Camp of Champions is devoted to motivate youth to be active and healthy.  It has been a pleasure to partner with Coachella Valley's only ice rink, Desert Ice Castle, to bring activity-driven programs to youth of all ages.


These programs include "Learn to Skate for Free" and "Learn to Play Hockey for Free" clinics geared toward elementary and middle-aged students.  Camp of Champions supports and leads these two exciting opportunities to ensure that young people can learn and participate in the wonderful sports

of skating and hockey.

Reaching At-Risk Youth

ATHLETICS & ACADEMICS


Today's Youth, Tomorrow's Champions

 Athletics has the power to change lives.  

One of our Coachella Valley hockey players has an amazing story of overcoming obstacles and choosing a path to success.  He was a troubled young man.  Gangs were prevalent in his neighborhood, and his family was torn apart by jail, drugs, and violence.  Fortunately, as a growing 14-year old, he found hockey, and through the encouragement of his coaches, he quickly falling in love with the sport.  Discovering that hockey was his passion, he began to thrive, grow as a player, while his grades and character flourished.  He developed into a leader, both on and off the ice, and led his team to the first ever championship for the high school program.  Regularly seen at the rink, this teen began serving others, coaching younger players, and working on his game.  Today, as he graduates high school, he has earned the opportunity to play with the in the

Eastern Hockey League U19 Elite Division.  

We are so proud of him!

ATHLETICS ON ICE


MOTIVATIONAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS



The scheduling of three visits to a school site, spread over the course of an academic year, enhances the efficacy of our program and equips educators with a proven tool of incentive and reward while encouraging youth to be active.

Camp of Champions has also partnered with the ice rink to offer an In-House Hockey Program, which affords the opportunity to develop hockey skills in a fun and encouraging environment.  This program introduces hockey to youth of all ages, in addition to developing the skills of emerging hockey players.  With six-week sessions at an affordable price, families can enroll their youth with minimal impact to their budget and without a long-term commitment. The In-House program feeds other hockey programs at the rink.

The Camp of Champions' school program includes three separate visits throughout the academic year to the school sites:


INTRODUCTORY VISIT:

The initial visit is scheduled for two days as a supplement to the physical education program.  Students participate in a multi-sport clinic and are guided through an exciting array of rigorous, supervised activities featuring interactive sports inflatable games, sports drills, relay races, and team building exercises.  The clinic highlights a wide variety of sports and offers activities for all levels of physical capability in a fun-dolled carnival atmosphere.


Secondary visit:

​Camp of Champions' second visit to the school site is incentive-based. Students earn participation when they meet the criteria set by their educators and principal.  The chosen criteria may be, but is not limited to, improved academics, improved attendance, corrected behavior, demonstrated character, or successful testing.  Students are invited to accept the challenge and set goals to meet the criteria, with success resulting the opportunity to participate in another two-day Camp of Champions' multi-sport clinic.  Experience indicates that after participating in the introductory clinic, students are highly motivated to earn the opportunity to participate again.


FINAL VISIT:

For its final visit, Camp of Champions distributes soccer balls to those students who have continued to meet the set criteria.  This may happen at an awards assembly or classroom to classroom.


Camp of Champions Offers Powerful Programs of Incentive & Reward

Camp of Champions is proud to assisted with the development of a high school hockey program.  The high school program operates under the auspices of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.  The ADHSHL is quickly becoming the top league in the United States and all athletes must have good grades, as well as good citizenship qualifications in order to participate.  In its first and second years, the developmental high school team won first place in its league, and in its third year, placed second.  What a rewarding accomplishment!

Since 2008, Camp of Champions has worked in partnership with all four Coachella Valley school districts by providing elementary and middle school students a powerful and free program or incentive and reward.  Ours is a program that impacts lives and inspires confidence, success, and growth.  One young man is a powerful example of increased confidence and continued activity.


Camp of Champions had set up its full complement of interactive sports inflatables, as well as its dunk tank, as a donation towards a community event.  At the event, Coach Tim was exuberantly greeted by a young alumnus of Camp of Champions and the young man was adamant that he wanted to throw the ball at the small target on the dunk tank in hopes of dunking the man who was playfully razzing all the people passing by.  Th student wound up and threw the ball with all of his might.  He successfully dunked the dunkee!  At this point, the young man shouted to Coach Tim, "That's what you get when you go to Camp of Champs, not just for one year, but for two years straight!  Right, Coach Tim?"  

This young man had become passionate about baseball after attending Camp of Champions clinics and he had been practicing his love of baseball, even having joined Little League.

A tremendous hurdle faced by schools today is the number of at-risk youth who face academic failure and significant behavioral issues, which lead to expulsion.


Camp of Champions has partnered with teacher intervention and behavior coordinators to incentivize and motivate students who are facing academic failure and expulsion.  Students are invited to contract with the teacher to target and modify behaviors, attendance, and attitudes with the goal of increased proficiency in school, improved attendance, and changed conduct.


​Upon reaching the set goal, students are rewarded with the remarkable experience of attending a Camp of Champions Athletes and Academics event, during which they are honored for their choices and accomplishment.  Students and their family members enjoy dinner, guest speakers, and receive customized t-shirts. Students have the opportunity to meet professional athletes from various sports, receiving autographs, words of encouragement and challenge, and exhortations to set goals and persevere.


The impact of this initiative is summarized by Jim Ruggiero, On-Campus Intervention/Behavior Coordinator for the Morongo Valley Unified District School Board.


After reflecting on the recent event hosted by your organization, I wanted to give thanks by sharing the overwhelmingly positive feedback reported by both students and parents/guardians alike.  Vital to the development and success of the intervention program is not only reaching out to the at-risk youth, but also developing relationship with parents/guardians.


​From the student perspective, I received several eye-opening comments that show the immediate impact of the message delivered by your guest speakers - 

Education is the key to success.

In a reflection, one 8th grader wrote, "A lesson I learned is don't drop out of school and don't let anything keep you from getting an education."  He was also mesmerized by the one-on-one conversations with former champions noting, "Seeing the rings they had was one of my favorite parts."


Another student was so thankful for the free "Camp of Champs" t-shirt act once he got it autographed by all the athletes, he was proud to wear that shirt to school every day for a week after the event.


​One parent was so excited that her son would be meeting an athlete who published a book.  Her son achieved attendance at the event by completely changing his attitude toward school and eliminating excessive tardiness and truancy from his daily routine.  Now he is in class learning every day, thanks to your motivational platform.


Other students in attendance have been inspired by the stories they heard, as well as amazed by the author of Permission to Dream, Thomas R. Williams.  They accepted his book ( and other signed memorabilia) as a reminder to set goals and never forget the things that are important to them.


​My intention was to build positive relationships with my students by incentivizing them with a great opportunity providing the vision to succeed.  Thanks to Camp of Champions and the Permission to Dream field trip, I am proud to have "taken the time" needed to impact the lives of students with such dire situations while helping them transition to someday become greatly accomplished contributors to our community and society.