The emphasis will be placed on technical fundamentals of long jump, triple jump and high jump, as well as mental training.
Both the cross country camp and track & field camp will run from July 19-22 with a cost of $375 for individual overnight campers or $300 for individual commuter campers. Team overnight campers (4+ athletes from the same team of the same gender) will receive a discounted price of $350 per camper, while, team commuter campers will be charged $275 per camper. The deadline to register for the camp is July 5.
More information on the Illinois State track & field and cross country camps can be found at illinoisstatecamps.com.
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